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Chapter 2 The Rocky Region

What makes the Rocky Mountain region a unique part of ?

My Dad works for the Canadian National Railway, and our family moved to Jasper because of his work. I think living in the Rocky Mountain region is like living in the middle of a silvery crown. In the Rocky , you can see on the mountain tops, even during the . My new friends at school pointed out a mountain called (rosh boh num), a French phrase that means “good fellow rock.” It is also called Old Man Mountain. If you stand in Jasper and look up at the mountains in the northeast, you will see what looks like a sleeping man. Whenever I leave my house, I always look up at him and silently send him my greetings. On my birthday, I was given my own camera. I took the picture you see here and many others. This is a beautiful area in all four seasons. My photos tell part of Alberta’s story.

I think you can really see the side view of the sleeping man’s face in this photo of Roche Bonhomme.

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What I Want to Know… …About the Rocky Mountain Region

The Rocky Mountain region begins at the southwestern border of Alberta. It is part of the Rocky Mountain chain. The mountains run northwest and southeast along the western side of America.

What do you value How can we about the Rocky describe geography? Mountain region?

Why are we learning Why is coal about Alberta’s important in Alberta? geography?

Why do we have national parks?

Why is it important to protect natural areas?

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The Formation of the Mountains

Scientists tell us the started to form about 120 million years ago. Two huge pieces of the Earth’s crust, called plates, slowly pushed against each other. Large islands the size of Alberta rode on one plate. These big islands pushed on the western edge of . The land was slowly squeezed. It moved about as fast as your fingernails grow. Land that was once beneath ancient seas was pushed upwards to the sky. Some slabs of rock broke and slid over others. In other places, the rock layers folded over. It took about 75 million years for the Rocky Mountains to form.

1 A big island rides on a North America is a plate moving east. plate moving west.

Rock layers are pushed 2 The island pushes hard, upwards, forming the like a bulldozer. Rocky Mountains.

Pause

1. Find the descriptive words on this page that explain how This is . the powerful Imagine the Earth’s geological forces moving crust folding of the Earth shaped the land. What and pushing the rock other ways could to form the mountains. you demonstrate or explain these forces?

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Ice Ages At different times over the Earth’s long history, there have been ice ages. These were times when the Earth cooled. , rivers of ice over one kilometre in depth, formed. The glaciers flowed out to the where they met up with thick sheets of ice blanketing the land. When the Earth got warmer, the glaciers retreated, or shrank back. The last ice age ended 12 000 years ago. Moving glaciers carved the land and smoothed the lower parts of the mountains. They left piles of rocks in their path.

Pause The sign in this photo shows where the Athabasca reached in 1948. Today, the glacier is about two kilometres 1. Look at the photo. from the sign. Is the glacier advancing or retreating and shrinking? What could cause these changes?

S CEN LL T I R K E S 5 Draw conclusions

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Geography

How can we describe geography?

My class is learning about the geography of Alberta. Geography is the study of the Earth’s surface and environment. The parts of geography we are exploring are shown on our web.

Landforms Bodies of Water

Geography

Animal Life Pause

1. Examine the pictures and labels on this page. Write a sentence to explain or make predictions about Natural Resources each part of the web. For example, “Climate is...” or “I think vegetation is...”

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Landforms

I was eager to research the Rocky Mountain region. I used chart paper and photos to present part of our region’s story to my class.

Rocky Mountain Landforms Landforms are the natural features of a landscape.

Mountains are the highest landform. This is , the is highest mountain in Alberta. The photo was taken by a climbing a small pocket team in the summer. of the Rocky Mountain region found in southeastern Alberta. The climate and vegetation of Cypress Hills is similar to those of the Rocky Mountains.

I saw some bighorn sheep in a . Valleys are low areas surrounded by hills or mountains.

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Bodies of Water

When a large amount of water collects in a location, it forms a body of water. Oceans, rivers and streams, and lakes are examples of bodies of water. The Rocky Mountain region has many mountain lakes, streams, and waterfalls. Many rivers that flow across western start at the mountains. Water is also stored in the form of ice and snow. A glacier and an icefield are examples of this. The

My parents took us for a drive to the area near the Columbia Icefield in . One guidebook says the icefield covers nearly 300 square kilometres and is 365 metres thick. That’s about 120 classrooms high! The Columbia Icefield is what remains of our last ice age. It is an important source of water in Alberta today. Its meltwater feeds our streams and rivers.

Over many years, rapidly flowing water wears rock away. People from all over the world visit the Maligne Canyon and The Columbia Icefield is like a huge bowl of ice overflowing with waterfall in large glaciers. The glaciers flow into different valleys. Jasper National Park.

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Alberta Rivers

Much of Alberta’s water is stored and released by the Columbia Icefield. The meltwater feeds streams and rivers that eventually pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.

You can see the meltwater at the bottom of the photo that has come from the glacier at the top of the photo.

Pause

1. Why do you think the Columbia Icefield is so important?

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Climate

Climate is the pattern of weather of a place over time. It includes temperature and . Precipitation is the amount of moisture that falls from the air, such as rain and snow. The Rocky Mountain region has the most snowfall and the coldest average temperatures in Alberta. High up in the mountains, from spring to fall, the average temperature is 6 degrees Celsius. Lower down, it is warmer, with an average of 12 degrees Celsius.

On any given day, the weather can vary greatly. It can change from hour to hour or depending on how high up in the mountains you are. I have a story I call “My Wintry Summer Day.” One day last summer, my family took the tramway up , a mountain near Jasper. It was so hot at the tramway station, I took off my summer jacket. At the top, I put it right back on! The sun was shining, but the wind was cold. We saw patches of snow on the north side of the mountain. My brother and I raced up the steep trail. The wind kept getting stronger, and the higher we got, the colder it was. Mom came to the rescue with extra clothing for us.

It can snow on any day of Pause the summer at the top of the mountains. 1. What is the difference between climate and weather? Jasper Tramway Height Temperature on July 5 Elevation is the height of 2. Why was Dilpreet the land. Higher-elevation able to experience Top station 2277 m 11˚C areas tend to be cooler and such different kinds Bottom station 1304 m 20˚C of weather on the have more precipitation than lower areas. same day? Difference 973 m 9˚C

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Vegetation

I have taken lots of pictures of the vegetation on The Whistlers. The plants that grow naturally in the area change as the elevation changes. Lower down, the trees are taller. The higher up you go, the smaller the vegetation. These plants must be hardy. Near the top, on the They live where there are south side, there are just tiny plants strong winds and little hugging the rock. Trees and some or warmth. plants stop growing the further up you go. Going up the mountain is like travelling north, all the way to the Arctic. Along the way, I saw signs asking people to stay on the paths. Some plants, even the ones only a few centimetres high, can be hundreds of years old. Stepping on them causes damage that can take many years to repair. Picking plants is not allowed in the park. Aboriginal Knowledge Long ago, First Nations people began using different parts of plants for medicines. Rose roots provided drops to cure snow blindness. Fireweed leaves, shown in this photo, helped ease the pain of bruises. Plants from the mountains were valuable for trading. Today, some Aboriginal people use plants for medicines and cooking, and as a part of some ceremonies. Many medicines and foods are used today because of First Nations knowledge. Willow bark, for example, has a key ingredient that is used in aspirin.

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Natural Resources

Why is coal important in Alberta?

Natural resources are materials found in nature that are used by people to make life easier and more enjoyable. Many people have jobs gathering and making products from natural resources. Coal is one of the natural resources found in the Rocky Mountain region. In the 1800s and early 1900s, coal was an important fuel for heating. It was burned to create heat. The heat turned water to steam. Steam power was used to move engines and for manufacturing, which is the process where raw materials are made into products. The Leitch Collieries A colliery is a mine and its buildings. Leitch Collieries, a coal mining operation, was started in 1907. The town of Passburg was built for the mine workers and their families. Communities often form where natural resources are located. Other types of fuel became popular and the coal business decreased. By 1926, the mine FastFACTS was closed. There was no work, so the Coal is still used in Alberta today to create people moved away. power for machines in The buildings were steel and cement moved to other factories. Most is used places. as fuel in power plants. Some coal is sent to other provinces, and some is exported to other countries.

Today, people live in the area, but Passburg no longer exists.

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Mining Disasters There are dangers when mining coal. Workers can face cave-ins, deadly gases, and accidents. Piikani hunters would not camp on Turtle Mountain. They tried to warn settlers about the mountain that moved. However, coal mining was started and the town of Frank was built. Coal mining activities deep in the Many of the homes mountain, weather, in the town of Frank and water in the were destroyed by cracks of the rocks the rock slide in 1903. may have loosened the rocks. The mountainside became unstable. In 1903, a rock slide on Turtle Mountain buried part of the town of Frank. News of the was sent by telegrams like these:

APRIL 29, 1903 COLLAPSE OF TURTLE MOUNTAIN STOP TOWN OF FRANK HALF BURIED STOP NUMBER OF VICTIMS UNKNOWN STOP

APRIL 29, 1903 ROCKFALL 500 FEET DEEP AND OVER 1 SQUARE MILE FastFACTS STOP MINERS TRAPPED STOP ESTIMATED 70 PEOPLE People used to send MISSING STOP SEND HELP IMMEDIATELY STOP messages and news by telegram. They used telegraph machines to APRIL 30, 1903 send out electric pulses AMAZING RESCUE STOP CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY over telegraph wires. WORKER NAMED SID CHOQUETTE RACES ACROSS FALLEN Operators receiving the ROCKS STOP messages would then HE FLAGS DOWN PASSENGER TRAIN STOP TRAIN HALTS BEFORE COLLIDING WITH SLIDE translate the code into STOP ALL words. LIVES SAVED STOP

APRIL 30, 1903 17 MINERS TRAPPED INSIDE MOUNTAIN STOP THEY ESCAPE AFTER 14 HOURS BY TUNNELLING UPWARDS STOP HOUSE OF ALEXANDER LEITCH HIT BY SLIDE STOP STOP HIS 3 YOUNG DAUGHTERS SURVIVE

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Finding a Hot Spring

Why do we have national parks?

In 1883, William McCardell and two companions were a part of the crew that was building Canada’s first cross-country railway. One day, while off duty, they explored Sulphur Mountain. This is a story of their adventure as McCardell might have told it.

Our Adventure Railway work was hard. We were digging through solid rock and were glad for a day off. Frank McCabe, my brother Tom, and I went exploring. We found ourselves slogging through a swampy place at the base of a mountain. As we went, we noticed something unusual. The icy mountain water was getting warmer and warmer. We were also aware of a sulphur smell, like rotten eggs. Curious, we followed that smell up the mountain. Suddenly, we saw it—an opening to a cave! We made a ladder using a tree with the branches broken off. We lowered ourselves into the cave and found rocky icicles Fast hanging from the ceiling. Below, there was steam rising from FACTS the surface of the hot water. The water that forms the hot springs first sinks down in the cracks of the rocks. It travels three kilometres and is heated as it goes towards the hot centre of the Earth. As a result, it expands and returns to the surface inside the cave as a hot spring. The smell is caused by minerals from the rocks that have been dissolved in the water.

Afterwards, we started thinking. If we bought the land, we could build a hotel. Tourists from around the world could come for both the hot springs and the scenery. If tourists came, we could become rich!

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People and Places Banff, Canada’s First National Park

There is evidence at sites near the hot springs that First Nations people were there more than 10 000 years ago. The Piikani and Nakoda (naa ko daa) people used the area as a peace ground for trading groups. The also used the springs as a place of healing. The government of Canada did not allow McCardell and his companions to buy the land. Instead, in 1885, the government decided to set aside the area as Canada’s first national park. They created Canada’s national park system to control the use of natural resources. They began to focus on protecting natural areas such as the Rocky Mountains. The parks are for everybody to learn about and enjoy natural areas, now and in future generations. Banff and Tourism By the late 1800s, the hot springs in Banff were attracting bathers. Sightseers came for the spectacular scenery. The railway station and the Banff Springs Hotel had been constructed. Mountain climbers and guides arrived in growing numbers. Today, millions of people come from all over the world to . The townsite has hotels, motels, restaurants, and shops. Nearby, there are facilities for skiing and golfing. Visitors canoe, hike, and photograph nature. In , they can ice climb and cross-country ski. There are museums that specialize in local history. People can Pause visit the Cave and Basin, known as the birthplace of Canada’s 1. Do you think it is national parks. This is a national historic site. National historic possible to have a sites honour people, places, and events in Canada’s history. townsite and tourist facilities and still protect the natural environment? Signs in Canada’s national parks are 2. What have we in both of Canada’s official gained by having languages—French and English. a national park Many park employees speak both system? Why is it important to languages. protect our national parks?

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People and Places Jasper National Park

Why is it important to protect natural areas?

Jasper Park was established in 1907. To protect the natural environment, the government made the land a reserve. In 1930, the area was declared a national park and the park boundaries were set. Mary Schäffer Mary Schäffer, from the of America, visited the area that is now Jasper National Park. She had heard thrilling tales of wilderness adventures and wanted to see the Canadian mountains. In 1908, she and a small group set out in search of a beautiful lake in the heart of the mountains. She had a map that had been hand drawn for her by Samson Beaver. He and other Nakoda people knew this lake as Caba mne (cha bah mnay), or Beaver Lake. Mary Schäffer wrote of her experiences. “There burst upon us…the finest view any of us had ever beheld in the Rockies… miles and miles of lake, the unnamed peaks rising above us,…each more beautiful than the last.” The lake Mary Schäffer wrote about is now called Maligne Lake and is a world-famous location. NAMES IN ALBERTA When Mary Schäffer visited the mountains in 1908, she named Leah Peak and Samson Peak after her friends.

This photo of Samson, Louise, and Leah Beaver was taken by Mary Schäffer in 1907.

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Animal Life

Over two million visitors from around the world visit Jasper National Park every year. More people means hotels, campgrounds, and recreation sites are busier. About half the people working in Jasper are in businesses related to tourism. Everyone wants to hike and bike the trails. They also want to see the wildlife, such as mountain sheep, mountain goats, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and bears.

There are thousands of elk in Jasper National Park.

With all this activity, habitats, or the natural homes, of the animals change. Some animals try to move further away from the people. Some Pause animals become 1. What do you think endangered. This means is the most they are at risk of important role of disappearing. Canada’s national parks system? Many people in Jasper National Park 2. How could visitors experience the park work to keep a balance without harming it? between protecting Brainstorm your nature and animal life, ideas.

while allowing people S CEN LL T I R K E to enjoy the park. S Park guides teach people about the 1 animals and the environment. What I think and know

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Grizzly Bears zlI ir@C • grizzlybär In school, we worked on an inquiry about animals in national parks that led to questions and action. Everybody chose a different Jasper National Park animal to research. I chose the grizzly bear. From my research, I learned that grizzly bears are well-suited to the natural environment of the Rocky Mountain region. Even so, their population is decreasing. I wanted to know why.

Grizzly Bears 1. Territory a) low elevations in spring Inquiry b) move higher up in the summer c) hibernate in dens in winter d) travel inside and outside the park

2. Food a) dig for roots b) eat small mammals c) eat berries (200 000 buffalo berries per day!) d) fish e) eat weak or young hoofed animals

34 NEL • mistahayak • le grizzli • igRzlI ir@C • grizzlybär • orso grigio • grizzly bear • mistahayak • le grizzli • igR • grizzly bear • mistahayak ir@C • grizzlybär • orso grigio • le grizzli • igRzlI • mistahayak Chapter 02 5/5/06 3:41 PM Page 35

I talked to some people working for Parks Canada. I asked, “What are some of the reasons why the grizzly bear population is decreasing?” I learned grizzly bears have large territories. Some travel along the valley looking for berry patches and mates. The highway and railway are also located here. These bears are in danger of being struck by a vehicle or train. The park warden told me grizzlies have a keen sense of smell. If people leave out garbage or food at picnic sites, campgrounds, or in their yards in town, the bears are attracted to it. Once the bears have had people food, they will come back looking for more. If they stay near roadside picnic spots, they might be hit by cars. These bears become problem bears and may have to be relocated or put down. These are some of the reasons why the grizzly bear population is decreasing. I thought about what could be done to help save the grizzly population. Whose responsibility was it to help? Was there anything I could do?

I remind my mom and dad to drive slowly in areas where there is wildlife.

I remember never to leave food or garbage lying around outdoors.

I made posters and put them on bulletin boards in town.

Pause

1. How did Dilpreet take action to help the grizzly bears? 2. What might happen to the grizzly bears if no action is taken?

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What Have We Learned?

We studied the geography and some of the history of the Rocky Mountain region. We learned that coal is an important natural resource. We also found out about our national park system. It helps protect and preserve the natural environment for everyone to enjoy. Even so, human activity affects the natural environment. In his inquiry on pages 34 and 35, Dilpreet did research to find out why the grizzly bear population is declining. He shared ideas about how to take action to help the grizzlies. Inquiring 1. Tour guides are people who take visitors in a region to visit interesting places. The Rocky Mountain region has many tour guides. Tour guides collect interesting stories to tell about the places they take visitors to.

S CEN Many of these stories are about why names were chosen for LL T I R K E S special places. Sometimes, place names have been changed over 3 time. Sometimes, there are two different names for the same place. Find information Use library resources or visit www.nelson.com/albertasocialstudies and click on the link to learn more about some of these places. S CEN LL T I R Which stories do you find interesting? Choose stories about K E S 6 two different place names to share with others. How will you Share tell the stories to make them sound interesting? Share stories w s ith other with a classmate. Developing Your Thinking 2. The author of this newspaper article from the Journal called the Canadian November 7, 2004 national park system a legacy. A legacy, or a bequest, is a Canada’s parks: special gift that is handed an endangered legacy down to other generations. Almost 120 years ago, Think about what we gain Canada’s first national park, because of our national park Banff, was created as a bequest legacy. Think about what we to future generations. Today, our would lose without our cherished network of parks is national parks. In your struggling to cope. notebook, write the headings “Gains” and “Losses.” List key ideas under the headings to explain your thinking. Give your work a title.

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Appreciating Our Alberta 3. Look back at the questions on the strips of paper found throughout the chapter. Think about how much you have learned! Now, it is time to share what you appreciate about our Alberta. Write or draw your ideas to answer these two questions:

What makes the Rocky Mountain region a unique part of Alberta?

What do you value about the Rocky Mountain region?

Reflecting 4. Dilpreet is the first of six Alberta students who will share information about Alberta’s regions with you. We have already started to ask and answer questions about Alberta. You are participating in activities to help you learn more about the geography of Alberta. Think about and discuss this question:

Why are we learning about Alberta’s geography?

The Alberta Project

Dilpreet has shared some of his photos with you. Now, it is your turn to make a photo collection. Your goal is to show ways the Rocky Mountain region is unique. Find pictures in magazines, brochures, and on the Internet. You can also draw and colour your own pictures. Arrange your pictures on poster paper and write a caption for each. Some of your pictures should show • geographical features that result from geological forces • the natural environment (vegetation and animal life) • summer and winter recreational activities Make your captions lively and interesting to show how you value this region.

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