Burmis Tree, Natural landmark in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada.

The Burmis Tree is a dead limber pine beside Highway 3 east of Crowsnest Pass. Its bleached trunk leans slightly and splits into thick, pale grey branches, one forking low and another stretching horizontally. Stainless steel rods and brackets, added after it was toppled in 1998, hold it upright against a mountain backdrop.

The Burmis Tree is a limber pine named after the former coal-mining town of Burmis. It died in the late 1970s after losing its needles, and was estimated to be 600 to 750 years old. In 1998 wind toppled it, but residents and Alberta Culture staff raised it again with stainless steel rods and brackets. In 2004 vandals cut a main branch, which locals repaired with glue and a prop pole.

This dead tree has become a local symbol that residents work to maintain and protect from damage. Visitors notice how the community views this weathered landmark as part of their shared identity.

The tree stands right beside the highway, making it easy to spot and stop for a quick visit. You can access the site at any time since it sits along the roadside with an information board nearby.

In 1998 wind toppled the dead tree, but Burmis residents refused to leave it lying; Alberta Culture staff re-erected it with stainless steel rods and brackets. When vandals cut a main branch in 2004, locals repaired it with glue and a prop pole. The tree is estimated at 600 to 750 years old.