A Day on the Icefields Parkway
It tasted just like ice-cold water...and it was...four hundred year-old ice-water from the Athabasca Glacier! We had dipped our cups into an icy rivulet cut by the melting water into the blue ice, sipped some and bottled more to take with us. 
Walking on a glacier when the air temperature is 2.3 º C (27 º F) is an exhilarating experience and a welcome one on a warm day. The sun’s reflection from the ice and surrounding snow capped mountains made sunglasses a must as we walked about peering into small crevasses, throwing snowballs and taking each other's pictures.
We were on the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield about half way up the 230 km (143 mi) Icefields Parkway between Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper on a day-long excursion along one of the most spectacular highways in the world—it was the highlight of
our visit to Alberta.
The Icefields Parkway drive is breathtaking, and the best way to fully enjoy it is on a guided tour with a dedicated driver/guide, passionate about the region, and eager to share the knowledge. Our Brewster's driver for the nine hour trip was John Docksill - and John knows his stuff—he even had a library of reference books which he passed around—and keeps on his coach!
Mountain goats grazing on precarious craggy ledges paused to watch as we left Banff and followed the Bow River to the start of the Parkway at Lake Louise, our first stop some forty minutes later. Lake Louise looks just like its pictures – magnificent! A turquoise expanse of water spreads fjord-like to the reflection of the Victoria Glacier which overhangs it. The glacier sometimes drops house-sized chunks of ice into the water below setting off waves that ripple all the way to the lake shore at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
John was warned us that the Chateau was a ‘black hole,’ and that if we went into the shops we would be lost forever - he was nearly right - but we did find time for a latté before getting back on the bus. Do at least walk through the elegant lobby of this grand old lady of the lake.
So back on the road again, John described the wildlife we might see - bears, white tail deer, elk, mountain sheep, mountain goats, and maybe a moose or even a grizzly bear. He assured us that we would see nine glaciers and drive through two national parks, into three eco-regions and up into the alpine level above the tree line - and we did! His non-stop commentary was a mix of question and answer sessions – he had the answers, and interesting facts. Like...Signal Mountain is so named because it can be seen for 30 miles down each of three passes and was used in the old days by park wardens to send each other signals.
At Bow Lake, the sun-bathed, gleaming blue ice of Crowfoot Glacier hangs suspended over strikingly turquoise water.
The rustic log structure Num-Ti-Jah Lodge
completes the picture and is a quiet base for mountain walks, fishing and canoeing. Chirruping, cheeky chipmunks skittered out of the scrub at our feet hoping for a feed, and as John had warned, the general store and gift shop was another black hole!
As the morning progressed, the parade of snow-capped mountain magnificence passed grandly on either side, sometimes up close with deep, dark avalanche cuts through the twisted pine, and sometimes giant craggy rock looming in the distance. Some of the mountains are named after individuals who shaped Canada's history...Mt. Victoria, Mt. Balfour, Mt. Thompson, Mt. Edith Cavell and the highest of them all...Mt. Robson at 4000 m (13,123 ft).
At Bow Summit, the highest point on the Parkway at 2068 m (6785 ft), we crowded onto the viewing platform to look way below to Peyto Lake, an enormous jewel, set in a forest of green pine. The lake's turquoise hue is a result of suspended glacial
sediment or ‘rock flour’ washed from the rivers and streams.
Following the valley now cut by the Mistaya River, we climbed over the Sunwapta pass at 2000 m (6562 ft) and reached the Columbia Icefield at lunchtime. John showed us our assembly point for the afternoon’s Ice Glacier Explorer ride and we lunched at the Icefield Centre with the Athabasca Glacier in sight.
The Athabasca Glacier is a tongue of ice 6 km (3.7 mi) long and, 1 km (0.62 mi) wide which drops almost to the road. The Brewster tours run up onto the icy slopes in purpose-built ‘Ice Explorers’, large, all-terrain vehicles with enormous, low pressure tires. The 5 km (3.1 mi) round trip rolls up over the ice and the guide explains how glaciers are formed and points out interesting geological features. Up at the icefall, below the glacier headwall, you can walk around on the ice, make snowballs from 400 year old snow, drink glacier water, take pictures and cool your heels for a while.
The 1.5 hour glacier tours operate from a chalet-style stone building which houses The Glacier Gallery; an interpretative centre on the National Park. There is also a dining room, cafeteria and snack bar, gift shop and from the third floor up, a hotel. The Chalet Hotel has 32 guest rooms - most have at least two queen beds and a loft. You can actually hear the glacier moving and cracking in the still of the night!
John was determined that we should see maximum wildlife, so we diverted to the old Athabasca highway, parallel to the Parkway through trembling aspen and white spruce. It was early summer when animals forage in the valleys, and we slowed to see elk, then stopped to watch a group of tourists approach a mother bear and two cubs - much to our driver’s consternation. He explained that bears can be dangerous, and sadly, bears that become too familiar with humans, and seek them out for food can become a nuisance and eventually may have to be destroyed. John would not let us off the bus – which suited us just fine!
We continued north through the Sunwapta River Valley for one last stop at the mighty Athabasca Falls which are fed by the melt from winter snows and glaciers, and were at their awesome best!
The wild waters of the Athabasca River above the falls thunder through a narrow gap in the gorge, shooting out with immerse force down into the canyon cauldron below – mesmerizing! The platforms and bridge across the canyon provide multiple viewing opportunities.
We rolled into the Jasper townsite late in the afternoon still excited with what we had seen and done. We were soon settled in comfortable chairs on the outdoor patio at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge scrolling though each others pictures, reliving the highlights of the preceding nine hours. With elk grazing the shore of Lac Beauvert below us, and Mount Edith Cavell as our backdrop - all things considered - we felt that it had been the perfect day! And yes, the shops at the lodge and in Jasper were further 'black holes,' which this time we had time to explore.
Walking on a glacier when the air temperature is 2.3 º C (27 º F) is an exhilarating experience and a welcome one on a warm day. The sun’s reflection from the ice and surrounding snow capped mountains made sunglasses a must as we walked about peering into small crevasses, throwing snowballs and taking each other's pictures.
We were on the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield about half way up the 230 km (143 mi) Icefields Parkway between Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper on a day-long excursion along one of the most spectacular highways in the world—it was the highlight of
our visit to Alberta. The Icefields Parkway drive is breathtaking, and the best way to fully enjoy it is on a guided tour with a dedicated driver/guide, passionate about the region, and eager to share the knowledge. Our Brewster's driver for the nine hour trip was John Docksill - and John knows his stuff—he even had a library of reference books which he passed around—and keeps on his coach!
Mountain goats grazing on precarious craggy ledges paused to watch as we left Banff and followed the Bow River to the start of the Parkway at Lake Louise, our first stop some forty minutes later. Lake Louise looks just like its pictures – magnificent! A turquoise expanse of water spreads fjord-like to the reflection of the Victoria Glacier which overhangs it. The glacier sometimes drops house-sized chunks of ice into the water below setting off waves that ripple all the way to the lake shore at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
John was warned us that the Chateau was a ‘black hole,’ and that if we went into the shops we would be lost forever - he was nearly right - but we did find time for a latté before getting back on the bus. Do at least walk through the elegant lobby of this grand old lady of the lake.
So back on the road again, John described the wildlife we might see - bears, white tail deer, elk, mountain sheep, mountain goats, and maybe a moose or even a grizzly bear. He assured us that we would see nine glaciers and drive through two national parks, into three eco-regions and up into the alpine level above the tree line - and we did! His non-stop commentary was a mix of question and answer sessions – he had the answers, and interesting facts. Like...Signal Mountain is so named because it can be seen for 30 miles down each of three passes and was used in the old days by park wardens to send each other signals.
At Bow Lake, the sun-bathed, gleaming blue ice of Crowfoot Glacier hangs suspended over strikingly turquoise water. The rustic log structure Num-Ti-Jah Lodge
completes the picture and is a quiet base for mountain walks, fishing and canoeing. Chirruping, cheeky chipmunks skittered out of the scrub at our feet hoping for a feed, and as John had warned, the general store and gift shop was another black hole! As the morning progressed, the parade of snow-capped mountain magnificence passed grandly on either side, sometimes up close with deep, dark avalanche cuts through the twisted pine, and sometimes giant craggy rock looming in the distance. Some of the mountains are named after individuals who shaped Canada's history...Mt. Victoria, Mt. Balfour, Mt. Thompson, Mt. Edith Cavell and the highest of them all...Mt. Robson at 4000 m (13,123 ft).
At Bow Summit, the highest point on the Parkway at 2068 m (6785 ft), we crowded onto the viewing platform to look way below to Peyto Lake, an enormous jewel, set in a forest of green pine. The lake's turquoise hue is a result of suspended glacial
sediment or ‘rock flour’ washed from the rivers and streams. Following the valley now cut by the Mistaya River, we climbed over the Sunwapta pass at 2000 m (6562 ft) and reached the Columbia Icefield at lunchtime. John showed us our assembly point for the afternoon’s Ice Glacier Explorer ride and we lunched at the Icefield Centre with the Athabasca Glacier in sight.
The Athabasca Glacier is a tongue of ice 6 km (3.7 mi) long and, 1 km (0.62 mi) wide which drops almost to the road. The Brewster tours run up onto the icy slopes in purpose-built ‘Ice Explorers’, large, all-terrain vehicles with enormous, low pressure tires. The 5 km (3.1 mi) round trip rolls up over the ice and the guide explains how glaciers are formed and points out interesting geological features. Up at the icefall, below the glacier headwall, you can walk around on the ice, make snowballs from 400 year old snow, drink glacier water, take pictures and cool your heels for a while.
The 1.5 hour glacier tours operate from a chalet-style stone building which houses The Glacier Gallery; an interpretative centre on the National Park. There is also a dining room, cafeteria and snack bar, gift shop and from the third floor up, a hotel. The Chalet Hotel has 32 guest rooms - most have at least two queen beds and a loft. You can actually hear the glacier moving and cracking in the still of the night! John was determined that we should see maximum wildlife, so we diverted to the old Athabasca highway, parallel to the Parkway through trembling aspen and white spruce. It was early summer when animals forage in the valleys, and we slowed to see elk, then stopped to watch a group of tourists approach a mother bear and two cubs - much to our driver’s consternation. He explained that bears can be dangerous, and sadly, bears that become too familiar with humans, and seek them out for food can become a nuisance and eventually may have to be destroyed. John would not let us off the bus – which suited us just fine!
We continued north through the Sunwapta River Valley for one last stop at the mighty Athabasca Falls which are fed by the melt from winter snows and glaciers, and were at their awesome best!
The wild waters of the Athabasca River above the falls thunder through a narrow gap in the gorge, shooting out with immerse force down into the canyon cauldron below – mesmerizing! The platforms and bridge across the canyon provide multiple viewing opportunities. We rolled into the Jasper townsite late in the afternoon still excited with what we had seen and done. We were soon settled in comfortable chairs on the outdoor patio at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge scrolling though each others pictures, reliving the highlights of the preceding nine hours. With elk grazing the shore of Lac Beauvert below us, and Mount Edith Cavell as our backdrop - all things considered - we felt that it had been the perfect day! And yes, the shops at the lodge and in Jasper were further 'black holes,' which this time we had time to explore.
