Canadian
Rockies

The Great Divide
The Great Divide, June 1997
The continental divide, or the Great Divide as it’s called in Canada, marks the border between British Columbia and Alberta.  The top photo is taken from the British Columbia side facing east, while the bottom photo is taken from the Alberta side, facing west.  We met another couple that wanted their picture taken together as did we, so we swapped cameras and fired away.  Interestingly, they were from Tampa, and like us, some 2,900 miles from home.
The Great Divide is the backbone of the continent.  On the eastern side, all the waters flow to the Atlantic Ocean while on the western side, all the rivers and streams flow to the Pacific Ocean.  Divide Creek straddles the Great Divide, and offers one of the few points where you can observe the parting of the waters.
As the creek splits, the stream on the right flows to the east and eventually empties into Hudson Bay which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.  The stream on the left flows west and empties into the Pacific Ocean.
Previous | Banff | Lake Louise | British Columbia | Icefields Parkway | Jasper | Kananaskis | Travel Home Page | chuckallan.com | Next