Yoho National Park of Canada Spring 2005
Yoho Location Yoho and Glacier National Park were both declared Vegetation National Park of Canada Canada's second national parks on the same day. Three distinct vegetation zones exist in this Yoho was established in 1886. Located in mountainous region, largely because of the southeastern British Columbia on the Alberta border, inherent changes in elevation. The montane Climate Yoho is part of the world-famous Rocky Mountains. 2 zone is the lowest of the three, and is The 1 313 km park is about 8 km west of Lake Louise, Dramatic variations in Yoho's climate are characterized by grassy meadows, and forests Alberta, and represents the Rocky Mountain Natural caused by a combination of elevation, rain of Douglas fir, white spruce, trembling aspen, Region, part of the Central Rockies ecosystem. Yoho shadow effects, and latitude. Generally, and lodgepole pine. The eastern limit of is part of the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. winters are long and summers cool and interior western hemlock forest is found in short, with only occasional hot spells. the park. The subalpine zone of the slopes Average January highs are -7oC, while July supports a largely closed coniferous forest of averages to 22oC. These temperatures Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and apply to valley bottoms. At higher lodgepole pine. Some open meadowland in elevations temperatures are about 5 to 7oC upper regions can also be found. During the cooler. Annual precipitation ranges from summer, these meadows are covered with a thick carpet of wildflowers. The highest of the less than 380 mm at lower elevations to Banff over 1 250 mm at higher elevations. National three zones, the alpine region, cannot Activities R Park support trees. Vegetation is sparse, with
some alpine meadows, and as one goes O Visitors to Yoho can enjoy a multitude of
Geology
higher up still, one enters the exclusive activities, including camping at one of five
C
domain of hardy lichens that cling to the bare campgrounds, hiking along backcountry The Western and Eastern Main Ranges of
the Rocky Mountains are found in Yoho, K rock. trails, canoeing on the park's larger lakes
and ponds, and driving the scenic and are composed of limestone, Y
Y o roadways. The park, which attracts visitors h sandstone, and shale. The mountains A o m
i s k from all over the world each year, offers occasionally show folded layers of these w i R iv Wildlife fishing, mountain climbing, cycling, sedimentary bedrocks that are among the e r
horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. oldest in the whole mountain chain. It is M R Emerald iv Yoho, like all of the Rocky Mountain Parks, is e Commercial services offer ski rentals, dog r Lake believed that the Rockies have seen at least O er famous for its wildlife. Some 60 mammal Riv sledding, and mountain guiding. four ice ages. Yoho is a region of waterfalls, U species are found here, including moose, elk, Field rock walls, and igneous formations, which P N white-tailed deer, mule deer, cougars, black o r are not too large, but are unique to the c e u rs p o in H T bears, wolves, coyotes, and a secretive e Rocky Mountains. The Burgess Shale site, O tt g e A population of grizzly bears. The mountain
n rt i a one of the most important fossil sites in the k il Alberta
C c
re i I K e B.C. goat is Yoho’s most numerous large mammal k world, is located in the park and was Riv N er with a population estimated at around 400. For more information, contact: declared a World Heritage Site in 1981. S More than 200 species of birds, including The Superintendent Yoho, (along with Jasper, Kootenay and Golden and Bald Eagles, have been identified. Yoho National Park Banff National Parks and Mount Robson, Kootenay Box 99 Ic National The park's major watersheds contain rainbow Hamber and Mount Assiniboine e Field, British Columbia V0A 1G0 Park trout, brook trout, lake trout, northern pike, Provincial Parks) was declared a N Telephone: (250) 343-6783 R iv and whitefish. Reptiles and amphibians are Fax: (250) 343-6012 e UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 on r scarce because of the severe climate. Only Website: www.pc.gc.ca/yoho the park's 100th anniversary. 0 8 655 m one species of toad, three frogs, one © Parks Canada Glacier/Icefield salamander, and two types of snakes have been recorded. Yoho National Park of Canada Spring 2005
Yoho Location Yoho and Glacier National Park were both declared Vegetation National Park of Canada Canada's second national parks on the same day. Three distinct vegetation zones exist in this Yoho was established in 1886. Located in mountainous region, largely because of the southeastern British Columbia on the Alberta border, inherent changes in elevation. The montane Climate Yoho is part of the world-famous Rocky Mountains. 2 zone is the lowest of the three, and is The 1 313 km park is about 8 km west of Lake Louise, Dramatic variations in Yoho's climate are characterized by grassy meadows, and forests Alberta, and represents the Rocky Mountain Natural caused by a combination of elevation, rain of Douglas fir, white spruce, trembling aspen, Region, part of the Central Rockies ecosystem. Yoho shadow effects, and latitude. Generally, and lodgepole pine. The eastern limit of is part of the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. winters are long and summers cool and interior western hemlock forest is found in short, with only occasional hot spells. the park. The subalpine zone of the slopes Average January highs are -7oC, while July supports a largely closed coniferous forest of averages to 22oC. These temperatures Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and apply to valley bottoms. At higher lodgepole pine. Some open meadowland in elevations temperatures are about 5 to 7oC upper regions can also be found. During the cooler. Annual precipitation ranges from summer, these meadows are covered with a thick carpet of wildflowers. The highest of the less than 380 mm at lower elevations to Banff over 1 250 mm at higher elevations. National three zones, the alpine region, cannot Activities R Park support trees. Vegetation is sparse, with
some alpine meadows, and as one goes O Visitors to Yoho can enjoy a multitude of
Geology
higher up still, one enters the exclusive activities, including camping at one of five
C
domain of hardy lichens that cling to the bare campgrounds, hiking along backcountry The Western and Eastern Main Ranges of
the Rocky Mountains are found in Yoho, K rock. trails, canoeing on the park's larger lakes
and ponds, and driving the scenic and are composed of limestone, Y
Y o roadways. The park, which attracts visitors h sandstone, and shale. The mountains A o m i s k from all over the world each year, offers occasionally show folded layers of these w i R iv Wildlife fishing, mountain climbing, cycling, sedimentary bedrocks that are among the e r
horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. oldest in the whole mountain chain. It is M R Emerald iv Yoho, like all of the Rocky Mountain Parks, is e Commercial services offer ski rentals, dog r Lake believed that the Rockies have seen at least O er famous for its wildlife. Some 60 mammal Riv sledding, and mountain guiding. four ice ages. Yoho is a region of waterfalls, U species are found here, including moose, elk, Field rock walls, and igneous formations, which P N white-tailed deer, mule deer, cougars, black o r are not too large, but are unique to the c e u rs p o in H T bears, wolves, coyotes, and a secretive e Rocky Mountains. The Burgess Shale site, O tt g e A population of grizzly bears. The mountain n rt i a one of the most important fossil sites in the k il Alberta
C c
re i I K e B.C. goat is Yoho’s most numerous large mammal k world, is located in the park and was Riv N er with a population estimated at around 400. For more information, contact: declared a World Heritage Site in 1981. S More than 200 species of birds, including The Superintendent Yoho, (along with Jasper, Kootenay and Golden and Bald Eagles, have been identified. Yoho National Park Banff National Parks and Mount Robson, Kootenay Box 99 Ic National The park's major watersheds contain rainbow Hamber and Mount Assiniboine e Field, British Columbia V0A 1G0 Park trout, brook trout, lake trout, northern pike, Provincial Parks) was declared a N Telephone: (250) 343-6783 R iv and whitefish. Reptiles and amphibians are Fax: (250) 343-6012 e UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 on r scarce because of the severe climate. Only Website: www.pc.gc.ca/yoho the park's 100th anniversary. 0 8 655 m one species of toad, three frogs, one © Parks Canada Glacier/Icefield salamander, and two types of snakes have been recorded.