General Characteristics:
The Columbia Icefield is a mass of ice covering a high plateau between Mount Columbia and Mount Athabasca. It is located between Banff and Jasper Nationals Parks. The melt water nourishes North Saskatchewan, Columbia, Athabasca and Fraser river systems. The icefield contains approximately 30 glaciers and the largest are Saskatchewan and Athabasca. The Columbia Icefield is the largest accumulation of snow and ice (depth of 365m) in the Rocky Mountains (Marsh, 2007).
Analysis of the Columbia Icefield will provide information on the following glaciers: Athasbasca Boundary Castleguard Columbia Dome Hilda Saskatchewan
Summary:
Name: Columbia Icefield
Province: Alberta
Location: Between Banff and Jasper Nationals Park
Latitude: 52o9'59"
Longitude: 117o19'59"
Classification: Icefield
(NRC, 2007)
The Columbia Icefield is a mass of ice covering a high plateau between Mount Columbia and Mount Athabasca. It is located between Banff and Jasper Nationals Parks. The melt water nourishes North Saskatchewan, Columbia, Athabasca and Fraser river systems. The icefield contains approximately 30 glaciers and the largest are Saskatchewan and Athabasca. The Columbia Icefield is the largest accumulation of snow and ice (depth of 365m) in the Rocky Mountains (Marsh, 2007).
Figure 1: Columbia Icefield in 2004 (Can Image, 2005)
Figure 2: Map of various glaciers found in Columbia Icefield
(Luckman, 1988)
Summary:
Name: Columbia Icefield
Province: Alberta
Location: Between Banff and Jasper Nationals Park
Latitude: 52o9'59"
Longitude: 117o19'59"
Classification: Icefield
(NRC, 2007)