| Cypress Hills | |
|---|---|
 The Cypress Hills | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,468 m (4,816 ft) |
| Coordinates | 49°37′48″N110°21′34″W / 49.63000°N 110.35944°W /49.63000; -110.35944 |
| Dimensions | |
| Area | 2,500 km2 (970 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
  Cypress Hills Cypress Hills location in Western Canada | |
| Country | Canada |
| Provinces | |
| Topo map | NTS72E9Elkwater Lake |
TheCypress Hills are a geographical region of hills in southwesternSaskatchewan and southeasternAlberta, Canada. The hills are part of theMissouri Coteau upland. The hills cover an area of approximately 2,500 km2 (970 sq mi).[1] About 400 km2 (150 sq mi) or 16% of this area is aninterprovincial park.
The highest point in the Cypress Hills is at Head of the Mountain in Alberta at 1,466 m (4,810 ft). The highest point in Saskatchewan is an unnamed point (49°33′06″N109°59′14″W / 49.55167°N 109.98722°W /49.55167; -109.98722) at 1,392 m (4,567 ft).[2][3]
The Cypress Hills have been known by a wide number ofIndigenous and European names throughout their history. An 1882Blackfoot–English dictionary written by C. M. Lanning provided theBlackfoot language nameI-kim-e-kooy, which translates as 'striped earth' or 'earth over earth'. TheCree language name, in use at the same time, ismanâtakâw, (spelled in a variety of anglicized forms includingMun-a-tuh-gow), sometimes said to mean 'beautiful upland' but more accurately referring to 'an area to be respected, protected, taken care of and/or taken care with'. TheAssiniboine language name iswazíȟe.[4] TheGros Ventre language name isθáaciih 'pine trees'.[5] EarlyMétis hunters, who spokeMétis French, called the hillsles montagnes des Cyprès, in reference to the abundance oflodgepole pine trees. In theCanadian French spoken by the Métis, the pine is calledcyprès,[6] although it is not a truecypress tree. The English translation is 'Cypress Hills'.[7]
The Cypress Hills reach a maximum elevation of 1,466 m (4,810 ft), rising about 600 m (2,000 ft) above the surrounding plains. This makes the Cypress Hills the highest point in Canada between theRockies andLabrador[8] They are the remnant of a more widespreadplateau, most of which has been removed by erosion. The plateau is capped by the resistantconglomerate andsandstone beds of theCypress Hills Formation. That formation was deposited by rivers that flowed from the mountains of southwestern Alberta and northwesternMontana during lateEocene to middleMiocene time, and is known for its wealth of vertebrate fossils.[9][10]
During thePleistocene, the top of the Cypress Hills was not overridden by theLaurentide Ice Sheet and remained unglaciated. As the ice sheet paused periodically during its final retreat, a series ofmorainal ridges ofglacial till built up around the hills. Rivers ofmeltwater cut large channels through the area as the retreat continued, and smaller streams carvedcoulees and areas ofbadlands.[11][12][13]
Today the Cypress Hills are part of a majordrainage divide that separates rivers that drain south to theGulf of Mexico via theMissouri River system from those that drain to northeast toHudson Bay via theNelson River system.[11] At the Dividing Springs Ranch northwest ofEastend, Saskatchewan, the water from a spring goes both south to Gulf of Mexico and northeast to Hudson Bay.[14]
Due to their higher elevation, the upper slopes and summit of the Cypress Hills experience cooler temperatures and greater rainfall than the surroundingsemi-arid plains,[15] and they support a flora and fauna that is much like that of the mountains south of theCanada–United States border inMontana andWyoming.[16]
The north-facing slopes and some of the valleys host forests ofaspen,lodgepole pine, andwhite spruce. The remainder of the area is covered bymixed grass prairie, withfescue prairie in higher areas. Wildflowers includeprairie crocus,three-flowered avens,lupine,blue bells, andprairie rose.[15][16][17] There are fourteen species oforchids, including theVenus's slipper orchid and thestriped coralroot orchid, which are found primarily in wooded areas and along the banks of springs and streams.[15] Case studies have detected vegetation changes throughwoody plant encroachment, with an annual increase of shrub cover of 1 per cent.[18]
Small mammals of the area include a wide variety of rodents, as well asshrews, bats,jackrabbits,skunks,mink, weasels, foxes,bobcats,Canada lynx, andothers. Large mammals includemoose,elk,mule deer,white-tailed deer,pronghorn,coyotes,cougars, and more.[15][16][17][19] There are several species of snakes, including theprairie rattlesnake, as well aslizards andturtles. The many species of birds range frommountain bluebird andgreater sage-grouse to thegreat horned owl and otherbirds of prey.[15][16][17] Fish inElkwater Lake and other lakes and streams in the area includewalleye,yellow perch,northern pike, several species oftrout, and others.
Historically the Cypress Hills were a meeting and conflict area for variousNative Americans andIndigenous Canadians (First Nations) including theCree,Assiniboine,Atsina,Blackfoot Confederacy,Saulteaux,Sioux,Crow, and others. During the 19th century Métis settled in the hills, hunting and often wintering there. TheCypress Hills Massacre, a key event in Canadian history leading to the creation of theNorth-West Mounted Police, occurred in the hills when a group of Americanwolf hunters, known aswolfers, from Montana massacred an Assiniboine encampment.Fort Walsh was established to bring law and order to the Canada–United States border region.
Cypress Hills Provincial Park – one of the six originalprovincial parks of Saskatchewan – was established in 1931. In 1951, it was extended into neighbouring Alberta. Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park was created in 1989, which joined the two parks on either side of the provincial border.[20]
The Saskatchewan side of the park is divided into two blocks: Centre Block, which has fully developed year round tourist facilities, and West Block Wilderness area, with rustic camping and the location ofFort Walsh National Historic Site. Centre Block is located 30 kilometres (19 mi) south ofMaple Creek onHighway 21. West Block is located 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Maple Creek onHighway 271.
The Alberta portion of the Cypress Hills contains the tourist destination ofElkwater, a community with campground facilities located on the southern shore ofElkwater Lake. The townsite is mainly made up of summer cabins. Elkwater is located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast ofMedicine Hat.
Cypress Hills has asubarctic climate (Dfc) bordering on ahumid continental climate (Dfb) due to its elevation above the surrounding area. Summer days are mild to warm coupled with cool nights, while winters are cold and snowy with annual snowfall averaging 255.2 cm (100.5 in). It is also considerably more moist than the surrounding prairies. Precipitation peaks during the month of June, where thunderstorms are common.Chinook winds can raise the temperature 5 °C (9.0 °F) in an hour, with it not being uncommon for the temperature to go from −10 to 20 °C (14 to 68 °F) in a 12-hour period.[21] The highest single day snowfall is 60 cm (24 in) which occurred on 28 May 1982. The highest snow depth recorded is 80 cm (31 in) on 28 February 1994. The highest temperature recorded is 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) and occurred on 29 May 1988. The lowest temperature recorded is −42.5 °C (−44.5 °F) and occurred on 13 January 2005.[22]
| Climate data for Cypress Hills Climate ID: 4021996; coordinates49°40′N109°28′W / 49.667°N 109.467°W /49.667; -109.467 (Cypress Hills); elevation: 1,196 m (3,924 ft); 1981−2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) | 18.0 (64.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 26.0 (78.8) | 40.5 (104.9) | 34.0 (93.2) | 34.5 (94.1) | 34.5 (94.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 28.0 (82.4) | 21.0 (69.8) | 15.0 (59.0) | 40.5 (104.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) | −1.4 (29.5) | 2.4 (36.3) | 9.8 (49.6) | 15.2 (59.4) | 19.1 (66.4) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.8 (73.0) | 16.6 (61.9) | 10.1 (50.2) | 1.7 (35.1) | −2.3 (27.9) | 9.5 (49.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9 (16) | −7.2 (19.0) | −2.9 (26.8) | 3.5 (38.3) | 8.7 (47.7) | 12.7 (54.9) | 15.9 (60.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 9.6 (49.3) | 4.0 (39.2) | −3.5 (25.7) | −8.0 (17.6) | 3.3 (37.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −15.0 (5.0) | −13.0 (8.6) | −8.2 (17.2) | −2.9 (26.8) | 2.1 (35.8) | 6.3 (43.3) | 8.6 (47.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 2.7 (36.9) | −2.2 (28.0) | −8.6 (16.5) | −13.7 (7.3) | −3.0 (26.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −42.5 (−44.5) | −40.0 (−40.0) | −35.5 (−31.9) | −26.5 (−15.7) | −11.5 (11.3) | −3.5 (25.7) | 0.0 (32.0) | −4.0 (24.8) | −10.0 (14.0) | −28.5 (−19.3) | −39.0 (−38.2) | −41.5 (−42.7) | −42.5 (−44.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 33.3 (1.31) | 31.0 (1.22) | 43.3 (1.70) | 41.4 (1.63) | 74.0 (2.91) | 103.3 (4.07) | 59.7 (2.35) | 47.8 (1.88) | 58.9 (2.32) | 36.8 (1.45) | 32.8 (1.29) | 38.3 (1.51) | 600.6 (23.64) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.00) | 1.9 (0.07) | 15.9 (0.63) | 51.1 (2.01) | 103 (4.1) | 59.7 (2.35) | 46.8 (1.84) | 51.1 (2.01) | 13.6 (0.54) | 1.9 (0.07) | 0.2 (0.01) | 345.4 (13.60) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 33.3 (13.1) | 31.0 (12.2) | 41.3 (16.3) | 25.5 (10.0) | 22.8 (9.0) | 0.3 (0.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.9 (0.4) | 7.7 (3.0) | 23.2 (9.1) | 30.9 (12.2) | 38.1 (15.0) | 255.2 (100.5) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 9.7 | 9.6 | 10.5 | 9.8 | 11.5 | 14.3 | 10.4 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 11 | 124.3 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.81 | 4.2 | 9.5 | 14.3 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 8.8 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 63.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 9.7 | 9.1 | 10 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 8.9 | 10.9 | 64.1 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[22] | |||||||||||||
The Cypress Hills region is featured in Saskatchewan-basedcountry singerColter Wall's 2022 single "Cypress Hills and the Big Country".[23]
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