Connors Glacier

Thank you so much for the message. Although I am constantly aware of the state of our land and environment sometimes we need a subtle reminder of just how delicate and precious it is. The exerpt from Bob Sandford,s book sums things up very nicely, using words and ideas that are very hard to come up with when I try to describe to people why I do the things I do. I am still very pumped about even being a small part of the glacier study. There are a few small patches of ice hidden in high basins in my area. Some of which I have passed by several times in my journeys here in the Elk Valley. This hightened sense of awareness has caused me to stop and take a different look at these special places. When I can I will photograph each place and send the pictures to you. I will attempt to make it to these places each year at the same time of year. I am constricted by access, time and funds ( sound familiar) though especially once the snow flies. The coorodinates of the ice I am looking at are 50degrees 25' 35.88"N x 115degrees 06' 56.01"W., locally known as "Connors Glacier". Do you know if there is anybody else monitoring this beauty?

-Carl

Blog contributors welcome

Originally I wanted to use this blog to update folks on the monitoring initiatives in the Columbia River Basin, but I realized there's a greater opportunity here. An opportunity for those that are passionate about glaciers in the basin to write/blog about them whichever way they please. This was inspired by a conversation I had with my dear friend studying the cryosphere (snow and ice) in Scandinavia, as well as, this quote from Bob Sandford's book Water, Weather and the Mountain West:

            We have to use art, literature and popular culture, grounded in solid science, to inspire in the public imagination a new sense of pride in what we possess in terms of ecological wealth [glacier health] in the mountain West and why it is important to our future.

           

            We need to articulate a simple but sensible ecosystem ethic and communicate it outward in a way that will constantly reinforce local understanding of the value of what we possess in the mountain West that is unique to where and how we live.

I invite all of you to send glacier-related:

ART

    COMICS
         POETRY
             STORIES
                  PHOTOS
                      MEMORIES
                          QUESTIONS
                               COMMENTS
                                    FRUSTRATIONS
                                         ETC.

Send to jhirose@gmail.com and I will post your glacier inspiration. If requested, anonymity will be granted.

Think hard...
Why do you love glaciers?
Why do you want to preserve them?
Why do you want to know more about them?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy trails and lines,
Jocelyn

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/directory/g/glacier.asp

Illecillewaet in the news & upcoming Kokanee Glacier endeavour

The Illecillewaet Glacier was the star Aug. 11, 2011. Glacier National Park is celebrating its 125 year anniversary this year and the glacier is being commemorated for its history, present, and future stories. 

The media reports can be found here:

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110812/CGY_glacier_park_110812/20110812/?hub=CalgaryHome

http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/revelstoketimesreview/news/127892598.html

A.O. Wheeler’s photographs of Illecillewaet Glacier from 1901-2 were repeated by the Mountain Legacy Project (and I tagged along) from atop Abbott Ridge, Mt. Sir Donald, Mt. Cheops, and Napoleon Peak. The processed photographs showing 110 years of glacier change will be available this fall/winter on www.mountainlegacy.ca

Here is a present shot (2011, low-resolution) and a past shot (1902) from Abbott Ridge:

Kokanee Glacier:

As Glacier National Park is celebrating their 125 year anniversary, BC Parks is celebrating their 100^th anniversary. A few of us will be going up to the Kokanee Glacier Sept. 2-4 to scope out its potential of being a long-term monitoring site.  

For anyone interested in joining in for part of the exploration (at your own risk and leisure) feel free to contact me directly at: jhirose@gmail.com

Save Our Snowpack Tour: What Glaciers in the Columbia Basin Can Tell Us About Snowpack

The tour consisted of 7 communities (Golden, Revelstoke, Nelson, Kimberley, Fernie, Cranbrook and Invermere) and 9 presentations (7 public and 2 classrooms) in 8 days. The intent was to educate people on the state of our glaciers globally, in Western Canada, in the Columbia River Basin and about my work on the Illecillewaet Glacier.    

The tour was a great success and there are individuals in each community interested in taking part in glacier monitoring in the Columbia River Basin.

The purpose of glacier monitoring is to:
- Encourage engagement with glaciated landscapes
- Action-oriented learning
- Collect valuable data for science, policy and decision-making
- Capture the glacier legacy

Ways to monitor glaciers as a citizen/community:
- Measure the winter and summer mass balance
- Repeat photography
- Measure the glacier extent

If you are interested in getting involved as a citizen scientist or would like to start a monitoring program in the Columbia River Basin please contact me.

As programs start to develop they will be posted here.