RECONNAISSANCE OF ROCKSLIDE HAZARDS IN KANANASKIS COUNTRY, ALBERTA

Kananaskis Country is situated in the Front Ranges of the Canadian Rockies in southwestern Alberta. Sedimentary rock thrust northeastwards forms mountain ridges that trend northwest-southeast parallel to the major thrust faults. Older, Palaeozoic rocks - mainly limestone and dolomite - form the ridges and peaks. Younger, Mesozoic rocks - sandstones, quartzites, siltstones, shales, conglomerates, and coals - are more easily eroded and form mountain passes and valleys. A reconnaissance mapped 228 rockslides, 8 km**2 of rockslide debris and 96 km**2 of talus. The largest rockslide exceeds 50 multiplied by 10**6 m**3. Rockslides are most probable on dip and overdip slopes, followed by reverse-dip slopes, oblique and strike-dip slopes and underdip slopes. The reconnaissance shows that certain facilities in valleys below steep mountain slopes are exposed to rockslide hazards, and provides a guide for the location of new facilities.