Saskatchewan Glacier
A rapidly vanishing treasure
The Saskatchewan Glacier is located approximately a four-hour drive north and west of Calgary on the Icefields Parkway through Banff National Park. It is one of eight major glaciers that make up the Columbia Icefields. The surrounding mountains are mainly Paleozoic carbonates and create impressive relief all through this area. The location is visually stunning. We picked it because of its visual appeal, but also because some wonderful surficial geology features—both glacial and fluvial—are visible with the active melting of the glacier, which students can focus on during their engagement with the VFE. Although it is a longer drive from Calgary than Yamnuska and access is more challenging, it can still be considered a site of local interest.
The Visuals
Outcrops can be represented through a variety media in a variety of ways. Below are just a few, including photomosaics, drone video, and 3D models explorable in Virtual Reality.
The toe of the Saskatchewan Glacier showing meltwaters running from the glaciers into the adjacent lake. The valley width is approximately 270 meters across.
3D Models
Take a look for yourself at the 3D outcrops and show them to your class