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Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is a natural park in Canada straddling the Alberta / Saskatchewan boundary and jointly administered by the two provinces. Located south-east of Medicine Hat, it became Canada's first interprovincial park in 1989.
The park protects the majority of the Cypress Hills landscape, which consists of three separate elevated blocks of lush forest and fescue grassland surrounded by dry mixed-grass prairie. The "west block" and "centre block" are protected as provincial parks, and are managed by Alberta Parks and Protected Areas and Saskatchewan Parks, respectively.
The Cypress Hills plateau rises up to 200 metres above the surrounding prairie, to a maximum elevation of 1,468 metres at "Head of the Mountain" at the west end in Alberta, making it Canada's highest point between the Canadian Rockies and the Labrador Peninsula. The "West Block" of the Cypress Hills spans the provincial boundary. Battle Creek runs through the central part of the park.
Approximately 700 species of plants and animals thrive in the park, including 14 species of orchids; four species of large hoofed mammals (Wapiti, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, and Pronghorn); 45 other species of mammal; and many birds species. .(wikipedia)
Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. August 2008.
Medicine Lake - This intriguing lake is a place of mystery and Indian legend. Due to a unique underground drainage system, the water level of the lake varies from season to season … sometimes it actually disappears! Every fall this lake mysteriously drains. What makes Medicine Lake unusual is that there is no visible channel for draining the lake – so where does the water go? The answer is, “out the bottom,” like a bathtub without a plug. Early Indians once thought that “spirits” were responsible for the dramatic fluctuations in the placid waters. Interpretive exhibits explain the phenomenon but nobody knows for sure where all of the water goes.
During the 1970s researchers used a biodegradable dye to determine the underground river's extent. The dye showed up in many of the lakes and rivers in the area to the point where it became clear that the underground system was one of the most extensive in the world.
Medicine Lake was long, most part of the lake was dry, people walked on the lake to catch the fishes... this was the "deepest" part of the lake. The photo was taken at sunset with reflection of the mountain on the lake, the golden light painted the mountains beautifully!
Glacier Park's Two Medicine Lake shrinks and almost disappears as I climb up the Scenic Point trail. I was the first hiker on the trail this morning. The bottom of the trail is forest, following along Appistoki creek, and it's pretty waterfalls. After a continual 2400 foot climb I could look both East and West. The winds were horrendous, some of the worst I've experienced when hiking. They shut down this trail occasionally when the winds are unsafe. Best to get an early start, as the winds pick up as the sun moves west. Highly recommended when in the Two Medicine area.
Looking down on Pray Lake to the right near the campground with Two Medicine Lake sitting between Mt. Sinopah and Rising Wolf mountain. Doesn't look like it but Two Medicine Lake is approximately 2 miles long and .33 miles wide.
Your views, comments, faves and suggestions are always appreciated.
Looking down at the distant Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park.
On the left Lake Sherburne's bed is low at autumn. In the middle is the center of this part of the park with Mt. Sinopah rising over Two Medicine lake (images below). Massive Rising Wolf Mountain is on the right.
The region was considered sacred ground by several Native American tribes including the Blackfeet and they performed Vision quests here. Aside from Chief Mountain, the Two Medicine area is the most sacred section of the park to the Blackfeet. Truly a spiritual setting, which I sense as well when here. Two Medicine has become favorite place of mine to camp and hike.
Friday's here! Have a wonderful day and weekend!
BNSF GE's bring an eastbound grain train across Two Medicine River after the climb across Marias Pass near East Glacier Park, MT on a smoky Saturday morning.
Highlands there in Wyoming with nice late afternoon escaping through the clouds and over the new fallen snow that day.
I was staying in a cabin near the continental divide, and awoke one morning to a perfectly calm, clear sky. I decided to drive before dawn to Two Medicine lake to capture the reflection of Sinopah Mountain at sunrise. However, as I drove into the site, the wind increased to the point where the waves were breaking on the lake and my vision of the perfect sunrise was shattered. Here's what I salvaged, with the stars in the sky and the light on the cliffs.