Jasper National Park of Canada Spring 2005

Location Jasper Vegetation Jasper is Canada's fifth national park. It was National Park of Canada established in 1907. Located along the Three distinct vegetation zones exist in this Continental Divide in west-central Alberta mountainous region, largely because of the on the British Columbia border, Jasper is inherent changes in elevation. The montane part of the world-famous Rocky Mountains zone is the lowest of the three, and is Climate with all their rugged splendour and scenic characterized by grassy meadows, wetlands beauty. The 10 878 km2 park is about 360 km and forests of Douglas fir, white spruce, Dramatic variations in Jasper's climate west of Edmonton, and is one of the five trembling aspen and lodgepole pine. The are caused by a combination of national parks that represent the Rocky subalpine zone of the slopes supports a elevation, rainshadow effects, and Mountain Natural Region. The others are largely closed coniferous forest of latitude. Generally, winters are long Yoho, Kootenay, Banff, and Waterton Lakes. Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and and summers cool and short, with only Jasper is located in the Montane Cordillera lodgepole pine. Some open meadows occasional hot spells. Average January Ecozone. found here are covered with a thick carpet of highs are -7oC, while July averages to wildflowers in the summer. The highest of 22oC. These temperatures apply to the three zones is the alpine region. This is valley bottoms. At higher elevations an area of treeless meadows, rock and ice o where only the hardiest of plant and lichens temperatures are about 5-7 C cooler. persist. Annual precipitation ranges from less than 380 mm at lower elevations to over Activities 1 250 mm at higher elevations. Visitors to Jasper can enjoy a multitude of activities, including camping at one of 10 Alberta campgrounds, hiking along 1 200 km of trails, Geology tours of the Athabasca Glacier, driving the scenic Icefields Parkway and visiting the

The Front and Main Ranges of the Rocky n interpretive Glacier Gallery at the Columbia Snaring Icefield. Canyons, waterfalls and lakes Mountains are found in Jasper and are R iv R e iv r e composed of layers of limestone, shale r attract visitors, including Maligne Lake, the

JASPER largest glacier-fed lake in the Rockies. The and quartzites. At least four ice ages Jasper have modified the shape of the valleys Lake park offers excellent fishing, mountain R o c M ky a Wildlife and peaks. The Park protects part of the lig climbing, cycling, horseback riding, n R e iv

e colossal Columbia Icefield, headwaters r Jasper is famous for its wildlife. Some 53 canoeing, swimming, and downhill and

R cross-country skiing. Visitors can also take a

i for several of Canada’s major rivers. v

e mammal species are found here, including

N r Jasper (along with Banff, Yoho, and tram tour to the top of the Rockies for a view A Maligne moose, elk, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, th Lake a of life above the treeline. Kootenay) was declared a UNESCO b a white-tailed deer, mule deer, cougars, black s c World Heritage Site in 1985 on the a bears and a secretive population of grizzly National Park system's 100th B.C. R bears. More than 280 species of birds, For more information, contact:

e anniversary. r including Golden and Bald Eagles, have been Jasper National Park identified. The park's major watersheds P.O. Box 10 contain rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0 Telephone: (780) 852-6176 Glacier/Icefield northern pike and whitefish. Only one species 0 28 667 m Columbia Fax : (780) 852-6229 Ice Field Banff © Parks Canada National Park of toad, three frogs, one salamander and two Website: www.pc.gc.ca/jasper types of snakes have been recorded. Jasper National Park of Canada Spring 2005

R cross-country skiing. Visitors can also take a

i for several of Canada’s major rivers. v e mammal species are found here, including