The Cowichan Ice tongue, Vancouver Island

Abstract

The sequence of late glacial deposits within Cowichan Valley and on Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, suggests the existence of an ice tongue that occupied Cowichan Valley and extended eastward to Saanich Peninsula prior to the merging with and being overridden by Cordilleran ice of the last major glaciation. Following the maximum advance of Cordilleran ice, continuous melting and downwasting prevailed, but before deglaciation was complete, remnant ice in Cowichan Valley was rejuvenated. Similar glacio-climatic events have been recognized elsewhere in the Strait of Georgia, and are named the Evans Creek Stade, the Vashon Stade, and the Sumas Stade of the Fraser glaciation. The writer tentatively applies these names to the events on Vancouver Island.