Located in Medicine Hat just off the Number 1 Highway, stands this large highly photographed structure. The Saamis Teepee was originally constructed for the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics. The teepee once housed the famous Olympic flame during the ceremonies, and stands as a tribute to Canada's native heritage. It was purchased from the City of Calgary by the late Amerigo "Rick" Nella Filanti, a prominent Medicine Hat entrepreneur and philanthropist who had a dream to place it in Medicine Hat, in the hopes to give the city a landmark with some allure. After being moved to Medicine Hat in the fall of 1991, the structure was reassembled and erected within a week, on the edge of an old Blackfoot buffalo jump. It also happens to hold the record for being the tallest teepee in the world.
The main masts of the teepee measure 65 meters / 215 feet (the same as a 20 story building!) and the diameter is 160 feet, with a foundation weight of 800 metric tons, while the dead load of the structure is 100 metric tons. The entire structure is made of steel, held together by 960 bolts . Each of the 10 masts feature a large storyboard depicting aspects of native culture and history. The colors of the teepee rings have significance. The white ring is said to represent purity, the red represents the setting and rising sun and the blue for the flowing river. Inside the Saamis Teepee are a series of 10 historic story boards detailing the lives of the First Nation people. There are giant murals, beautifully done - each with information billboards, including one retelling the story of how Medicine Hat got it's name.
Below the Saamis Teepee in scenic Seven Persons Coulee lays the Saamis Archaological Site, one of the most important archaeological sites of the Northern Plains. The area was once a buffalo camp and meat processing site, and experts believe over 83 million artifacts are buried at the site.
To log this cache as a find, you must attach a photo proving you were at the location. A selfie is not necessary unless you wish, but must contain some sort of personal caching item in view of the teepee. This structure is one of my favorite things to photograph, so the more creative your photo, the better!
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.