Saturday, August 5, 2017

Lake Maligne, Jasper, Alberta


Lake Maligne (“maleen”) is the largest glacial fed lake in the Canadian Rockies. Our lake cruise went as far as Spirit Island.  The Canadian government is trying to restore relationships with the original native tribes who first inhabited these lands so this small island had some tribal ceremonies in recent years to help that come about. There are no motorized boats on this lake except the tour boats run by Canadian Parks but you can rent canoes or kayaks or bring your own.  Originally there were no fish in the lake but varieties of trout have been added.  The bluish color comes from the glacial sediment and is clearer than the rivers.  It freezes 3 feet solid in winter.  The surrounding mountains hold glaciers – the rock is dolomite.  It was very smoky the day we went out on the lake due to forest fires in British Columbia so our view was not as good as it could have been.  The photo you see came from the Internet so you can see what it would have looked like without the smoke.  If you look straight back you’ll seem some white—that is a glacier.  There are several others in these mountains but this photo does not show them.



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