The photos shown here were taken on the Willow Springs Ranch.
This ranch was once part of the historic A7, put together by A.E Cross
in the late 1890’s.
A.E. Cross was a prominent business man in Calgary at the time.
He created the Calgary Brewing Company in the early 1900s and was
one of the founders of the now widely known Calgary Stampede.
Carl and Julie (nee Cross) Gerwien are the owners.
The ranch lies a few miles southwest of Nanton.
1 -- 1982 -- Bred cows coming to the feed truck on
a sunny March day.
While the cows spend their winter on the open range, towards spring they are fed a supplement, range cubes.
The cows assemble when they hear the feed truck horn.
2 -- 1982 -- Willow Springs Ranch buildings; main house, cook-house and bunk house. Barns and corrals, not shown, are to the right. The ranch manager lived on this site.
3 -- 1982 -- cattle country. Looking south from the main buildings.
4 -- 1982 -- Cattle grazing in the Porcupine Hills. These hills form a long, low chain south-east of Nanton lying north to south. They feature scattered clumps of trees, gullies, and an abundance of grass and water.
I understand they partially escaped the last glacial period, as did the Cypress Hills.
5 -- 1982 -- Looking east to the Porcupine Hills, which border parts of Willow Springs. The cowboys are looking for cattle believed to have wandered off the ranch property.
6 -- 1982 -- Looking west to the mountains.
7 -- 1989 -- An early snowfall on the ranch. Such snow cover rarely lasts. It is removed by frequent warm Chinook winds, from the west.
8 -- 1989 -- A classic ranch gate on Willow Springs. High posts, secured together at the top, served two important purposes. They kept the fence wire tight on both sides and were visible from a distance.
9 -- 1991 -- A scene near the western boundary of the ranch. Remnant white spruce trees. All that remain from an earlier period of cooler temperatures and higher moisture. Probably gone by now.
