Great Glacier Provincial Park is a
provincial park
Ischigualasto Provincial Park
A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to t ...
located in the
Stikine Country region of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. It was established on January 25, 2001 to protect Great Glacier and the surrounding mountainous terrain. The park lies in the traditional territory of the
Tahltan First Nation
The Tahltan First Nation, also known as the Tahltan Indian Band, is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main community and reserves are located at Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. Their language is the Tahltan language, which is an ...
about south of the Tahltan community of
Telegraph Creek
Telegraph Creek is a small community located off Highway 37 in northern British Columbia at the confluence of the Stikine River and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River, it is home to approximately 250 members of ...
.
History
According to the legends of the Tahltan and Tlingit First Nations, Great Glacier once spanned the entire width of the Stikine River to meet the
toe
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plan ...
of Choquette Glacier on the eastern side of the valley. The glacier was also the site of the last major battle between the Tahltan and Tlingit First Nations many generations ago.
Geography
Great Glacier Park is located in the
Boundary Ranges of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
between the lower
Stikine River
The Stikine River is a major river in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada and southeastern Alaska in the United States. It drains a large, remote upland area known as the Stikine Country east of the Coast Mountains. Flowing west and south f ...
and the
Alaska-British Columbia boundary. Immediately across the river from Great Glacier Park is
Choquette Hot Springs Provincial Park
Choquette Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the Stikine Country region of British Columbia, Canada. It was established on January 25, 2001, to protect Stikine River Hot Springs, the largest hot springs on the Canadian sid ...
, which protects a collection of
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by c ...
s and associated
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
s.
[
]
See also
*Stikine, British Columbia
Stikine, also known formerly as Boundary, is an unincorporated locality and former customs post on the Stikine River, located on the Canadian side of the British Columbia-Alaska boundary on the Stikine River's west (right) bank. The customs post ...
References
*
Stikine Country
Glaciers of British Columbia
Provincial parks of British Columbia
Boundary Ranges
Stikine River
2001 establishments in British Columbia
Protected areas established in 2001
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