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Columbia Icefield

The Columbia Icefield is the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains. Located in the Canadian Rockies astride the Continental Divide along the border of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, the ice field lies partly in the northwestern tip of Banff National Park and partly in the southern end of Jasper National Park.

The icefield feeds six major glaciers:

  • Athabasca Glacier
  • Castleguard Glacier
  • Columbia Glacier
  • Dome Glacier
  • Stutfield Glacier
  • Saskatchewan Glacier

Parts of the Icefield are visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Athabasca Glacier has receded significantly since its greatest modern-era extent in 1844. The Columbia Icefield is a major destination for ski mountaineering in the winter months.