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.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Lake Louise Photos
Hey Guys,
I am going to post some photos of the beautiful and awe-inspiring Lake Louise.
I am going to post some photos of the beautiful and awe-inspiring Lake Louise.
Moraine Lake
Before heading out to Lake Louise, you should also stop by Morine Lake. Morine Lake has a deep dark blue color due to the refraction of light off the rock flour. The rock flour is continually deposited into the lake. You can hike up a little hill and get a good view of the entire lake and its surrounding mountains. You should be careful because there is a section where the trail gets very steep.
Take a look at the pictures I took while I was at Morine Lake.
Take a look at the pictures I took while I was at Morine Lake.
Day 2 at Banff National Park
Before heading out towards Lake Louise Village, you should visit the Bow River Falls. It was at the Bow River Falls that Marilyn Monroe filmed her movie. The film was called River of No Return.
Cute Chipmunk on Sulphur Mountain
At the summit of Sulphur Mountain, I took a picture of a Chipmunk eating a nut.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Jasper Tramway
The Jasper Tramway takes you up Whistler mountain. However, it only takes you half-way up. The rest of the way requires some hiking. The hike is both long and steep. Therefore, tourist who have bad legs might want to take more rests on the way. At the summit, you should take plenty of pictures because the view is terrific. You can see a beautiful mountain range with glaciers. The hike is about two hours to three hours. It might only take one hour if you are a track and field athlete.
Also , watch your step for the trail is not paved. There are lots of rocks and the trail is very steep. So watch your step, put away your camera, and look down at your feet. Whistler mountain is one of those mountains where people fall off of when they come down.
From the summit you can also see the town of Jasper. It is a small town located in the Valley. Every body know each other and Jasper's only industry is Tourism.
Also , watch your step for the trail is not paved. There are lots of rocks and the trail is very steep. So watch your step, put away your camera, and look down at your feet. Whistler mountain is one of those mountains where people fall off of when they come down.
From the summit you can also see the town of Jasper. It is a small town located in the Valley. Every body know each other and Jasper's only industry is Tourism.
Lake Maligne
Maligne in French means wicked. However, the view is certainly not wicked. It is a magnificent lake with glacier capped mountains surrounding it. It also has small islands. One of the islands is Spirit Island. You probably seen some of the photographs in Quebec and Ontario. Spirit Island is near the end of Maligne Lake. People who have visited Spirit Island call it the meeting place of the Gods.
Lake Maligne is pronounced as Mal-LEEN. This lake has a guided cruise from one end to the other end. The tour guide explains the history, culture, and geology of the lake. When the boat reaches Spirit Island, the tour guide gives everybody on the boat ten minutes to take pictures. You can either hike up and get a broader view of the end of the lake or you can make a left turn when you get off the boat. The narrow trail gives you a lower perspective of the nearby islands.
The tour guide shows his or her audience the old forest fire on the right hand side of the lake. He said that the mountain ecosystem on the right side is healthier than the mountain on the left because the sunlight can penetrate the forest floor. Since the mountain on the left hand side has not had a fire for 200 years, the trees are so dense that the sunlight cannot reach the forest floor. Therefore, many trees on that side of the lake are dying. Animals have to get to a higher altitude in order to survive.
Some of the animal sightings include grizzly bears and black bears. The difference of these two bears are simple. Grizzly Bears have a huge hump on their backs. That hump is pure muscle because they have to be able to swim from one side of the lake to the other side. Grizzly Bears also have claws while the Black Bear does not.
Lake Maligne is pronounced as Mal-LEEN. This lake has a guided cruise from one end to the other end. The tour guide explains the history, culture, and geology of the lake. When the boat reaches Spirit Island, the tour guide gives everybody on the boat ten minutes to take pictures. You can either hike up and get a broader view of the end of the lake or you can make a left turn when you get off the boat. The narrow trail gives you a lower perspective of the nearby islands.
The tour guide shows his or her audience the old forest fire on the right hand side of the lake. He said that the mountain ecosystem on the right side is healthier than the mountain on the left because the sunlight can penetrate the forest floor. Since the mountain on the left hand side has not had a fire for 200 years, the trees are so dense that the sunlight cannot reach the forest floor. Therefore, many trees on that side of the lake are dying. Animals have to get to a higher altitude in order to survive.
Some of the animal sightings include grizzly bears and black bears. The difference of these two bears are simple. Grizzly Bears have a huge hump on their backs. That hump is pure muscle because they have to be able to swim from one side of the lake to the other side. Grizzly Bears also have claws while the Black Bear does not.
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