Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The front ranges lie to the east, bordering the foothills. These geologically complex
mountains are made up of younger bedrock that has been folded, faulted, and uplifted.
The main ranges are older and higher, with the bedrock lying mainly horizontal and not as
severely disturbed as the front ranges. Here the pressures have been most powerful; these
mountains are characterized by castlelike buttresses and pinnacles and warped waves of
stratified rock. Most glaciers are found among these lofty peaks. The spine of the main
range is the Continental Divide. In Canadian latitudes to the east of the divide, all waters
flow to the Atlantic Ocean; those to the west flow into the Pacific.
Since rising above the surrounding plains, these mountains have been eroding. At least
four times in the last million years, sheets of ice have covered much of the land. Advan-
cing and retreating back and forth like steel wool across the landscape, they rounded off
lower peaks and carved formerly V-shaped valleys into broad U-shaped ones ( Bow Val-
ley is the most distinctive). Meanwhile, glacial meltwater continued carving ever-deeper
channels into the valleys, and rivers changed course many times.
This long history of powerful and even violent natural events over the eons has left be-
hind the dramatic landscape visitors marvel over today. Now forming the exposed sides
of many a mountain peak, layers of drastically altered sediment are visible from miles
away, especially when accentuated by a particular angle of sunlight or a light fall of snow.
Cirques, gouged into the mountains by glacial action, fill with glacial meltwater each
spring, creating trademark translucent green lakes that will take your breath away. The
wide, sweeping U-shaped valleys scoured out by glaciers past now create magnificent pan-
oramas that will draw you to pull off the road and gasp in awe; open views are easy to
come by here, thanks to a climate that keeps the tree line low.
FLORA
Nearly 700 species of plants have been recorded in the park. Each species falls into one of
three distinct vegetation zones, based primarily on altitude. Lowest is the montane zone,
which covers the valley floor. Above it, the subalpine zone comprises most of the forested
area. Highest of all is the alpine zone, where climate is severe and vegetation cover is lim-
ited.
Montane-zone vegetation is usually found at elevations below 1,350 meters (4,430 feet)
but can grow at higher elevations on sun-drenched, south-facing slopes. Because fires fre-
quently affect this zone, lodgepole pine is the dominant species; its tightly sealed cones
only open with the heat of a forest fire, thereby regenerating the species quickly after a
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