Mount-Revelstoke-Nationalpark

Mount Revelstoke National Park (English Mount Revelstoke National Park of Canada, French Parc national du Mont- Revelstoke Canada ) is a national park in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located in the Selkirk Mountains, a mountain range of the Columbia Mountains, offering visitors the experience of different levels of vegetation and stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Geography

The park is located east of the city Revelstoke, northeast of the mouth of the Illecillewaet River in the Columbia River, on the Trans -Canada Highway and is ignored by many travelers because on the way to Glacier National Park and the famous park on the main ridge of the Rocky Mountains, he ( Kootenay, Yoho, Banff and Jasper ) is. With an area of 260 km ² it is one of the smaller national parks in Canada. Because of its location in the high mountains it is fully accessible to September only in the summer months of July. Building the park is mainly due to an impasse, the Mount Revelstoke Summit Road, which runs 26 km through three levels of vegetation almost to the summit of Mount Revelstoke (1860 m). From the side road leading from several hiking trails and short trails. At the highest point of the plateau is a fire observation tower. Hiking trails lead from the summit over the almost treeless summit plateau on Miller Lake, a kettle hole, and Eva Lake, where there are also simple campsites. The plateau offers a wide view to the east across the Columbia River to the Monashee Mountains to the west of the Selkirk Mountains to the Rogers Pass and Mount Dawson ( 3390 m) in the adjacent Glacier National Park and on the Clachnacudainn Icefield in the Northeast.

Flora and Fauna

In the lowest height level to about 1300 m is the world's only rainforest temperate inland. This ecosystem is dependent on rainfall of more than 2000 mm per year - a figure that is usually only achieved on seashores. Thanks to the water-rich layer from the Columbia Mountains run west winds here with sufficient moisture that they rain down for a rain forest in the ascent to the first mountain range enough slope rain. The forest consists of giant trees of life, which under optimal conditions an age you will reach up to 800 years, and hemlock. Where adequate sunlight falls to the ground, grow the Pacific Yew and hedgehog force Wurzen. The Giant Cedar Trail on the eastern edge of the park just off Highway 1, a aufgeständerter on planks trail of 500 meters length opens up the forest for visitors. In the marshy valley of the River Illecillewaet south of the park swamp forests grow with a thicket of poplars, cedars and individual an understory of horsetail, sedges and American skunk cabbage. Also through this area a nature trail boardwalks, the Skunk Cabbage Loop in the east of the park. At the end there is a viewing platform that provides a good birding spot. The mean, subalpine zone between 1300 m and 1800 m has initially some deciduous trees, especially ash maple, on which merge with increasing height in a pure coniferous forest. Here dominates the hemlock, subalpine fir trees grow next to it and Engelmann spruce. From the trees hanging beard lichens that if the forest is in the winter for eight months under a heavy blanket of snow, provide food for woodland caribou. Near the tree line around 1800 m of forest loosens up and goes over to the almost treeless summit plateau. In mid-August there are the mountain meadows in bloom, especially with Indian paintbrush, arnica, mountain valerian, Marguerite and dog tooth violet. The protection of the meadows was the reason for the establishment of the sanctuary. Through the meadows which a kilometer hiking trail leads Meadows in the Sky Trail.

The park is home to a small herd of endangered woodland caribou. Other mammal species in the park include Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Mountain Goat, and wolverine. Because of the high snow coverage in winter to keep elk and other deer only in the low-lying, busch -rich forests on the edge of the park. Particularly well known is the park for its birdlife, which is the most numerous in May and June. Of the 235 counted bird species hibernate only 30 in the park area.

History

Already in 1908 prompted the magnificent flower meadows in the immediate vicinity of the city Revelstoke the city to build a path to the summit and to the mountain lakes of Mount Revelstoke. A group of citizens of Revelstoke asked the provincial and the federal government to expand the path to the Summit Road. Influential citizens recognized the potential of the area for tourism, so they requested the establishment of a national park on Mount Revelstoke. The application was successful and the National Park was established in 1914. The Meadows -in-the -Sky Parkway was built in 1911-1927. Mount Revelstoke was also known internationally for its natural jump, were obtained on the number of world records. From 1915 until the late 1960s, competitions were held on the hill. In 1969, the hill was closed, the skiing was shifted to facilities outside the park. The old system can now be seen as Nels Helsen Historic Area, named after a Norwegian immigrant who founded a ski club in 1914 in Revelstoke. During the First World War internment camp for so-called enemy aliens was built in the area of ​​the national park. The camp was completed in September 1915, and of 225 internees, mostly immigrants from the then Austro-Hungarian Ukraine, based. Originally, the inmates should be used to expand the Summit Road, but by the amount of snow in the winter were the prisoners but rather to do with snow removal and firewood as busy road. Since the water supply was not assured, the occupants are layed out on 20 December 1915 in the Camp Otter in Yoho National Park and closed the camp on Mount Revelstoke. In the park recalls an information board at the camp. Since 1986, the park is supported by a Friends of the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier. The association is the same Foundation for Glacier National Park.

Tourist Facilities

Compared to other Canadian National Parks are in the park little tourist infrastructure, such as not accessible by car or mobile homes campsites, and also not have its own visitor center. The Summit Road to the summit at 1,500 meters is passable for cars to the parking lot on Balsam Lake. From there, a shuttle bus runs every summer to the summit, it is also one kilometer Meadows in the Sky Trail on the summit plateau is paved. The park is crossed ten different trails, the Giant Cedars Trail and the Skunk Cabbage Trail trails lead as partially on wooden planks through the jungle. Because of the high amounts of snow in winter, the park is a popular destination for ski touring. The park headquarters is located in Revelstoke.