Glacier National Park (Canada)
| Glacier National Park | |
|---|---|
| Parc national des Glaciers | |
|
IUCN category II (national park)
|
|
Rogers Pass, a central feature in the park
|
|
_location_map.svg)
 Location of Glacier National Park
|
|
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Nearest city | Revelstoke, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 51°18′0″N 117°31′7″W / 51.30000°N 117.51861°WCoordinates: 51°18′0″N 117°31′7″W / 51.30000°N 117.51861°W |
| Area | 1,349 km2 (521 sq mi) |
| Established | October 10, 1886 |
| Governing body | Parks Canada |
| Website | http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/glacier/index.aspx |
Glacier National Park is one of seven national parks in British Columbia, and is part of a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada. Established in 1886, the park encompasses 1,349 km2 (521 sq mi), and includes a portion of the Columbia Mountains. It also contains the Rogers Pass National Historic Site.
The park's history is closely tied to two primary Canadian transportation routes, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), completed in 1885, and the Trans-Canada Highway, completed in 1963. The pass in the centre of the park eluded explorers until 1881. The railway brought with it tourism, the establishment of Glacier National Park and the construction of a popular alpine hotel. The heavy winter snows and steep, avalanche-prone valleys of the park have been a major obstacle to transportation, necessitating much railway engineering and avalanche control measures.
The park contains high peaks, large, active glaciers, and one of Canada's largest cave systems. Its dense forests support populations of large mammals, birds, and alpine species. The region is noted for its heavy snowfall. The park has an extensive network of trails, three campgrounds, and four backcountry huts and cabins. Due to the major transportation routes that bisect it, Glacier National Park sees large numbers of visitors.
The Selkirk Mountains were first noted by Europeans when explorer David Thompson of the North West Company skirted around them on the Columbia River in 1811. He named them Nelson's Mountains, after Lord Horatio Nelson, but they were later renamed after an executive for the rival Hudson's Bay Company, Lord Thomas Douglas Selkirk.
...
Wikipedia