My Travels In The Canadian Rockies

So I make every effort to have a post up almost every day. And those of you loyal to my blog will realize I’ve missed a few days.

Well I have a good reason. I’ve been studying tectonic plate activity from 80 – 55 million years ago (i.e. vacation).

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Perhaps one of the most beautiful sites in the world, Lake Louise in Alberta is where I spent this past weekend.

Hiking, horseback riding and canoeing comprised my thorough study of the geologic activity in the region.

Who is the gentleman in this photo?

So here is what I discovered from my travels, and a few web searches.

The North American Rocky Mountains were formed roughly 80-55 million years ago.

Location of the Rocky Mountains (Wikipedia)

The formation of the Rocky Mountain range was actually the result of tectonic plate collisions between the Pacific plate and the North American plate.

Tectonic Plates

As you may notice, these plates meet a large distance away from where the Rocky Mountain range is located. What is happening is that the oceanic plate (the Pacific Plate) will slide under, or ‘subduct‘, underneath the continental plate (the North American Plate). This interaction of the plates caused the ancestral rock in the region to ‘bunch up’ and rise into the air, forming the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

However they were formed, the Canadian Rockies are a great vacation destination. Great people, great outdoor activities, and great views.