Thursday, September 6, 2012

Sep 6 – Icefields Parkway

Yesterday it was kind of cool and it rained pretty hard so we just stayed in. About 3pm it seemed to clear up and there were sunny skies above us. We decided that it was a good time to go to the hot springs so we loaded up and headed out.

The springs are about 60 km east of Jasper. As we got to Jasper we could see that it was still raining pretty hard east of us and that it seemed to be coming our way. Mission aborted. We just got an internet fix at the visitor’s center, wandered around town until the rain hit and then went back to the RV, somehow carrying a Pizza Hut pizza.

IMG_2784

IMG_2783

IMG_2786

Today was also a bit cool but there has not been a cloud in the entire sky all day. A perfect time to go see some mountains and a waterfall or 3 so we headed south on the Icefields Parkway.

First up was Athabasca Falls. The sun was not in the right position for great pictures. We said we would stop on the way back when the sun had moved but of course that never happened. Too tired.

IMG_1013435

IMG_1013426

Below there are some people on the shore top left for a size comparison.

IMG_1013437

IMG_1013434

IMG_2814

Then the river went down a short gorge,

IMG_1013420

We went down to the bottom of the gorge on some steps they had put in an old water channel.

IMG_1013460

IMG_2840

Onward down the highway, the quarter moon was up.

IMG_1013448

IMG_2874

IMG_2880

IMG_2879

IMG_2882

Next was Sunwapta Falls and gorge. This is the view from a bridge across the gorge,

IMG_1013513

The view upstream.

IMG_1013518

Down the gorge.

IMG_1013521

Top of gorge back towards the bridge.

IMG_1013524

The other waterfall under the bridge.

IMG_1013533

Although you can hardly see her, Jennie bravely went out on the bridge for the above picture.

IMG_1013534

A nice skull face in the gorge wall.

IMG_1013532

IMG_1013528

Onwards

IMG_1013552

IMG_1013473

IMG_2990

This range was called the Endless Chain.

IMG_1013553

A quick stop at Tangle Creek Falls.

IMG_3033

Our first glimpse of the Columbia Ice Fields poking between the mountains.

IMG_1013569

More of the ice field poking over another ridge.

IMG_1013591

The long valley on the way to the Athabasca Glacier.

IMG_1013592

IMG_1013581

Our first view of the glacier.

IMG_1013587

From the pile of gravel at the side of the valley you can see how big it used to be.

IMG_1013583_1

We drove down into the valley to park and hike up to the toe of the glacier. You can see the parking lot, middle right, below.

 IMG_1013642

 IMG_1013596

They had markers showing how the glacier has receded over the years.  If we had come on our honeymoon we would have only had to climb to here.

 IMG_1013635

Instead of up and way over this hill.

 IMG_1013636

The 1982 marker is about 1/2 way up.

IMG_1013632

Here is the view from the year 2000 marker a bit over the hill top. Still a long way to the toe.

IMG_1013625

Everyone got bundled up for the climb. It was cold.

IMG_1013633

You were not supposed to go any closer that this roped off line because of the danger of crevasses.

IMG_1013607

But most people ignored it, some even climbing way up the glacier itself.

IMG_1013609

 IMG_1013604

At least one group seemed to have a guide.

IMG_3075

There didn’t seem to be a lot of interesting formations. Just a large expanse of dirty snow so we didn’t cross the rope. We have seen some pretty amazing glaciers already.

IMG_1013613

IMG_1013628

IMG_3058

We had taken the SnoBus tour the last time we were here on out way to Expo 86 in Vancouver, so we skipped it this time. Besides nothing can beat that flight in Denali.

IMG_3092

We went to the Icefields Visitors Center and looked at the displays.

IMG_1013644

IMG_3088

By now it was 4:30 so we headed back. We will leave the rest of the highway for another year when we come back to explore southern BC and Alberta.

IMG_3098

IMG_3100

1 comment:

  1. The Columbia Ice Fields - we were there back in 1975. Amazing to see how much it's receded since then. We remember tent camping in Jasper in late August and waking up to a dusting of snow on the tent. The next night we slept in our rental car - a 1975 Chevy Vega hatchback! Cosy!! :-)

    ReplyDelete