In the early hours of April 29, 1903, the residents of Frank, Alberta, woke up to a mountain’s version of a temper tantrum. Turtle Mountain, apparently fed up with just existing, let loose more than 90 million tons of limestone in one of the deadliest rockslides in Canadian history. And Frank, a small mining town minding its own business, was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The slide buried most of the town, flattened buildings like they were made of paper, and left a landscape that still looks like the aftermath of a toddler throwing a tantrum with a set of building blocks. The official death toll was estimated at around 90, though with a mining town’s transient population, the real number might be higher. Either way, Turtle Mountain made sure nobody was clocking in at the mine that day.

Why did the mountain decide to relocate itself? Well, geologists later figured out that Turtle Mountain was basically a geological Jenga tower—unstable layers of limestone sitting at an awkward angle on softer rock, combined with mining operations that were essentially poking the bear. Add a bit of water seeping into cracks and freezing, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for catastrophe.

But here’s where it gets weird: parts of the town were left untouched, and some people slept right through the whole thing. Imagine waking up late, grabbing a coffee, and stepping outside only to find half the town missing. That’s not your average Monday.

Survivors’ stories range from terrifying to straight-up bizarre. There’s the family who rode the rockslide down the mountain like they were in the world’s most dangerous amusement park ride. A baby was reportedly found alive, cushioned by debris, because apparently even mountains respect the plot armor of infants.

Today, Frank’s Slide is a grim but fascinating historical site. The rocks are still scattered across the landscape, and Turtle Mountain still looms overhead—probably contemplating its next move. And if you’re ever in Alberta and feel like standing in the shadow of a geological grudge, you can visit the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre.

As we cover in our latest Catastrophe Chronicles episode, the story of Frank’s Slide is one of nature’s most dramatic reminders that sometimes, the ground really can fall out from under you. Literally.

So grab a drink, maybe something on the rocks (too soon?), and tune in for the full tale of the day Turtle Mountain went rogue. We promise to bring the history, the science, and just the right amount of dark humor—because if we didn’t laugh, we’d have to cry.

Sources:

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/11/frank-slide-canadas-deadliest-rockslide.html

https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/canada/10-facts-about-frank-slide/

https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-1903-frank-slide-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain/

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/frank-slide-feature

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/coal-mining

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/100th-anniversary-of-frank-slide-disaster

https://southcanadianrockies.ca/stories/five-not-so-fun-facts-about-frank-slide/

https://mysteriesofcanada.com/alberta/the-frank-slide/

https://books.google.com/books?id=-prEkmaSesoC&pg=PA53&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false