English: A cross-section through the Stanley Glacier, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada; taken from within a cave. The dark layer at the base is around 20cm in thickness.

Response to user questions from 130.20.3.152

• The floor of the ice cave appears to be ice/snow with some rock debris interspersed - is this correct?

  Only towards the edges; the middle of the cave was bedrock, washed smooth.

• There appear to be distinctive bands of fine debris starting at 40 cm up and continuing periodically even to the top of the photo. Is that impression consistent with your first hand observation?

  Yes, the darker bands were sandy, I think; there were larger clasts caught up in the ice too

• The dark 20-cm band of ice at the bottom appears on close inspection to be fairly transparent. When you look at it closely it appears the rock surface under the ice layer is relatively rough (as opposed to scoured smooth). Is that impression consistent with your first hand observation?

  I don't think that one can see the rock surface itself. The bottom will be clearer due to the pressure producing partial melting at the base; see .