Linda Gibbs, age 11, of Grand Forks, N.D., for her question:
HOW MANY GLACIERS ARE IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK?
Glacier National Park, located in northern Montana on the boundary betweeen Canada and the United States, was named for the more than 50 glaciers found there. These beds of ice are the remains of a large system of mountain glaciers that once covered the entire area.
Part of the Rocky Mountain chain, called the Continental Divide, runs north and south through the park. The area was once part of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, but in 1910 the United States Congress made it a national park.
A Canadian preserve, called the Waterton Lakes National Park, lies north of Glacier National Park. In 1932, the two parks were united by the United States and Canadian governments. Together they are called the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, although they are under separate administrations.
Some of the more than 50 glaciers are small, but others are very large. Blackfoot Glacier, the park's largest, covers about three square miles. It lies about 8,000 feet above sea level on the north slopes of Mount Jackson and Blackfoot Mountain.
The Harrison and Pumpelly glaciers cover the south slopes of Jackson and Blackfoot.
One of the park's interesting attractions is the Lewis Overthrust, a high ridge visited by thousands of tourists to Glacier National Park each year. Colorful layers of rock may be seen along the side of the ridge, much like the layers found in the Grand Canyon of Arizona.
This over thrust was made in ancient times when a disturbance inside the earth caused the earth's surface to crack like a squeezed orange. One area was pushed, or thrust up over another area.
Within the park are about 250 lakes Some lie high in the mountains while others are found deep in the valleys. One of the most beautiful is the Upper Saint Mary. This lake is about 10 miles long and is surrounded by mountains, except where it meets the Saint Mary River.
Lake McDonald is the largest in Glacier National Park. It is 11 miles long and has an average width of a mile and a half. Swiftcurrent Lake is one of the smallest lakes, but it is one of the most famous because it lies in the heart of a region of great beauty.
Iceberg Lake in the park is only a half mile long. It lies on such high ground (6,000 feet) that it contains icebergs even on warm summer days.
Animal life in Glacier National Park is protected by law and hunting is never allowed. Among the wildlife found there are Rocky Mountain goat and sheep, bear, moose, elk, deer, coyote, wolves and lynx.
The streams in the park are abundant with fish, especially eastern brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout.
The highest peak in Glacier National Park is Mount Cleveland, located in the northern part of the park. The peak is 10,446 feet high. Other mountains higher than 10,000 feet include Kintla Peak, Mount Siyeh and Mount Stimson.