Triassic Stratigraphy of the Rocky Mountain Foothills and Front Ranges in Western Canada - a Regional Overview

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TRIASSIC STRATIGRAPHY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS AND FRONT RANGES IN WESTERN CANADA - A REGIONAL OVERVIEW D.W. GIBSON Institute of Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology Geological Survey of Canada 3303 - 33rd Street N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7 Triassic rocks in the Rocky Mountain Foothills and Front Ranges comprise a westward thickening, shoaling upward sequence of marine siltstone, sandstone, limestone, dolostone, collapse breccia, and rare gypsum, ranging in age from Early Triassic Griesbachian to Late Triassic Norian. In the vicinity and north of the Pine River, in northeastern British Columbia, the succession comprises up to eight formations, which are, in ascending order: Grayling, Toad, Liard, Charlie Lake and its western equi- valent Ludington, Baldonnel, Pardonet, and Bocock. This last formation is recognized only in the region between Williston Lake and the Pine River. South of Williston Lake the Baldonnel Formation is divided into two litho- facies, the lower of which is called the Ducette Member. Throughout the remainder of northeastern and southeast- ern British Columbia and western Alberta, only two formations are recognized, the Sulphur Mountain and White- horse. Each formation consists of several members, which in ascending order are: Phroso, Vega, Whistler, Llama (Sulphur Mountain), Starlight Evaporite, Brewster Lime- stone and Winnifred (Whitehorse). Correlation of western surface Triassic formations and members between the northern and southern Foothills and Front Ranges is established. However, correlation with some of the impor- tant subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing members and formations to the east remains speculative because of inade- quate fossil control and because only limited cores and well samples have been examined. .

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