The late Cenozoic history of McQuesten map area is characterized by progressively less extensive glaciations and deteriorating interglacial climates. The glaciations, from oldest to youngest, are the pre-Reid (a minimum of two early to mid Pleistocene glaciations), Reid (>200 ka), and McConnell (<29.6 ka BP). Pre-Reid interglacial reconstructions suggest a much warmer and more humid climate than today. The Koy-Yukon interglacial (200 ka) is considered to have a climate similar to a southern boreal forest and the first intact Diversion Creek paleosol, from this period, is documented in the McQuesten River valley. The Stewart neosol (Holocene) is widespread and poorly developed in comparison to past interglacial soils. The distribution of surficial deposits, related to multiple glaciations, physiography, and fluvial order contrasts, may govern the distribution of placer gold occurrences in the study area. Placer deposits occur anomalously in areas outside the pre-Reid limit on Klondike Plateau, and on Stewart Plateau.
A copy of this thesis is available at the EMR library – QE195.B65 1997.
This thesis is available online at https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/mq21154.pdf
