Columbia Icefield

The largest mass of glacial ice in the Rocky Mountains south of the Arctic Circle, covering roughly 325 km² with ice depths ranging from 100 to 365 m. The Columbia Icefield straddles the boundary between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park along the Icefields Parkway.

The icefield feeds the Columbia River (Pacific), North Saskatchewan River (Atlantic/Hudson Bay), and Athabasca River (Arctic); a hydrological triple divide. Outlet glaciers include the Athabasca Glacier, Columbia Glacier, and Saskatchewan Glacier.

The icefield lost ~13.3% of its ice mass between 1985 and 2024. Black carbon from wildfire ash accelerates melt by lowering albedo. The Glacier Discovery Centre and Glacier Skywalk provide visitor access and glaciology interpretation.