Winter turbidity current deposits in Late Pleistocene glaciolacustrine varves, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

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Abstract
Sand units within the winter clay components of distal, glaciolacustrine varves of Kickininee Park, British Columbia show a common sequence of cross‐lamination, and a similarity in grain size. A lower division of micro‐cross‐lamination is succeeded by two divisions of climbing ripple drift cross‐lamination. The two upper divisions are differentiated on the basis of angle of climb, a marked increase occurring in the top division. The sequence is related to turbidity currents which swept down lake during winter. It is possible that the B division of some turbidite sequences may have formed under conditions of low relief bedforms similar to those which generated the lower division of the glaciolacustrine sands. Stratigraphic position and varve thickness are used to support the conclusion that the distal turbidite sands are down lake equivalents of proximal grain‐flow deposits. The appearance of coarse grained deposits within winter layers of varves may cause two years of deposition to be allocated to a single varve. This may introduce large errors when varves are used as time indicators.