List of glaciers in Canada Facts for Kids

Canada is home to many amazing glaciers! Glaciers are like giant, slow-moving rivers made of ice. They form when snow piles up over many years, gets squished, and turns into solid ice. Then, gravity slowly pulls this ice downhill. Canada has more glaciers than almost any other country, especially in its western mountains and far northern Arctic islands. These icy giants are super important for our environment and even for people.

What are Glaciers?
Where are Canada's Glaciers?
- Glaciers in Western Canada
- Glaciers in the Arctic
  - Icy Islands of the Arctic Archipelago
Why are Glaciers Important?
Images for kids
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What are Glaciers?

Glaciers are huge bodies of ice that move very slowly. They start in places where more snow falls in winter than melts in summer. Over time, this snow gets packed down by new layers of snow. It becomes very dense ice, much harder than the ice you find in your freezer! Once the ice is thick enough, it starts to flow, often carving out valleys as it moves.

Where are Canada's Glaciers?

Most of Canada's glaciers are found in two main areas: the high mountains of Western Canada and the cold, icy islands of the Arctic. Each area has its own unique types of glaciers.

Glaciers in Western Canada

Western Canada's mountains are famous for their stunning scenery, and many of these views include massive glaciers. These glaciers are vital sources of fresh water for rivers and lakes, especially during hot summer months.

The Mighty Saint Elias Mountains

The Saint Elias Mountains are found in Yukon and British Columbia, and they are home to some of the largest glaciers in Canada. These include the huge Donjek Glacier and parts of the Hubbard Glacier, which is one of the biggest glaciers outside of the polar regions.

Glaciers of the Coast Mountains

The Coast Mountains stretch along the Pacific Ocean in British Columbia. This area gets a lot of snow, which helps create many icefields and glaciers. An icefield is a large area of interconnected glaciers.

The Juneau Icefield is a huge icefield that crosses the border into Alaska. It feeds many glaciers, like the Llewellyn Glacier.
The Stikine Icecap is another large icefield with glaciers such as the Great Glacier.
The Waddington Range has many impressive glaciers, including the Waddington Glacier and Tiedemann Glacier.
Near Whistler, you can find glaciers like the Blackcomb Glacier and Spearhead Glacier in the Garibaldi Ranges.

Columbia Mountains' Ice Patches

The Columbia Mountains in British Columbia also have many glaciers. These include the Purcell Mountains with the famous Bugaboo Glacier, known for climbing. The Selkirk Mountains are home to the Kokanee Glacier and the Illecillewaet Glacier, which is part of the Illecillewaet Névé (a large snowfield that feeds glaciers).

Ice in the Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies, straddling the border between British Columbia and Alberta, are home to some of Canada's most famous and accessible glaciers.

The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. It feeds several well-known glaciers.
The Athabasca Glacier is one of the most visited glaciers in Jasper National Park, Alberta. You can even take special buses onto its surface!
The Bow Glacier and Peyto Glacier are beautiful glaciers found in Banff National Park, Alberta.
The Angel Glacier in Jasper National Park gets its name because its shape looks like an angel's wings.
The Yoho Glacier is located in Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

Glaciers in the Arctic

Canada's Arctic region is incredibly cold, allowing massive ice caps and glaciers to form on many of its islands. These are some of the largest ice masses in the world outside of Greenland and Antarctica.

Icy Islands of the Arctic Archipelago

The Arctic Archipelago is a group of islands in northern Canada, many of which are covered by ice.

Baffin Island is Canada's largest island and home to the huge Barnes Ice Cap and Penny Ice Cap. These are large, dome-shaped masses of ice.
Axel Heiberg Island has the Müller Icecap and the White Glacier, which scientists study closely.
Devon Island is mostly covered by the Devon Ice Cap, one of the largest ice caps in the world.
Ellesmere Island, one of the most northern islands, has several large ice caps like the Agassiz Ice Cap and Grant Ice Cap.

Why are Glaciers Important?

Glaciers are more than just beautiful icy landscapes. They are very important for several reasons:

Fresh Water Source: Many communities and ecosystems rely on meltwater from glaciers for drinking water, farming, and hydroelectric power, especially in dry summer months.
Climate Indicators: Glaciers are like giant thermometers. When they shrink, it's a clear sign that the Earth's climate is getting warmer. Scientists study them to understand climate change.
Ecosystems: The cold meltwater from glaciers creates unique habitats for plants and animals downstream.
Tourism: Glaciers attract many visitors, supporting tourism and local economies in places like the Canadian Rockies.

Images for kids

The Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, Alberta.
The Kaparoqtalik Glacier in Sirmilik National Park, Nunavut.

List of glaciers in Canada facts for kids

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