Frozen in time: Public involvement welcomed as melting ice reveals hidden treasures in Canadian Rockies – Fitzhugh
Jan 5, 2024
Exploring the great mountain wilderness, an observant hiker spots a dark object sticking out of a melting pile of snow.
Squinting at the unusual item, the curious mountaineer walks closer, discovering what can only be described as a makeshift tool used by an early Indigenous culture on what is now a Canadian national park.
Within reach of the artifact that’s been hidden in ice for hundreds of years, if not, thousands, the attentive hiker jots notes describing what it is, the condition it’s in, taking photos using a smartphone, and pinpointing a geographical location – all without touching the old item.
The hiker will relay the initial information gathered to Parks Canada at the end of their mountainside excursion so their archaeological field unit can investigate further.
