Location: The Barrier elevn: 477.308m. Lat. 49.944336 Long. -123.095383

Direct Google URL: This link takes you to a prepared viewpoint.

Hazard type: vo, ls

Short Description: The “barrier” volcanic cliff at the head of rubble creek

Long Description: The barrier was formed roughly 9000 yrs ago when lava flows were stopped by glacier ice filling the adjacent valley (where the sea-to-sky highway is now). When the ice melted the cooled lava-flow front formed a cliff and water ponded behind this lava dam, forming Garibaldi Lake. Several large debris flows have fallen from this cliff, the most recent being in 1855-1856. The resulting boulder field was at least 30,000,000 m^3 (1.1×109 cu ft) of rock. How thick would this pile of rock be if it was 1000 metres square? This unstable cliff has caused the provincial government to declare the area below unsafe for human habitation. Should the Barrier collapse, Garibaldi Lake would drain causing considerable damage to Squamish. The resulting impact-wave could also affect Howe Sound and possibly even Vancouver Island.

The Barrier “ice-marginal” lava flow, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garibaldi_Volcanic_Belt

Media1: [Click here] A 20 minute documentary exploring the geology of the west coast of British Columbia, specifically the area known as the Sea to Sky corridor, which runs through West Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler. Some of the hazards inherent in the surrounding landscape are investigated – one of these is the Barrier, a crumbling cliff over 300 meters tall that holds back Lake Garibaldi. Coupling geologic history with the dangers of the present, Beyond the Barrier takes a look at how living below hazards can change the way we see ourselves as humans with respect to the power of nature.

Media2: [Click here] A news report from 2010 in one Whistler local magazine.

In Depth: [Click here] A general, peer reviewed journal article, summarizing volcanic hazards for all of Canada, with a natural emphasis on west coast volcanism. Stasiuk, Hickson, Mulder, 2002, The Vulnerability of Canada to Volcanic Hazards.