Now, This Is Cool.

We got to walk on a glacier.   How cool is that!  Actually bordering on cold.  We had packed winter hats and gloves just for this part of our trip.

The Athabasca Glacier is just one glacier that flows off the massive Columbia Icefield.  Think of the icefield as a very large lake of ice, with many rivers of ice flowing out from it in several directions.  We had made reservations the previous day, so we headed straight south on the Icefield Parkway to get there in time.  Along the way, we passed several glaciers flowing from the icefield before getting to Athabasca.

Along the Athabasca River heading toward the glacier.

Stutfield Glacier

G

Athabasca Glacier on the left.  Another one on the right.  View is from Visitor's Center.

Athabasca Glacier.  The part we are headed to is on the left edge, part way up the flat part.

One of the old snocoaches that they used to use to take you on the glacier

A glacier flowing out of the icefield

The icefield is at the top, the glacier flows down the mountain.  Ridges of moraine deposited as the glacier has retreated are visible a the bottom.

The trip to the glacier consisted of two parts.  First a regular bus takes you to a transfer station where you board these giant, all wheel drive, glacier buggies called snocoaches.  

Climbing the hills of moraine

Finally onto the ice.

Parked on the glacier

It's a relatively small area and relatively flat, but that's all you need.

The view up the glacier.  Streams of surface melt flow down.

The water flowing down the surface of the glacier was potable and quite tasty

If you had more time, you could go on a guided half day or full day hike on the glacier.  We didn't.

The sun dodged in and out, lighting up the glacier surface while we were there.

Zooming in on some detail on the steeper part of the flow

For some reason, the concessionaires of the glacier walk thought they needed to put in a fancy, glass walkway over the nearby canyon.  The short bus trip to it was included with our glacier ticket, so we went.

The glass was a nice idea, but mostly it just reflects the sky.

Nice valley view of the Sunwapta River

Multiple water falls and a narrow gorge

The Sunwapta River feeds the Athabasca but before it gets there there is a nice falls called...

Sunwapta Falls.

Some falls video.  

Sue's crutches enjoying a rest after a hard day.

Tomorrow, a long car day.  All the way from Jasper down to Glacier National Park in the US. 

...via the scenic route, of course!