Sunwapta Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sunwapta Pass |
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Looking south with Icefields Parkway below
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| Elevation | 2,035 m (6,677 ft) |
| Traversed by | Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) |
| Location | Banff National Park / Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada |
| Range | Canadian Rockies |
| Coordinates | 52°12′50″N 117°09′34″W / 52.21389°N 117.15944°W |
Sunwapta Pass is a special place high up in the Canadian Rockies mountains in Alberta, Canada. It's like a natural gateway between two big national parks: Banff and Jasper National Park. This pass is a low point between two tall mountains, Mount Athabasca and Nigel Peak.
Exploring Sunwapta Pass
Sunwapta Pass sits at an elevation of 2,035 meters (6,677 feet) above sea level. It's a key spot along the famous Icefields Parkway (Highway 93). This scenic road connects the town of Jasper to the area near Lake Louise.
The pass is about 108 kilometers (67 miles) southeast of Jasper. It is also 122 kilometers (76 miles) northwest of where the Parkway meets the Trans-Canada Highway. Sunwapta Pass is the second highest point you'll reach on the Icefields Parkway. The highest point is Bow Summit, which is a bit taller at 2,069 meters (6,790 feet).
Where is Sunwapta Pass?
Sunwapta Pass is located right on the border between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. These are two of Canada's most beautiful national parks. The pass is a saddle, or low point, between two large mountains. These mountains are called Mount Athabasca and Nigel Peak.
Water's Amazing Journey
Sunwapta Pass is a very important place for water. It marks a "watershed divide." This means that rain and melting snow that fall on one side of the pass flow in one direction. Water on the other side flows in a completely different direction.
- Water flowing north from Sunwapta Pass eventually joins the Athabasca River. This river then flows into the Mackenzie River, which finally reaches the cold Arctic Ocean.
- Water flowing south from the pass goes into the North Saskatchewan River system. This water travels across the wide Canadian prairies. It then joins the Nelson River and flows into Hudson Bay, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.
So, from one spot, water can end up in two different oceans!
