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Rocky Mountain magic
When it comes to the great Canadian wilderness, what more could you ask for? Glaciers and icefields, forests and meadows, raging rivers and, of course, the Rockies—Jasper National Park has it all.
Jasper is the biggest and wildest of the parks in the Rocky Mountains. In fact, everything at Jasper seems big. It covers more than 10,000 square kilometres in western Alberta. It’s home to Maligne Lake, which is 22 kilometres long, and Alberta’s highest peak, Mount Columbia.
There are plenty of other peaks in the park too, and near them, you’ll find the amazing Columbia Icefields. These are what’s left of a giant blanket of ice that once covered most of the mountains in western Canada. From it, the Athabasca Glacier spills down into the valley like a huge frozen river. It actually travels several centimetres every day.
Visitors can now travel through the park by car, but originally you could only get there by train. Jasper might be called the park the railway built. When rails were laid through the local mountain passes, more people saw how beautiful this area was, and it was suddenly much easier to get to.
For its history and natural beauty, the park is also a World Heritage Site. Every year, millions of people visit from around the world. In 2007, they were all celebrating, because it has been 100 years since the park was opened. Canada Post joined the anniversary celebrations with a domestic rate (52¢) stamp honouring the centennial of Jasper National Park. |
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