Mount Garibaldi and Helm Glacier Caves

Saturday   October 1973.

By:  Charles H. Anderson Jr., Mark Vining, G.H. van der Laan,  Clarence Hronek.

Mtount Garibaldi, SW British Columbia, Canada

Location: 49.83N, 123.00W
Elevation: 8254 feet (2678m)
Last Updated: November 2000

    Photo by USGS C. Hickson

HISTORY

Garibaldi volcano, 80 km due north from Vancouver, B.C., comprises Mount Garibaldi (highest peak in the photograph above), Atwell Peak, and Dalton Dome. This Pleistocene volcanic center is a part of a volcanic field that contains approximately thirteen vents in an area that measures 30 km long by 15 km wide. Much of this area is within Garibaldi Provincial Park. Garibaldi volcano’s eruptive history comprises of an initial period of volcanism (200 000 to 300 000 years ago) followed by a period of quiescence. Renewed activity in the last 50 000 years has rebuilt the edifice in a series of violent eruptions, similar in character to those that issued from Mount Pale in 1902 and destroyed the town of St. Pierre on the island of Martinique. As valley glaciers were retreating, two lava flows erupted from Clinker Peak, immediately north of Garibaldi volcano.

 The northernmost, Rubble Creek flow was partly confined by a wall of ice, resulting in lava flow over 800 feet thick. The steep, northern edge of the Rubble Creek flow has partly collapsed several times, the most recent being in 1855-56. Danger from future collapses prompted the abandonment of the village of Garibaldi. Shortly after the demise of glacial ice filling the valley, 10 700 to 9300-radiocarbon years ago, the most recent period of activity ended with the eruption the Ring Creek lava flow from Opal Cone, on Garibaldi’s southeastern flank.

Landsat scene

The image above shows the Ring Creek lava flow coming from the south edge of Mount Garibaldi (light blue color is glacial ice on top and west of Mount Garibaldi); with well-defined lava flow margin levees. The deictic Ring Creek flow, which is approximately 15 km long, is unusually long for composition.

Garibaldi Lake Mount Garibaldi

Photo By B.C. Parks Dept

Garibaldi Park has an interesting geological background as it was created by volcanic action which created the formation of many of the park’s peaks; the Black Tusk, Price Mountain, The Table, Mount Garibaldi, the Cinder Cone and the Glacier Pikes just to name a few. Lava from Clinker Peak is responsible for the creation of The Barrier. Behind this natural dam 300-meter deep Garibaldi Lake was formed.

Location:  

Five park accesses along Hwy 99, Sea to Sky Highway between Squeamish. Vehicle access is recommended, as the five trailheads are located anywhere from 4 km to 16 km from Hwy 99.

In 1907, a party of six Vancouver climbers reached the summit of Mount Garibaldi. The views from the peak inspired the establishment of summer climbing camps at Garibaldi Lake. This early interest led to the creation in 1920 of a park reserve. Garibaldi Provincial Park was legislated as a Class A 195,000 hectare provincial park, a mountain wilderness just 64 kilometers north of Vancouver.

Topographical map 92.G.14 and 92.G.15 1:50,000

This incredibly scenic area surrounding Garibaldi Lake is the heart of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Within a small radius are such outstanding natural attractions as the Black Tusk, Panorama Ridge, Helm Glacier, the Sphinx, Guard Mountain, the Barrier, Garibaldi Lake, the Table, Sentinel Glacier, Sphinx Glacier and Castle Towers. Alpine meadows come alive with wild flowers of every imaginable description. Mountaineers will find challenging peaks to climb. Hikers may choose from trails that are easy to difficult.

Access

Turn right off Hwy 99 just after you cross the Rubble Creek bridge, 37 km north of Squeamish or 19 km south of Whistler onto a paved road that leads 2.5 km to the Rubble Creek parking lot.

Rubble Creek parking lot to Garibaldi Lake - Length, 9 km; suggested time, 3 to 4 hours one way; elevation change, 810 meters. This well graded trail climbs and switchbacks through stands of giant Douglas fir and western red cedar before leveling out at the top of the Barrier.

Rubble Creek parking lot to Taylor Meadows - Length, 7.5 km; suggested time 3 to 4 hours one way; elevation change, 915 meters. This trail follows the same route as the Garibaldi Lake trail for 6 km where it divides and heads up to the meadows. It is possible, with an early start, to hike from the Rubble Creek parking lot to the meadows, down to Garibaldi Lake and back out the same day. Length, 22 km round trip.

Taylor Meadows to Upper Lakes - Length, 4 km; suggested time, 2 hours one way; elevation change, minimal. This easy hike leads through beautiful alpine meadows past Black Tusk Lakes to Helm Lake. Helm Glacier, the Cinder Cone and the bizarre cinder flats may also be seen. This is the same trail that will take you to Panorama Ridge.

HEIAM GLACIER CAVE

Garibaldi Park, B. C.

Sunday 7, Oct 1973.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Helm Creek Glacier cave we noticed that the water level of Helm Creek was lower than we have had ever seen it before. This gave us encouragement to enter, and to our surprise a large passageway had opened up. On previous trips into this entrance one could never penetrate farther than about 50 feet due to either the ceiling becoming too low or the water level being too high. But this entrance the most outstanding one had member of the explores Garret Van der Laan had it the Glacier’s Weeping Willow.

We did a survey revealed that the entrance passage continued for well over 500 feet with plenty of head room in the center of the passage above the water level. This later would connected in to the main Big Room where there were several passage taking off in different direction to other entrances. There lots of flakes in the big room and some in the side passages. We took pictures of the flakes and other passages.

We than cross the middle of Helm Glacier and found a big pit and found several side passage that took off at this point. What happen at this point was that several side passage intersected the Big Room and the in large e Big Room. On the top of the glacier the surface melt made a big hole above the big room and hade a small lake the bottom. The weight of the water above the enlarge Big Room hade become to much weight for the ceiling an the Big room collapse. We all took pictures and then started back to our cars.

There caves in Helm Glacier need a lot of more studying in the future.

Sources of Information:

Green, N.L., Armstrong, R.L., Harakal, J.E., Souther, J.G., and Read, P.B. 1988. Eruptive history and 
geochronology of the late Cenozoic Garibaldi volcanic belt. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 100, p. 563-579.

Green, N.L. 1981. Geology and petrology of Quaternary volcanic rocks, Garibaldi Lake area, southwestern
B.C. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 92, p. 697-702 & 1359-1470.

Mathews, W.H.., 1990. Garibaldi, Canada. In Wood, C.A., & Kienle, J. (eds.)
Volcanoes of North America, Cambridge Univ. Press: Cambridge, p. 144-45.

Mathews, W.H., 1957: Petrology of quaternary volcanics of the Mount Garibaldi map-area,
southwestern British Columbia; American Journal of Science, v. 255, p. 400 – 415.

Mathews, W.H., 1952: Mount Garibaldi; a glacial Pleistocene volcano in southwestern British
Columbia; American Journal of Science, v. 250, p. 81 – 103.