560 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [DcC,,, 



OBSEBVATIONS HADE IN 1907 ON GLACIEBS IN ALBERTA AND 

 BRITISH COLUMBIA 



BY GEORGE, JR., AND WILLIAM S. VAUX. 



But few vital changes are to be noted from year to year in the 

 glaciers of these regions, and yet a careful observation of what is 

 taking place may in time throw some additional light on the problems 

 of glacier action which as yet remain unsolved. This can be our only 

 apology for again presenting to the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia the results of the work done on the several glaciers in 

 Alberta and British Columbia in August, 1907, which is a continuation 

 of that first begun on the Illecillewaet Glacier twenty years ago. 



As a preliminary it may be stated that the winter and early spring 

 of 1907 were cold and backward. Immense banks of snow collected in 

 the valleys and even covered the glacier tongues till the spring was 

 fully opened ; snow fell much later than usual at normal elevations, and 

 much larger banks were noted on the mountainsides than for many 

 years. Rain and a deficiency of sunlight retarded melting, so that 

 much more snow remained in the fall, both in the valleys and the 

 higher slopes, and it is probable that many snowbanks had not entirely 

 disappeared before the winter falls set in. 



Illecillewaet Glacier. 

 Glacier House, British Columbia, 



Recession. — With the above conditions in mind, it is interesting to 

 note that on August 12, 1907, the tongue of ice of the Illecillewaet 

 Glacier was 382 feet above the marked rock "C," which has been the 

 datum point since August 17, 1898, or a recession of fifty-five feet since 

 July 24, 1906. The above measurement was made from the datum, 

 rock to the ice along a line parallel with the axis of the glacier. 



Measurements made to the nearest ice farther to the east of this line, 

 which was established several years ago, would doubtless show a much 

 smaller recession, but it would seem that in fairness the measurement 

 points should be kept as nearly as possible in the same straight line 

 from year to year. It, however, appears to be a fact that the tongue 

 or point of greatest extension of this glacier lies many feet to the east 

 of the position of ten years ago. 



