Comments on: Glacier National Park – Discover This Historical Intact Ecosystem

By: drainitage

drainitage — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:42 +0000

Driving directions to Glacier National Park
2,431 mi – about 1 day 15 hours

It's quite a drive. The round trip will be about 4,862 miles, 3 days 6 hours. The distance doesn't vary much on long trips, just short ones, like within one city. See the source for map and directions.

By: singmyster94

singmyster94 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:42 +0000

1,584 mi² (4,101 km²)

By: Brandon M

Brandon M — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:41 +0000

Probably should stop off to at least Yellowstone

By: Brownie_Bby

Brownie_Bby — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:41 +0000

Glaciers form a number of characteristic features when they begin to lose energy and volume. You often find features with combined water and ice action. For example
- Kames
- Kame deltas
- Eskers
- Drumlins
- Moraines (lateral, terminal, medial, recessional, push)
- Kettle holes (block of ice left behind, then melts)
- Outwash plains (sediment from rivers)

Basically, you'll see a landscape which is full of small hills and depressions. Of course, the glacier also makes a characteristic U-shaped valley too.

There are a lot of depositional features, often with sediment being unsorted (random sizes – in contrast to sorted sediment of rivers). The sediment that forms the features comes from rocks that are broken off by weathering and swept up by the glacier further up the valley, and those rocks are broken down. It also takes up rocks and sediment off the ground.

By: Ice Babby

Ice Babby — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:41 +0000

http://www.nps.gov/glac/naturescience/mammalchecklist.htm

Long list.

By: cutecoolman1

cutecoolman1 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:41 +0000

Start by reading these two articles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(Canada)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(U.S.)

Then these:
http://www.sierraclub.org/energy/articles/glacier.asp
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glacier_retreat.htm
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glacier_model.htm

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:40 +0000

I'd go with a 4X4 or a mid-size SUV.
http://www.travelocity.com/Cars

By: wisco53562

wisco53562 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:40 +0000

I, too, am heading to Glacier in August, and have checked out a few guide books from our local library. It's a great way to orient yourself. Also, there is a ton of information on the NPS website, including photos and videos in a format they call eTours and eHikes.

We'll be hanging out mostly along the Going-to-the-Sun road, but we also plan trips to Many Glacier and Two Medicine Lakes… we're hoping to find it a little less crowded at Two Medicine Lakes, but the scenery still looks just as incredible.

Have a great trip!

By: MeanMommiesClub

MeanMommiesClub — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:39 +0000

Fish Creek is a beautiful site!

By: H0Varlet

H0Varlet — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:55:38 +0000

Hmmm, last time I drove the Icefield Parkway it was in Alberta..

I did like your pictures tho.