Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Columbia Icefield

The Columbia Ice field is the highlight of the whole road. It is the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains. It is approximately 200 kilometers squared. The people who work with the national parks will take tourists up to the Columbia Ice field for a price. The price is worth it . You can stand on the ice , but it is slippery. Also, remember to bring your sunglasses. When the sun shines on the glaciers, the glacier will reflect a lot of UV rays into your eyes. Those UV rays are harmful to your eyes.

According to the tour guide, some of the trees in the alpine and sub-alpine regions are over three hundred years old. However, the trees are really small. The soil on the alpine region of the Columbia Ice field is not fertile. Therefore, the trees cannot grow to be as tall as the evergreens in New Jersey.

Over millions of years, snow has accumulated and melted. However, due to Global Warming, the past decade has been the fastest decline in glacier ice. When the glaciers melt, it leaves a moraine. By definition, a moraine is a deposit of boulders, gravel, sand, and clay left on the ground by the glacier.


Jasper Acronym

If you have been to Maligne Lake, then you know that Jasper is Just another way to extract revenue.

That is from the tour guide, Guy. He is a  French Canadian. He has a little accent, so you can always ask him to repeat his previous statements. He has a good sense of humor.

His best story is at the end of the tour. So you should listen carefully. It is a hilarious story.