Columbia Icefield
The Columbia Icefield is an ice field and glacier situated in the Canadian Rockies across Alberta and British Columbia. It is one of the 93 sights of Canada featured on this site and ranks 64th among the country's sights in terms of English Wikipedia lookups.
Planning a visit
The warmest months are July and August, when daily highs reach about 9 °C. The coldest period is from December to February, with temperatures dropping to lows of about -24 °C. Rainfall is consistent throughout the year, with the highest amounts occurring in July at about 156 mm and June at about 146 mm.
To reach the ice field, you can fly into Calgary International Airport, which is 256 km away, or Whitecourt Airport, located 243 km from the site. The Columbia Icefield is approximately 3,093 km from Ottawa. There is no information available regarding opening hours, prices, or wheelchair access.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 9 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | -17 | -15 | -11 | -6 | -1 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 3 | -5 | -14 | -19 |
| Average low, °C | -22 | -21 | -18 | -13 | -8 | -4 | 0 | 0 | -6 | -13 | -19 | -24 |
| Rainfall, mm | 126 | 81 | 87 | 75 | 96 | 146 | 156 | 148 | 118 | 119 | 136 | 117 |
| Rainy days | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 18 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
