97-724: The Saskatchewan Glacier is located in Banff National Park , Alberta , Canada , approximately 120 km (75 mi) northwest of the town of Banff , and can be accessed from the Icefields Parkway . Saskatchewan Glacier is the largest outflow glacier from the Columbia Icefield , which rests along the Continental Divide . The glacier is a primary water source for the North Saskatchewan River . The glacier
194-455: A subarctic climate with three ecoregions , including montane , subalpine , and alpine . The forests are dominated by Lodgepole pine at lower elevations and Engelmann spruce in higher ones below the treeline, above which is primarily rocks and ice. Mammal species such as the grizzly bear , cougar , wolverine , elk , bighorn sheep and moose are found, along with hundreds of bird species. Reptiles and amphibians are also found but only
291-731: A centre for cultural activities. Banff is home to several cultural institutions, including the Banff Centre , the Whyte Museum , the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum , Cave and Basin National Historic Site , and several art galleries . Throughout its history, Banff has hosted many annual events, including Banff Indian Days which began in 1889, and the Banff Winter Carnival. Since 1976, The Banff Centre has organized
388-643: A ewe from accessing tending areas before she even enters estrus. Bighorn ewes have a six-month gestation. In temperate climates, the peak of the rut occurs in November, with one, or rarely two, lambs being born in May. Most births occur in the first two weeks of the lambing period. Pregnant ewes of the Rocky Mountains migrate to alpine areas in spring, presumably to give birth in areas safer from predation, but are away from areas with good quality forage. Lambs born earlier in
485-592: A large diurnal range owing to the relative dryness of the air. Banff National Park spans three ecoregions , including montane , subalpine , and alpine . The subalpine ecoregion, which consists mainly of dense forest, comprises 53 percent of Banff's area. 27 percent of the park is located above the tree line , in the alpine ecoregion. The tree line in Banff lies approximately at 2,300 m (7,500 ft), with open meadows at alpine regions and some areas covered by glaciers. A small portion (3 percent) of
582-420: A legend related to the bighorn sheep. A man possessed by evil spirits attempts to kill his heir by pushing the young man over a cliff, but the victim is saved by getting caught in trees. Rescued by bighorn sheep, the man takes the name of their leader, Big Metal. The other sheep grant him power, wisdom, sharp eyes, sure-footedness , keen ears, great strength, and a strong heart. Big Metal returns to his people with
679-403: A limited number of species have been recorded. The mountains are formed from sedimentary rocks which were pushed east over newer rock strata, between 80 and 55 million years ago. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park, but today are found only on the mountain slopes though they include the Columbia Icefield , the largest uninterrupted glacial mass in
776-490: A mandate for the Banff-Bow Valley Study to draft management recommendations. As with other national parks, Banff is required to have a Park Management Plan. On a provincial level , the park area and the included communities (other than the town of Banff which is an incorporated municipality) are administered by Alberta Municipal Affairs as Improvement District No. 9 (Banff) . The park was originally considered as
873-794: A prominent medial morraine. This Alberta location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a glacier in Canada is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Banff National Park Banff National Park is Canada's first national park , established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park . Located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains , 110–180 kilometres (68–112 mi) west of Calgary , Banff encompasses 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 sq mi) of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields , dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. Provincial forests and Yoho National Park are neighbours to
970-425: A recreational area for visitors offering multiple leisure activities – the original wildlife policy viewed wildlife in Banff only as game or pests up until the 1960s and 1970s. As ecological awareness increased, management procedures expanded with the inclusion of public participation in many management decisions. Simultaneously, the increase in human construction (such as new highways) on the natural landscape increased
1067-401: A single leader ram, unlike the mouflon , the ancestor of the domestic sheep, which has a strict dominance hierarchy . Before the mating season or " rut ", the rams attempt to establish a dominance hierarchy to determine access to ewes for mating. During the prerut period, most of the characteristic horn clashing occurs between rams, although this behavior may occur to a limited extent throughout
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#17328448153931164-824: Is a classic dip slope mountain. Just to the north of the Banff townsite, Castle Mountain is composed of numerous Cambrian age rock formations. The uppermost section of the peak consists of relatively harder dolomite from the Eldon Formation. Below that lies the less dense shales of the Stephen Formation and the lowest exposed cliffs are limestones of the Cathedral Formation . Dogtooth mountains, such as Mount Louis , exhibit sharp, jagged slopes. The Sawback Range, which consists of nearly vertical dipping sedimentary layers, has been eroded by cross gullies . The erosion of these almost vertical layers of rock strata in
1261-593: Is accelerating. In Banff National Park alone, in 1985 there were 365 glaciers but by 2005, 29 glaciers had disappeared. The total glaciated area dropped from 625 to 500 square kilometres (241 to 193 sq mi) in that time period. The largest glaciated areas include the Waputik and Wapta Icefields , which both lie on the Banff-Yoho National Park border. Wapta Icefield covers approximately 80 km (31 sq mi) in area. Outlets of Wapta Icefield on
1358-544: Is also near the village. Lake Louise is one of the most visited lakes in the world and is framed to the southwest by the Mount Victoria Glacier . The Icefields Parkway is a 230-kilometre-long (140 mi) road connecting Lake Louise to Jasper, Alberta. The Parkway originates at Lake Louise, and extends north up the Bow Valley, past Hector Lake , which is the largest natural lake in the park. Other scenic lakes near
1455-491: Is approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long and covers an area of 30 km (11.5 mi) and was measured in 1960 to be over 400 metres (1,310 ft) thick at a distance of 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the terminal snout. Between the years 1893 and 1953, Saskatchewan Glacier had receded a distance of 1,364 metres (4,475 ft), with the rate of retreat between the years 1948 and 1953 averaging 55 metres (180 ft) per year. The glacier, which flows northeast, exhibits
1552-461: Is approximately 13 km (8 mi) in length and 30 km (12 sq mi) in area, is the major outlet of the Columbia Icefield that flows into Banff National Park. Between the years 1893 and 1953, Saskatchewan Glacier had retreated a distance of 1,364 m (4,475 ft), with the rate of retreat between the years 1948 and 1953 averaging 55 m (180 ft) per year. Overall,
1649-685: Is at a higher altitude. During winter months, temperatures in Banff are moderated, compared to other areas of central and northern Alberta, due to Chinook winds and other influences from British Columbia. The mean low temperature during January is −15 °C (5 °F), and the mean high temperature is −5 °C (23 °F) for the town of Banff. However, temperatures can drop below −20 °C (−4.0 °F) with wind chill values dropping below −30 °C (−22.0 °F). Weather conditions during summer months are warm, with high temperatures during July averaging 22 °C (72 °F), and daily low temperatures averaging 7 °C (45 °F), leading to
1746-626: Is considerably less than in Yoho National Park on the western side of the divide in British Columbia, where 884 mm (34.8 in) is received at Wapta Lake and 616 mm (24.3 in) at Boulder Creek annually. Being influenced by altitude, snowfall is also greater at higher elevations. As such, 234 cm (92 in) of snow falls on average each year in the Banff townsite, while 304 cm (120 in) falls in Lake Louise, which
1843-515: Is endangered: O. c. sierrae . Sheep originally crossed to North America over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia; the population in North America peaked in the millions, and the bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americans . By 1900, the population had crashed to several thousand due to diseases introduced through European livestock and overhunting. Ovis canadensis
1940-587: Is known as David Thompson Country, and onto Edmonton. The David Thompson Highway follows the North Saskatchewan River, past the man-made Abraham Lake , and through David Thompson Country. North of Saskatchewan Crossing, the Icefields Parkway follows the North Saskatchewan River up to the Columbia Icefield . The Parkway crosses into Jasper National Park at Sunwapta Pass at 2,035 metres (6,677 ft) in elevation, and continues on from there to
2037-489: Is largely illusory. Most scientists currently recognize three subspecies of bighorn. This taxonomy is supported by the most extensive genetics (microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA) study to date (2016) which found high divergence between Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, and that these two subspecies both diverged from desert bighorn before or during the Illinoian glaciation (about 315–94 thousand years ago). Thus,
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#17328448153932134-802: Is one of two species of mountain sheep in North America; the other species being O. dalli , the Dall sheep . Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia into Alaska during the Pleistocene (about 750,000 years ago); subsequently, they spread through western North America as far south as Baja California and northwestern mainland Mexico. Divergence from their closest Asian ancestor ( snow sheep ) occurred about 600,000 years ago. In North America, wild sheep diverged into two extant species — Dall sheep, which occupy Alaska and northwestern Canada, and bighorn sheep, which range from southwestern Canada to Mexico. However,
2231-411: Is the tending strategy, in which a ram follows and defends an estrous ewe. Tending takes considerable strength and vigilance, and ewes are most receptive to tending males, presumably feeling they are the most fit. Another tactic is coursing, when rams fight for an already tended ewe. Ewes typically avoid coursing males, so the strategy is ineffective. The rams also employ a blocking strategy. They prevent
2328-533: The Public Works Construction Act was passed, providing continued funding for the public works projects. New projects included construction of a new registration facility at Banff's east gate and construction of an administrative building in Banff. By 1940, the Icefields Parkway reached the Columbia Icefield area of Banff and connected Banff and Jasper. Most of the infrastructure present in the national park dates from public work projects enacted during
2425-530: The Banff Mountain Film Festival . In 1990, Banff incorporated as a town of Alberta , though still subject to the National Parks Act and federal authority in regards to planning and development. In its 2014 census , the town of Banff had a permanent population of 8,421 as well as 965 non-permanent residents for a total population of 9,386. The Bow River flows through the town of Banff, with
2522-586: The Banff Springs snail ( Physella johnsoni ) that is found in the hot springs of Banff, and the Woodland caribou . Mountain pine beetles have caused a number of large-scale infestations in Banff National Park, feeding on the phloem of mature lodgepole pines. Alberta's first known outbreak occurred in 1940, infecting 43 km (17 sq mi) of forest in Banff. A second major outbreak occurred in
2619-702: The Bow Falls on the outskirts of town. Lake Louise, a hamlet 54 km (34 mi) northwest of the town of Banff, is home to the landmark Chateau Lake Louise at the edge of Lake Louise. Located 15 km (9.3 mi) from Lake Louise, Moraine Lake provides a scenic vista of the Valley of the Ten Peaks . This scene is on the back of the Canadian $ 20 bill in the 1969–1979 ("Scenes of Canada") series. The Lake Louise Mountain Resort
2716-447: The Canada jay , American three-toed woodpecker , mountain bluebird , Clark's nutcracker , mountain chickadee and pipit are frequently found in the lower elevations. The white-tailed ptarmigan is a ground bird that is often seen in the alpine zones. Rivers and lakes are frequented by over a hundred different species including loon , heron and mallard which spend their summers in the park. Endangered species in Banff include
2813-597: The Government of Canada enacted the Unemployment and Farm Relief Act which provided public works projects in the national parks during the Great Depression . In Banff, workers constructed a new bathhouse and pool at Upper Hot Springs , to supplement Cave and Basin. Other projects involved road building in the park, tasks around the Banff townsite and construction of a highway connecting Banff and Jasper . In 1934,
2910-659: The Jurassic periods (600–145 m.y.a.). However, rocks as young as the lower Cretaceous (145–66 m.y.a.) can be found near the east entrance and on Cascade Mountain above the Banff townsite. These sedimentary rocks formed at the bottom of shallow seas between 600 and 175 m.y.a. and were pushed east during the Laramide orogeny . Mountain building in Banff National Park ended approximately 55 m.y.a. The Canadian Rockies may have risen up to 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) approximately 70 m.y.a. Once mountain formation ceased, erosion carved
3007-569: The Little Bighorn River , were both indicated on Clark's map and did retain their names, the latter being the namesake of the Battle of the Little Bighorn . The Bighorn Ram was featured in a series of prints by artist Andy Warhol . In 1983, the artist was commissioned to create a portfolio of ten endangered species to raise environmental awareness. The portfolio, known as "Endangered Species"
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3104-625: The National Audubon Society also joined the effort. On January 18, 1939, over 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) of land were set aside to create the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge . Many state and federal agencies have actively pursued the restoration of bighorn sheep since the 1940s. However, these efforts have met with limited success, and most of
3201-632: The Shoshone in making composite bows. William Clark's Track Map produced after the expedition in 1814 indicated a tributary of the Yellowstone River named Argalia Creek and a tributary of the Missouri River named Argalia River, both in what is today Montana . Neither of these tributaries retained these names, however. The Bighorn River , another tributary of the Yellowstone, and its tributary stream,
3298-610: The Waputik , Bow and Blue Ranges . The high peaks west of Lake Louise are part of the Bow Range. The eastern border of the park includes all of the Front Ranges consisting of from north to south, the Palliser , Sawback and Sundance Ranges . The Banff townsite is in the Front Ranges. Just outside the park to the east lie the foothills that extend from Canmore at the eastern entrance of
3395-610: The Waputik Range . Cave and Basin served as an important cultural and spiritual site for the Stoney Nakoda. With the admission of British Columbia to Canada on July 20, 1871, Canada agreed to build a transcontinental railroad . Construction of the railroad began in 1875, with Kicking Horse Pass chosen, over the more northerly Yellowhead Pass , as the route through the Canadian Rockies. Ten years later, on November 7, 1885,
3492-552: The Winter Olympics in Banff, with the first bid for the 1964 Winter Olympics , which were eventually awarded to Innsbruck , Austria . Canada narrowly lost a second bid, for the 1968 Winter Olympics , which were awarded to Grenoble , France. Once again, Banff launched a bid to host the 1972 Winter Olympics , with plans to hold the Olympics at Lake Louise. The 1972 bid was controversial, as environmental lobby groups strongly opposed
3589-475: The 1980s, Parks Canada moved to privatize many park services such as golf courses, and added user fees for use of other facilities and services to help deal with budget cuts. In 1990, the town of Banff was incorporated , giving local residents more say regarding any proposed developments. In the 1990s, development plans for the park, including expansion at Sunshine Village, were under fire with lawsuits filed by Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). In
3686-453: The Banff side of the continental divide include Peyto, Bow , and Vulture Glaciers . Bow Glacier retreated an estimated 1,100 m (3,600 ft) between the years 1850 and 1953, and since that period, there has been further retreat which has left a newly formed lake at the terminal moraine . Peyto Glacier has lost 70 percent of its volume since record keeping began and has retreated approximately 2,000 m (6,600 ft) since 1880;
3783-603: The Brewsters. Mount Norquay ski area was also developed during the 1930s, with the first chair lift installed there in 1948. Since 1968, when the Banff Springs Hotel was winterized, Banff has been a year-round destination. In the 1950s, the Trans-Canada Highway was constructed, providing another transportation corridor through the Bow Valley, making the park more accessible. Canada launched several bids to host
3880-519: The Great Depression. Alternative service camps for conscientious objectors were set up in Banff during World War II , with camps at Lake Louise, Stoney Creek, and Healy Creek. These camps were largely populated by Mennonites from Saskatchewan . Winter tourism in Banff began in February 1917, with the first Banff Winter Carnival. It was marketed to a regional middle class audience, and became
3977-605: The Jasper townsite. The Canadian Rockies consist of several northwest–southeast trending ranges. Two main mountain ranges are within the park, each consisting of numerous subranges. The western border of the park follows the crest of the Main Ranges (also known as the Park Ranges ), which is also the continental divide . The Main Ranges in Banff National Park include from north to south,
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4074-510: The Red-Nosed Reindeer . Bighorn sheep were once known by the scientific identification "argali" or "argalia" due to assumption that they were the same animal as the Asiatic argali ( Ovis ammon ). Lewis and Clark recorded numerous sightings of O. canadensis in the journals of their exploration—sometimes using the name argalia. In addition, they recorded the use of bighorn sheep horns by
4171-459: The Rockies. Erosion from water and ice have carved the mountains into their current shapes. Throughout its history, Banff National Park has been shaped by tension between conservationist and land exploitation interests. The park was established on November 25, 1885, as Banff Hot Springs Reserve, in response to conflicting claims over who discovered hot springs there and who had the right to develop
4268-542: The Sawback Range has resulted in formations that appear like the teeth on a saw blade. Erosion and deposition of higher elevation rock layers has resulted in scree deposits at the lowest elevations of many of the mountains. Banff National Park has numerous large glaciers and icefields, 100 of which can be observed from the Icefields Parkway . Small cirque glaciers are fairly common in the Main Ranges, in depressions on
4365-483: The United States experience regular outbreaks of infectious pneumonia , which likely result from the introduction of bacterial pathogens (in particular, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae , and some strains of Mannheimia haemolytica ) carried asymptomatically in domestic sheep. Once introduced, pathogens can transmit rapidly through a bighorn population, resulting in all-age die-offs that sometimes kill up to 90% of
4462-852: The agility to prey on them in uneven, rocky habitats. Fire suppression techniques may limit visibility through shrublands, and therefore increase cover and predation rates by mountain lions. Bighorn sheep are considered good indicators of land health because the species is sensitive to many human-induced environmental problems. In addition to their aesthetic value, bighorn sheep are considered desirable game animals by hunters . Bighorn sheep graze on grasses and browse shrubs , particularly in fall and winter, and seek minerals at natural salt licks . Females tend to forage and walk, possibly to avoid predators and protect lambs, while males tend to eat and then rest and ruminate, which lends to more effective digestion and greater increase in body size. Bighorn sheep live in large herds and do not typically follow
4559-841: The annual snowfall is less than about 150 cm (60 in) per year. A bighorn's winter range usually has lower elevations than its summer range. Bighorn sheep are highly susceptible to certain diseases carried by domestic sheep, such as psoroptic scabies and pneumonia ; additional mortality occurs as a result of accidents involving rock falls or falling off cliffs (a hazard of living in steep, rugged terrain). Bighorns are well adapted to climbing steep terrain, where they seek cover from predators . Predation primarily occurs with lambs, which are hunted by coyotes , bobcats , gray foxes , wolverines , jaguars , ocelots , lynxes , and golden eagles . Bighorn sheep of all ages are threatened by black bears , grizzly bears , wolves , and especially mountain lions , which are perhaps best equipped with
4656-456: The area that is now Banff National Park was home to many Indigenous Peoples, including the Stoney Nakoda , Ktunaxa , Tsuut'ina , Kainaiwa , Piikani , Siksika , and Plains Cree . Indigenous Peoples utilized the area to hunt, fish, trade, travel, survey and practice culture. Many areas within Banff National Park are still known by their Stoney Nakoda names such as Lake Minnewanka and
4753-484: The backs of all four legs. Males typically weigh 58–143 kg (128–315 lb), are 90–105 cm (35–41 in) tall at the shoulder, and 1.6–1.85 m (63–73 in) long from the nose to the tail. Females are typically 34–91 kg (75–201 lb), 75–90 cm (30–35 in) tall, and 1.28–1.58 m (50–62 in) long. Male bighorn sheep have large horn cores, enlarged cornual and frontal sinuses, and internal bony septa . These adaptations serve to protect
4850-574: The bid, which had sponsorship from Imperial Oil . Bowing to pressure, Jean Chrétien , then the Minister of Environment, the government department responsible for Parks Canada, withdrew support for the bid, which was eventually lost to Sapporo , Japan. When nearby Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics , the cross-country ski events were held at the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park at Canmore, Alberta , located just outside
4947-571: The bones in the male's body. The Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep occupy the cooler mountainous regions of Canada and the United States. In contrast, the desert bighorn sheep subspecies are indigenous to the hot desert ecosystems of the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Bighorn sheep inhabit alpine meadows, grassy mountain slopes, and foothill country near rugged, rocky cliffs and bluffs. Since bighorn sheep cannot move through deep snow, they prefer drier slopes, where
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#17328448153935044-667: The brain by absorbing the impact of clashes. Bighorn sheep have preorbital glands on the anterior corner of each eye, inguinal glands in the groin, and pedal glands on each foot. Secretions from these glands may support dominance behaviors. Bighorns from the Rocky Mountains are relatively large, with males that occasionally exceed 230 kg (500 lb) and females that exceed 90 kg (200 lb). In contrast, Sierra Nevada bighorn males weigh up to only 90 kg (198 lb) and females to 60 kg (132 lb). Males' horns can weigh up to 14 kg (30 lb), as much as all
5141-476: The centerpiece of local boosters aiming to attract visitors, which were a low priority for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The carnival featured a large ice palace, which in 1917 was built by World War I internees. Carnival events included cross-country skiing , ski jumping , curling , snowshoe , and skijoring . In the 1930s, the first downhill ski resort, Sunshine Village , was developed by
5238-473: The construction of a new east gate in 1933, Alberta transferred 0.84 km (0.32 sq mi) to the park. This, along with other minor changes in the park boundaries in 1949, set the area of the park at 6,641 km (2,564 sq mi). In 1877, the First Nations of the area signed Treaty 7 , which gave Canada rights to explore the land for resources. At the beginning of the 20th century, coal
5335-597: The decline, the most drastic occurring from about 1870 through 1950. In 1936, the Arizona Boy Scouts mounted a statewide campaign to save the bighorn sheep. The scouts first became interested in the sheep through the efforts of Major Frederick Russell Burnham . Burnham observed that fewer than 150 of these sheep still lived in the Arizona mountains. The National Wildlife Federation , the Izaak Walton League , and
5432-475: The eastern gates of Banff National Park on the Trans-Canada Highway . Since the original Rocky Mountains Park Act, subsequent acts and policies placed greater emphasis on conservation. With public sentiment tending towards environmentalism, Parks Canada issued major new policy in 1979, which emphasized conservation. The National Parks Act was amended in 1988, which made preserving ecological integrity
5529-722: The first priority in all park management decisions. The act also required each park to produce a management plan, with greater public participation. In 1984, Banff was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site , together with the other national and provincial parks that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks , for the mountain landscapes containing mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and limestone caves as well as fossil beds. With this designation came added obligations for conservation. During
5626-537: The frequency of human–animal conflicts. In 1988 wildlife began to be considered an integral part of the ecosystem. Bighorn sheep O. cervina Desmarest O. montana Cuvier The bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns . A pair of horns may weigh up to 14 kg (30 lb); the sheep typically weigh up to 143 kg (315 lb). Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis , one of which
5723-474: The glacier is at risk of disappearing entirely within the next 30 to 40 years. The Columbia Icefield , at the northern end of Banff, straddles the Banff and Jasper National Park border and extends into British Columbia. Snow Dome , in the Columbia Icefield is a hydrological apex of North America, with water flowing via outlet glaciers to the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Saskatchewan Glacier , which
5820-419: The glaciers in the park more thoroughly, and have been analyzing the impact that reduced glacier ice may have on water supplies to streams and rivers. Estimates are that 150 glaciers disappeared in the Canadian Rockies (areas both inside and outside Banff National Park) between the years 1920 and 1985. Another 150 glaciers disappeared between 1985 and 2005, indicating that the retreat and disappearance of glaciers
5917-479: The glaciers of the Canadian Rockies lost 25 percent of their mass during the 20th century. Under the Köppen climate classification , the park has a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. The climate is influenced by altitude with lower temperatures generally found at higher elevations. Located on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, Banff National Park receives 472 millimetres (18.6 in) of precipitation annually. This
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#17328448153936014-422: The historical range of bighorns remains unoccupied. Hunting for male bighorn sheep is allowed, but heavily regulated, in Canada and the United States. Bighorn sheep were among the most admired animals of the Apsaalooka (Crow) people, and what is today called the Bighorn Mountain Range was central to the Apsaalooka tribal lands. In the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area book, storyteller Old Coyote describes
6111-417: The hot springs for commercial interests. The conservationists prevailed when Prime Minister John A. Macdonald set aside the hot springs as a small protected reserve, which was later expanded to include Lake Louise and other areas extending north to the Columbia Icefield . Archaeological evidence found at Vermilion Lakes indicates the first human activity in Banff to 10,300 B.P. Prior to European contact,
6208-425: The last spike was driven in Craigellachie, British Columbia . With conflicting claims over the discovery of hot springs in Banff, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald decided to set aside a small reserve of 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) around the hot springs at Cave and Basin as a public park known as the Banff Hot Springs Reserve in 1885. Under the Rocky Mountains Park Act , enacted on June 23, 1887,
6305-436: The late 1970s and early 1980s in Banff and the surrounding Rocky Mountains region. Banff National Park is the most visited Alberta tourist destination and one of the most visited national parks in North America, with more than three million tourists annually. Tourism in Banff contributes an estimated CA$ 6 billion annually to the economy . A park pass is required for stopping in the park, and permit checks are common during
6402-435: The message that the Apsaalooka people will survive only so long as the river winding out of the mountains is known as the Bighorn River. Bighorn sheep are hunted for their meat and horns, used in ceremonies, as food, and as hunting trophies. They also serve as a source of ecotourism , as tourists come to see the bighorn sheep in their native habitat. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is the provincial mammal of Alberta and
6499-484: The mid-1990s, the Banff-Bow Valley Study was initiated to find ways to better address environmental concerns, and issues relating to development in the park. Banff National Park is in the Rocky Mountains on Alberta's western border with British Columbia in the Alberta Mountain forests ecoregion. By road, the town of Banff is 128 kilometres (80 mi) west of Calgary and 401 km (249 mi) southwest of Edmonton . Jasper National Park borders Banff National Park to
6596-428: The mountain ranges trend northwest to southeast, with sedimentary layering dipping down to the west at 40–60 degrees. This leads to dip slope landforms, with generally steeper east and north faces, and trellis drainage , where rivers and old glacial valleys followed the weaker layers in the rocks as they were relatively easily weathered and eroded. Classic examples are found at the Banff townsite proper: Mount Rundle
6693-579: The mountains into their present rugged shape. The erosion was first due to water, then was greatly accelerated by the Quaternary glaciation 2.5 million years ago. Glacial landforms dominate Banff's geomorphology , with examples of all classic glacial forms, including cirques , arêtes , hanging valleys , moraines , and U-shaped valleys . The pre-existing structure left over from mountain-building strongly guided glacial erosion: mountains in Banff include complex, irregular, anticlinal , synclinal , castellate, dogtooth, and sawback mountains. Many of
6790-401: The north, while Yoho National Park is to the west and Kootenay National Park is to the south. Kananaskis Country , which includes Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park , Spray Valley Provincial Park , and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park , is located to the south and east of Banff. The Trans-Canada Highway passes through Banff National Park, from the eastern boundary near Canmore , through
6887-532: The north. Since the 1960s, park accommodations have been open all year, with annual tourism visits to Banff increasing to over 5 million in the 1990s. Millions more pass through the park on the Trans-Canada Highway . As Banff has over three million visitors annually, the health of its ecosystem has been threatened. In the mid-1990s, Parks Canada responded by initiating a two-year study which resulted in management recommendations and new policies that aim to preserve ecological integrity. Banff National Park has
6984-779: The park eastward into the Great Plains. Well west of the park, the Western Ranges of the Rockies pass through Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. Though the tallest peak entirely within the park is Mount Forbes at 3,612 metres (11,850 ft), Mount Assiniboine on the Banff- Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park border is slightly higher at 3,618 m (11,870 ft). The Canadian Rockies are composed of sedimentary rock , including shale , sandstone , dolomite and limestone . The vast majority of geologic formations in Banff range in age from Precambrian to
7081-525: The park was expanded to 674 km (260 sq mi) and named Rocky Mountains Park . This was Canada's first national park , and the third established in North America, after Yellowstone and Mackinac National Parks . The Canadian Pacific Railway built the Banff Springs Hotel and Lake Louise Chalet to attract tourists and increase the number of rail passengers. The Stoney Nakoda First Nation were removed from Banff National Park between
7178-411: The park, at lower elevations, is in the montane ecoregion. Lodgepole pine forests dominate the montane region of Banff, with Engelmann spruce , willow , aspen , occasional Douglas-fir and a few Douglas maple interspersed. Engelmann spruce are more common in the subalpine regions of Banff, with some areas of lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir . The montane areas in the Bow Valley, which tend to be
7275-629: The park. Park boundaries changed several more times up until 1930, when the area of Banff was fixed at 6,697 km (2,586 sq mi), with the passage of the National Parks Act . The act, which took effect May 30, 1930, also renamed the park Banff National Park , named for the Canadian Pacific Railway station, which in turn was named after the Banffshire region in Scotland. With
7372-407: The park. The meme is based on a photograph of a Minnesotan couple visiting the park on the shore of Lake Minnewanka that was " crashed " by a Columbian ground squirrel ; the photograph was published in major news sources around the world and the image of the squirrel was digitally manipulated into humorous photos. Banff National Park is managed by Parks Canada , under the National Parks Act which
7469-595: The parkway include Bow Lake , and Peyto Lakes , both north of Hector Lake. The Parkway then crosses Bow Summit (2,088 m (6,850 ft)), and follows the Mistaya River to Saskatchewan Crossing , where it converges with the Howse and North Saskatchewan River . Bow Summit is the highest elevation crossed by a public road in Canada. The North Saskatchewan River flows east from Saskatchewan Crossing, out of Banff, into what
7566-573: The population. In the years following pathogen introduction, bighorn populations frequently experience multiple years of lamb pneumonia outbreaks. These outbreaks can severely limit recruitment and likely play a powerful role in slowing population growth. Bighorn sheep were widespread throughout the western United States, Canada, and northern Mexico two hundred years ago. The population was estimated to be 150,000 to 200,000. Unregulated hunting, habitat destruction, overgrazing of rangelands, and diseases contracted from domestic livestock all contributed to
7663-400: The preferred habitat for wildlife, have been subjected to significant human development over the years. The park has 56 recorded mammal species. Grizzly bears and black bears inhabit the forested regions. Cougar , lynx , wolverine , red fox , weasel , river otter , coyote , and timber wolf are the primary predatory mammals. Elk , mule deer , and white-tailed deer are common in
7760-483: The railroad. Some visitors participated in mountaineering activities, often hiring local guides. Guides Jim and Bill Brewster founded one of the first outfitters in Banff. From 1906, the Alpine Club of Canada organized climbs, hikes and camps in the park. By 1911, Banff was accessible by automobile from Calgary. Beginning in 1916, the Brewsters offered motorcoach tours of Banff. In 1920, access to Lake Louise by road
7857-698: The rarest large mammals in the park, but an avalanche in 2009 may have killed the last five remaining within park boundaries. The American bison was extirpated in Banff, but was brought back to the park in 2017, and one free-roaming herd lives within the protected area. Due to the harsh winters, the park has few reptile and amphibian species with only one species of toad, three species of frog, one salamander species and two species of snakes that have been identified. At least 280 species of birds can be found in Banff including bald and golden eagles , red-tailed hawk , osprey , and merlin , all of which are predatory species. Additionally, commonly seen species such as
7954-450: The season are more likely to survive than lambs born later. Lambs born late may not have access to sufficient milk, as their mothers are lactating at a time when food quality is lower. Newborn lambs weigh from 3.6 to 4.5 kg (8 to 10 lb) and can walk within hours. The lambs are then weaned when they reach four to six months old. The lifespan of ewes is typically 10–14 years and 9–12 years for rams. Many bighorn sheep populations in
8051-403: The side of many mountains. As with the majority of mountain glaciers around the world, the glaciers in Banff are retreating . While Peyto Glacier is one of the longest continuously studied glaciers in the world, with research extending back to the 1970s, most of the glaciers of the Canadian Rockies have only been scientifically evaluated since the late 1990s. Glaciologists are now researching
8148-523: The state animal of Colorado and, as such, is incorporated into the symbol for the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife. The Desert bighorn sheep is the state mammal of Nevada . The Bighorn sheep was featured in the children's book Buford the Little Bighorn (1967) by Bill Peet . The Bighorn sheep named Buford has a huge pair of horns in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, similar to Rudolph
8245-404: The status of these species is questionable given that hybridization has occurred between them in their recent evolutionary history. In 1940, Ian McTaggart-Cowan split the species into seven subspecies, with the first three being mountain bighorns and the last four being desert bighorns: Starting in 1993, Ramey and colleagues, using DNA testing, have shown this division into seven subspecies
8342-406: The summer months, especially at Lake Louise and the start of the Icefields Parkway. A permit is not required if travelling straight through the park without stopping. Approximately 5 million people pass through Banff annually on the Trans-Canada Highway without stopping. In 2009, Banff Lake Louise Tourism hoped the appearance of the " Crasher Squirrel " internet meme would stimulate interest in
8439-404: The three subspecies of O. canadensis are: In addition, two populations are currently considered endangered by the United States government: Bighorn sheep are named for the large, curved horns borne by the rams (males). Ewes (females) also have horns, but they are shorter and straighter. They range in color from light brown to grayish or dark, chocolate brown, with a white rump and lining on
8536-399: The towns of Banff and Lake Louise , and into Yoho National Park in British Columbia. The Banff townsite is the main commercial centre in the national park. The village of Lake Louise is at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Icefields Parkway, which extends north to the Jasper townsite. Banff, established in 1885, is the main commercial centre in Banff National Park, as well as
8633-448: The valleys of the park, including around (and sometimes in) the Banff townsite, while moose tend to be more elusive, sticking primarily to wetland areas and near streams. In the alpine regions, mountain goat , bighorn sheep , marmot and pika are widespread. Other mammals such as beaver , porcupine , squirrel , chipmunk , snowshoe hare , and Columbian ground squirrel are the more commonly observed smaller mammals. Caribou were
8730-690: The west, while Kootenay National Park is located to the south and Kananaskis Country to the southeast. The main commercial centre of the park is the town of Banff , in the Bow River valley. The Canadian Pacific Railway was instrumental in Banff's early years, building the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise , and attracting tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees from World War I , and through Great Depression -era public works projects. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise , connecting to Jasper National Park in
8827-539: The year. Bighorn sheep exhibit agonistic behavior: two competitors walk away from each other and then turn to face each other before jumping and lunging into headbutts. Rams' horns can frequently exhibit damage from repeated clashes. Females exhibit a stable, nonlinear hierarchy that correlates with age. Females may fight for high social status when they are integrated into the hierarchy at one to two years of age. Rocky Mountain bighorn rams employ at least three different courting strategies. The most common and successful
8924-479: The years 1890 and 1920. The park was designed to appeal to sportsmen, and tourists. The exclusionary policy met the goals of sports hunting, tourism, and game conservation, as well as of those attempting to "civilize" the First Nations of the area. Early on, Banff was popular with wealthy European and American tourists, the former of which arrived in Canada via trans-Atlantic luxury liner and continued westward on
9021-463: Was mined near Lake Minnewanka in Banff. For a brief period, a mine operated at Anthracite but was shut down in 1904. The Bankhead mine, at Cascade Mountain , was operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1903 to 1922. In 1926, the town was dismantled, with many buildings moved to the town of Banff and elsewhere. During World War I , immigrants from Austria-Hungary and Germany were sent to Banff to work in internment camps . The main camp
9118-413: Was a major new policy, which emphasized conservation . In 1988, the National Parks Act was amended, making the maintenance of ecological integrity the top priority. The amendment also paved the way for non-governmental organizations to challenge Parks Canada in court, for breaches in adhering to the act. In 1994, Parks Canada established revised "Guiding Principles and Operating Policies", which included
9215-689: Was at Castle Mountain , and was moved to Cave and Basin during winter. Much early infrastructure and road construction was done by men of various Slavic origins although Ukrainians constituted a majority of those held in Banff. Historical plaques and a statue erected by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association commemorate those interned at Castle Mountain, and at Cave and Basin National Historic Site where an interpretive pavilion dealing with Canada's first national internment operations opened in September 2013. In 1931,
9312-581: Was available, and the Banff-Windermere Road opened in 1923 to connect Banff with British Columbia . In 1902, the park was expanded to cover 11,400 km (4,400 sq mi), encompassing areas around Lake Louise, and the Bow , Red Deer , Kananaskis , and Spray rivers. Bowing to pressure from grazing and logging interests, the size of the park was reduced in 1911 to 4,663 km (1,800 sq mi), eliminating many eastern foothills areas from
9409-413: Was passed in 1930. Over time, park management policies have increasingly emphasized environmental protection over development. In 1964, a policy statement was issued that reiterated ideals of conservation laid out in the 1930 act. With the controversial bid for the 1972 Winter Olympics, environmental groups became more influential, leading Parks Canada to withdraw its support for the bid. The 1979 Beaver Book
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