June 9, 2023: Travel on the Magnificent Columbia Icefields Parkway!

June 9, 2023 cjbishop@yahoo.com

It was now time to leave Jasper and head south to our next destination, Banff. The distance between the two towns is 288km (179miles) but includes what may be the most beautiful stretch of highway in North America- the Icefields Parkway. It is definitely an “OMG” visual attraction and I am looking forward to experiencing it again.

Approximately 50 of us were loaded onto a local tour company bus which left the hotel about 8:30 AM. The trip is expected to take all day because of stops we will be making to see the major attractions on the way.

Our first stop was at Athabasca Falls located in the Jasper National Park on, you guessed it, the Athabasca River. By the way a bit of trivia: the town of Jasper is located IN the Jasper National Park and as such you own your home but not your land; it is leased from the Canadian Government for a nominal fee.

Leaving Jasper and crossing the Athabasca River.

The view as you walk to the Athabasca Falls viewpoint

The Athabasca River originates in the Columbia Icefield and flows northward, finally emptying into the Artic Ocean. The Athabasca Falls drop a height of 24 meters (79 feet) with a canyon width of 46 meters (151 feet). At this time of the year the water was really roaring through that narrow canyon. It was quite a sight.

Back on the Icefields Parkway we saw vista after vista of distant mountain peaks. It was a good thing I was not driving a car as I am sure I would have been stopping every mile or so to take yet another great mountain photo! (I do recall being guilty of that when we visited this area in 1965)!

The Mountain Views get more dramatic as we follow the highway.

By 11 AM we made our next stop at the Stutfield glacier viewpoint, the first major glacier we were able to see from the roadway. The tour guides set up a hot chocolate booth while we stretched our legs and took in the local scenery.

Hot chocolate or tea served at the viewpoint.

The next stop was at a place that certainly did not exist when we were here in 1965- the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. It is a clear glass floor walkway suspended out from land above the canyon floor which is 280 meters (918 feet ) below. You get great views of the rushing water below (assuming you look down) as well as the nearby glaciers, and the valley carved out eons ago. It is not for the faint hearted and Yvonne is no fan of heights, so what will she do when we arrive? At first she simply remained on the land side of the bridge while I ventured out to experience the effect and take pictures. I thought I might be freaked out when looking down, but surprisingly, I was not. I traversed the entire structure and returned to where I left Yvonne, who, to my surprise, said she needed to cross the walkway because our children would ask if she did! Now that is a motivational reason. I took her hand, told her to simply not look down, and we walked the entire length of the structure. Atta girl, mission accomplished!

Entering the glass bottom walkway suspended over the canyon.

Surprisingly I was not bothered by the glass bottom.

Views from the land based section of the Skywalk. I wonder if they ever have earthquakes here!

Looking back at the canyon below, where you could see several small waterfalls.

I think I can, I think I can- make it across this skywalk! She did make it!

Onward we traveled as it was now time for lunch and a visit to the major attraction on this road- a trip onto the Athabasca glacier.

Lesson of the day : The Athabasca glacier is one of 6 glaciers that make up the Columbia Icefield. Because of its location it is the most visited glacier in North America. Over the last 125 years it has receded 1.5 km (0.93 miles) and lost 1/2 of its volume. Today it loses about 5 meters (16 feet) of depth annually.

Looking across at the Athabasca glacier, where we will be taken.

Here is what we are looking at. The Athabasca glacier is one of six glaciers that make up the Columbia Icefield.

A very good buffet lunch at the visitor center was part of our tour. Afterwards we were driven across the road where we had a reservation to ride specially equipped vehicles that will take us onto the glacier itself for photo opportunities and the experience of being on an actual glacier. We had done this in 1965, before global warming became this issue it has today. The glacier was certainly larger then and the vehicles used to get us there were archaic compared to today. The ride from the lot where we board the special vehicles was a bit of an adrenaline rush as the “make shift” road ( always changing because of the glacier movement) had a 33 degree grade! I have never been on anything beyond about 10-15 degrees! Also, there was a steep drop off right outside our window; luckily I had the window seat so Yvonne did not know what was happening. Our driver quit talking when he began the downhill road and concentrated on safely navigating our journey; all went smoothly. It was a thrill to experience it again!

Because of the very limited growing season here these trees only grow a few inches/year. These might be over 100 years old!

These vehicles will take us out onto the actual glacier. They are certainly more modern than the ones we rode in 1965!

A lake is forming at the base of the glacier.

Not exactly the same pose as 1965. I guess she is simply glad to be back here!

We were allowed to walk a bit from the vehicle “parking lot”. The surface was surprisingly easy to walk on. I had feared there would be problems with traction.

Our return visit to the Athabasca glacier. There is always a wind here and I put on my jacket as soon as this picture was taken.

Watching someone gather some glacier water. It is safe to drink and very cold!

Crevasses forming on the surface of the glacier.

As close as we could get to the glacier face.

It is always windy on the glacier, and colder!

The darker colored wall is a lateral moraine, which are rocks and debris left by the flowing glacier.

View of the side walls of the glacier valley.

The road to/from the glacier. It is a 33 degree grade! Luckily our vehicles are 6 wheel drive so it posed no problem. The picture does not really convey how steep this road is.

Rocks scarred by the retreating glacier.

Back on our bus as we continue our journey to Banff. Our last planned stop would be at Peyto Lake, world famous for its marvelous, unique turquoise blue color. It is a glacier-fed lake which is why it has the color it does. Time for another lesson: when glaciers melt they create something called “cake or rock flour”, basically finely ground (think texture of cake flour) up rock, which ends up as a suspension in the water of the lake. The blue-green wavelengths of sunlight reflecting on the rock flour in the water gives the water its gorgeous turquoise color we see. Peyto Lake is one of the most famous stops on the Icefields Parkway.

A sign showing you how much the glacier has receded in the last few decades.

Clouding up at the end of the day. It never did rain on us.

A stop at Lake Louise is not part of this trip; it was offered as an option to spending two nights in Banff. Since we had not really visited Banff in 1965 we decided to forego Lake Louise for Banff. By 5:30 we had been transferred from the big bus to a smaller van and taken, along with 2 other couples, to our hotel in Banff, the Rimrock Resort.