ABSTRACT

Two closely related moraines, often damming up major lakes, occur between 4 and 15 km downstream from the Neoglacial moraines around existing icefields in Banff National Park. These moraines are named the Chateau Lake Louise moraines, after the best known example at Lake Louise. Upstream of them are some of the most beautiful and obvious lakes; e.g., Louise, Hector, Bow, Peyto, Mistaya and Waterfowl. In all cases, the moraines have well-developed soil profiles. The work of Smith (1975) indicates that the early phase of this advance is dated shortly before 8800 radiocarbon years B.P. The moraines appear to represent the last phase of the retreat of the Rocky Mountain glaciers in the area. The equilibrium line altitude was about 210 m lower than today, while ice volume was probably about an order of magnitude less than that required for the Eisenhower Junction advance postulated by Rutter (1972a).