glaciers of this region, in the hope that it may prove not only interesting, but also that it may serve as a starting place and prevent duplication of effort. We shall, therefore, run the risk of repeating what is familiar to most of the readers of the Canadian Alpine Journal and, for continuity of treatment, say a word as to the theory of glaciers.
Broadly speaking, a glacier may be said to be a mass of ice of sufficient volume to flow down from an elevation. With the heavy precipitation of snow characteristic of high mountain regions, it is one of the provisions of Nature by which an indefinite accumulation of snow and ice cannot occur.
The Rocky mountain system in southern Canada consists of four principal ranges. Beginning with the west these are: the Coast range, the Gold range, the Selkirk range and the Main or summit range of the Rocky mountains, the two former being much lower. If now one will examine a map of the Pacific ocean upon which the currents are marked, he will see that the great Japan current flows in a northeasterly direction along the Asiatic coast, until it divides, one branch continuing through Behring sea and strait into the Arctic, whilst the other and larger portion takes a great sweep to the east, until it strikes the American continent, when it turns southward, and flows parallel to the coast. Necessarily there is an enormous amount of evaporation from this great valume of warm water and the winds blowing over it are laden with moisture. Their prevailing direction is from west to east. Carrying their burdens of water vapor, they are responsible for the moist and mild climate of the northern portions of the Pacific coast of Northern America. Where these winds meet the cooler land currents of air, some precipitation occurs, but they are not seriously depleted of their moisture until they strike the cold Selkirks, when the precipitation is very heavy. As a result of
