Glacier Lake (Alberta)

Last updated
Glacier Lake
A Calm Morninf at Glacier Lake.jpg
Canada Alberta relief location map - transverse mercator proj.svg
Red pog.svg
Glacier Lake
Location Alberta, Canada
Coordinates 51°55′14″N116°51′32″W / 51.92056°N 116.85889°W / 51.92056; -116.85889
Type Glacial lake
Primary inflows Glacier River
Primary outflows Glacier River
Basin  countriesCanada
Managing agency Parks Canada
Max. length3.85 km (2.39 mi)
Max. width0.75 km (0.47 mi)
Surface elevation1,480 metres (4,860 ft)
References [1]

Glacier Lake is the fourth largest lake in Banff National Park, in Alberta, Canada. [1]

Contents

Glacier Lake was named by Sir James Hector of the Palliser expedition in 1858 for the fact the lake is fed from glaciers, specifically the glaciers of the Lyell and Mons Icefields [2] as well as the Forbes North Glacier. The lake is surrounded by Mount Outram, Division Mountain, Mount Erasmus and Survey Peak. The lake is fed and discharged by the Glacier River, which is a tributary of the Howse River. The lake can be accessed via a 8.9 kilometres (5.5 miles) trail which starts near Saskatchewan River Crossing along the Icefields Parkway. [3] Park at the Glacier Lake trailhead (at the end of a short unnamed road 1.1 km (0.7 mi) west of the David Thompson Highway turn-off).

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, the lake experiences a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. [4] Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C in the winter.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Glacier Lake". Geographical Names Data Base . Natural Resources Canada . Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  2. Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 57.
  3. Patton, Brian; Robinson, Bart (1986). The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide (3rd ed.). Banff, Alberta: Summerthought Ltd. pp.  124-125. ISBN   0-919934-14-5.
  4. Peel, M.C.; Finlayson, B.L. & McMahon, T.A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification" (PDF). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences . 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi: 10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2025-11-07.
Glacier Lake (centered) seen from Mt. Sarbach. Mt Outram to far left, Division Mountain and Lyell Glacier in back, Mount Erasmus to right, and Howse River across bottom of frame. Glacier Lake in Banff National Park.jpg
Glacier Lake (centered) seen from Mt. Sarbach. Mt Outram to far left, Division Mountain and Lyell Glacier in back, Mount Erasmus to right, and Howse River across bottom of frame.