Cardinal River Divide
Last Review/Updated: May 10, 2002
Cardinal River divide |
This height of land separates Arctic drainage (McLeod — Athabasca rivers) from drainage to Hudson's Bay (Cardinal — North Saskatchewan rivers). Patterned ground features and several rare plant species highlight the landscape.
Tripoli Ridge, accessible from the top of the divide, is one of the few mountain areas along the eastern slope to have escaped the last glaciation, leaving a particularly rich alpine plant community.
© C. Wershler
Bighorn sheep, wapiti, moose, mule deer, grizzly bear, black bear and wolves are seen in this area. Hoary marmots are abundant and quite tame. Spruce grouse, blue grouse and Townsend's solitaires can be observed at higher elevations on the road through Mountain Park. Rosy finches, white-tailed ptarmigan, water pipits and horned larks are seen in the alpine zones of both watersheds.
Many species of alpine flowers bloom in late July.
© C. Wershler |
