Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is located in northern Montana on the board of the United States and Canada. Glacier was officially designated a National Park on May 11, 1910. As the name suggest the area was formed by the forces of advancing and retreating glaciers. The park is 1 million acres in size and is traversed by the Continental Divide. The elevations in Glacier creates ecosystems that range from prairie to tundra.
Glaciers are made up of ice, snow, water, rock and sediment that move under the influence of gravity. The land is carved into U-shaped valleys as the glaciers advance and retreat over time. As the ice melts, the rock and sediment left behind form moraines. The moraine serves to the trap the glacial water resulting in the formation of lakes. The largest lake is Lake McDonald. This lake is 9.4 miles long and 464 feet deep. The cold water in the lake supports very little plankton growth which results in incredibly clear water.
The water from Glacier National Park has far-reaching effects as it makes its way to the Pacific Ocean, Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Triple Divide Peak marks the point at which the water’s path is determined. That is why this area is considered the apex of the North American continent.
The ecosystems of Glacier have stayed virtually unchanged over time. Almost all of the historically know plants and animals that have lived in the area remain. This unique habit provides researchers with an intact ecosystem to study as they determine the effect of climate change over time. The lack of pollutions allows them to detect the smallest changes that occur in the environment and helps to preserver this pristine beauty of Glacier.
Glacier has been attracting tourist since the early 1900’s. To accommodate the travelers the Lake McDonald Lodge was built along with many chalets throughout the park. By 1932 the Going-to-the-Sun Road was completed allowing people to go completely across the park by car. Until the road the only way to travel was by train, boat and trails.
We visited Glacier National Park in early May. Because the many of the roads were still snow-covered we were not able to travel the full length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. By entering the western side of the park, we saw Lake McDonald and the Lodge. The clear waters of the lake reflected the majestic mountains surrounding it like a giant mirror. Than we drove around the outside of the park to eastern entrance and visited Two Medicine Lake and St. Mary’s Lake. Two Medicine Lake still had large pieces of ice floating on the surface which only served to remind you just how cold the water is. From the shores of St. Mary’s Lake, we could see to top of Triple Divide Peak of in the distance. The serenity surrounding these calm cold lakes and the snow-covered mountains entice you to sit and contemplate the beauty of the nature around you. Glacier National Park truly represents the wild America the park service strives to preserve.
https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(U.S.)