Yesterday’s (September 3rd) image featured a picture of the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park.

The photograph was taken be renowned photographer Steve Vidler who specializes in stock photography from around the world.  Vidler has traveled the world taking photos for over 40 years (a good interview with him is here).

Given the size and color of the  building, I’m guessing the photo is from the 1980s or at least pre-1996.  In those older days, the building was home to a Jasper hotel known as the Columbia Icefield Chalet.

Athabasca Glacier Featured on Bing.com Homepage

The building has since been updated.  Today you’ll find it home to the Icefield Information Centre, museum, restaurants and the 32-room Glacier View Inn.

I’m no Steve Vidler, but here’s a picture of the Icefield Information Center from July, 2010.

Columbia Icefield Information Centre

When Steve Vidler shot the picture featured on Bing, he must have been standing on the somewhere up high in the hill behind the building.

Another thing I noticed was that the Athabasca Glacier has receded since Vidler’s picture – as the glacier seems to do every year.  Someday it will be gone.  If you want to learn about the retreating Athabasca Glacier, an article on the thestar.com entitled “The alarming redefinition of ‘glacial’” provides a good overview.

While almost every activity in Jasper National Park seems to qualify (yes, I’m biased – I like Jasper National Park), here’s a hidden gem for those looking for a unique hiking experience:

• A guided ice walk on the Athabasca Glacier

Imagine hiking on a glacier.  Where else could you do that?

The guided ice walk offers a way to intimately experience the Athabasca Glacier.   Starting from the entrance just off the Icefield Parkway near the Athabasca Information Centre, the ice walk involves a guided hike where you’ll learn about how the glacier came to be as you hike right on the glacier.

There are 2 tours given by trained guides, a 3-4 hour “Ice Cubed” tour and a day-long 5-6 hour “Icewalk Deluxe” hike.  Both have frequent stops for rest, talks about glaciers, and enjoying the scenery.  The 3-4 hour Ice Cubed hike should be a good way to hike if you are in shape and able to hike but don’t want to be too tired out the next day.

Walking on ancient ice of the glacier is surely a different experience from any other hike in Jasper National Park.

There’s a certain element of danger to getting up close to this amazing ice sculpted landscape.  The waiver you’ll have to sign explains some of the potential dangers, such as:

“‘…Deep millwells, crevasses, or other holes, fissures or crevices may be hidden from view and not apparent to hikers.   Glacier ice can be very slippery, and ice conditions can change rapidly, without warning, in a short time or distance….”

Don’t be put off.  You’ll be in good hands with the experienced guides.

Athabasca Glacier Icewalks will teach you what you need to know at the beginning of the hike.  They’ll even provide crampon spikes that fit over your shoes.   Glacier streams also can make for some slippery areas so you’ll need to wear boots or hiking shoes.    They’ll also provide boots if you want.

Learn more at the Ice Walk website where you should make advance reservations if you plan on doing the walk this summer.

The aptly named Glacier View Inn is rare in its ability to offer a view of a glacier from a hotel room.

Its location at the Columbia Icefield Centre on the Icefield Parkway on the southern border of Jasper National Park makes it a desirable hotel in Jasper for spending the night on the way to or from neighboring Banff National Park.

And the Glacier View Inn’s view of the Athabasca Glacier makes for one of the most unique hotels in Canadian Rockies or the world, for that matter.

Other than that, the Glacier View Inn is a typical hotel.  The hotel has 32 rooms – all on the 3rd floor of the Icefield Centre.  Some rooms have a glacier view.  Other slightly cheaper rooms have only a mountain view.  Either way, the price is on the high side for the facility.

The price (about $275 a night during peak season) seems like a lot (I’m a cheapskate when it comes to accommodations).  But a location like this can ask that kind of money and still be filled to capacity during the peaks summer months.  You’re paying for the view and location versus luxury.

Also, be aware that facilities are limited in this area of the park.  The only dining is in the Columbia Icefield Centre on the 2nd floor which has a restaurant open for breakfast and dinner.  It also has a cafeteria open during icefield tour operating hours during the day.

Then again, doing the Columbia Icefield Snocoach tour is really convenient – just walk downstairs to the bus first thing in the morning.

So the location has its pluses (location, location, location) and minuses (amenities, services, price).  As a one-nighter, it may make a good choice for some Canadian Rockies travel itineraries.  Otherwise, there are plenty of convenient hotels in the centrally located Jasper townsite area or in Banff from which day trips to the Columbia Icefield may end up being an experience more fitting of your needs and tastes.

It is amongst the most popular activities in Jasper National Park – and many Banff National Park visitors drive up for the Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience too.

The bus is called a “Snocoach”.  Only a handful of them are in existence.  These monster buses tread delicately over the snow while the driver tells you the story of the Athabasca Glacier on the Columbia Icefield.

The views are awe-inspiring.

The tour starts with a shuttle bus driving from the Icefield Centre to the edge of the Athabasca Glacier where you do a quick transfer to a Snocoach bus.  The Snocoach bus rides on the snow, driving a long way up and stopping at a look-out area.

Everyone gets out of the bus at the look-out area, looks around in awe, and most people touch the snow.  The air feels so clean up here.

Some people even try to drink some of the blue glacial melt water.

After hanging out on the glacier, everyone gets back in the bus and heads back.

It’s a relaxing, comfortable drive. It’s an attraction that anyone can do. It’s a way to experience a glacier, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And, like just about everywhere in Jasper and Banff, the views are incredible. Pictures cannot do it justice.

Here’s the official video from Brewster, the company operating the tour.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Enjoy the glacier experience!

While at the Icefield Centre (where you get on the shuttle to the Snocoach), you can take a time-out and view the glacier exhibit to learn about glaciers, the climate and the Canadian Rockies environment.  Afterward, have a meal at one of the two restaurants in the Icefield Centre.

Related posts:

1. Make time for the Icefield Parkway during your Canadian Rockies vacation

Both glaciers can be seen by hiking the Path of the Glacier Loop, a 1-2 hours hike from the trailhead on Cavell Road. The Cavell Meadow trail continues from the Path of the Glacier trail and will bring a Jasper National Park hiker past more views of the glaciers.

Seeing the icebergs from Angel Glacier and Cavell Glacier floating in Cavell Pond is a wonderful reward for the hike.  Many Jasper National Park hiking visitors have photographed this phenomena.  Here’s a selection of beautiful photos of Cavell Pond glacial ice:

As a frame of reference, this photo shows the scene with Angel Glacier (a topic for another day!) spreading its wings above Cavell Glacier and Cavell Pond.

As can be seen from the pictures from several photographers, every day is different on Cavell Pond.

(Photo credits: click photos to view original)

To get a taste for the travel experience, here are some recent videos taken by fellow Jasper National Park travelers riding the Brewster Ice Explorer bus on the Athabasca Glacier. These videos are taken by Jasper National Park travelers with video cameras and the skills to put together a video and share it on YouTube.

One could argue that these videos are a little bit of a spoiler and reveal too much. Don’t worry! In the case of the Athabasca Glacier, anyone who has been there and taken pictures or video will always say that there is no way to truly capture the experience. The scale of the place is beyond comprehension.

So we should thank our fellow camera-toting travel video makers. They provide a taste of the Athabasca Glacier, but it is just a small sample – hopefully motivation for your own Athabasca Glacier experience. If you want a true taste, you can actually eat the snow.

This Athabasca Glacier video (narration in Chinese), taken from the driver’s seat of a Brewster snocoach, offers a unique perspective. Try to get a front sear on the bus for a similar experience.

This final video shows that visiting the Athabasca Glacier on a snowy day might not be such a good idea. The view just isn’t the same.

The area offers spectacular scenic views, is home to many species of wildlife and has many kilometers of hiking trails. The park has much to offer and adults and children alike will find it to be a wonderful and interesting place to visit.

No matter what your fitness level is you can find many fun things to do outdoors. The area abounds with wildlife and opportunities to see them. You can take a scenic drive or try a more adventurous hike. There are many kilometers of scenic hiking trails. Visit the Athabasca waterfalls, which require only a short hike. Down below the river offers more adventure. Try taking a whitewater rafting trip or a river float trip. Take a scenic drive on Icefields Parkway to see the Columbia Icefield. You can actually go on the glacier with an ice buggy.

Maligne Lake is just a short drive away and while there you can take a boat cruise, rent a canoe or even go fishing. Mount Edith Cavell is another scenic drive. There you’ll find a path that leads to the bottom of Angel Glacier. No trip to Jasper is complete until you take a soak in the natural warmth of the Miette Hot Springs. The springs offer clear and soothing mineral water that is naturally warm from inside the earth to give you a truly natural and relaxing experience.

Jasper National Park is home to many different species of wildlife. You’re bound to see many of them on even a short hike. You can even take a guided birdwatchers hike to see some bird species that you’ve probably never seen before. You can plan on taking any of the designated hikes through the park. Many are short enough to walk with children. The town of Jasper offers many eateries and pleasant shops.

When choosing accommodations you’ll find it easy to log onto HotelsCombined.com. This site offers the ease and affordable pricing options of all the popular hotel-finding sites such as Orbitz, Priceline, Travelocity and Hotels.com to name just a few. You’ll be able to choose from many different local hotels and resorts each with their own amenities. You will be sure to find a hotel that offers the features you want in the price range within your budget.

There is a story to it that should be told.

This postcard reveals a different Jasper National Park era and a time when so-called “Mountain Men” (and women) still wandered the area.

The front of the postcard reads “Athabaska Glacier, Alberta, Canada – Photo: Bruno Engler”.

It turns out that Bruno Engler (1915-2001) was an accomplished, award-winning photographer who had come to Canada in 1939 and then spent 60 years photographing and enjoying the delights of the Canadian Rockies. The Town of Banff (just south of Jasper National Park) considers Bruno Engler as a local legend and has a web page about him here. Bruno is described as “ski instructor and coach, climber, mountain guide, actor, cameraman, photographer, as well as one of the Canadian Rockies’ great story-tellers and enduring characters.” He was a Mountain Man.

Bruno Engler received the inaugural Summit of Excellence Award in 1986 “representing the highest of honours from his peers in the mountain community for his contributions to Canadian Rockies culture and for his enthusiasm and dedication to photography, guiding, and skiing.”

Bruno’s unique abilities are why photos like these are so unique. I imagine Bruno hanging in the air alongside the pictured adventurer while trying to frame the perfect shot.

The back of the postcard reads “Rappeling High Over the Athabaska Glacier: The great ice tongue of this glacier issues from the Columbia Icefield in three great icefalls. On the right is Dome Glacier which is formed by ice that tumbles over the cliff to be reconstituted as a solid ice mass below. This is on the Icefield Highway, in the south end of Jasper Nation Park, Alberta, Canada.” The red stamp depicting a big horn sheep reads “From the Roof of the Canadian Rockies.”

The postcard photo reveals a time when fashions were different. Look close. The man rappelling wears checkered knee socks. He hangs from a mountain with only a rope holding him in the air.

Down below is the Icefield Center building. I looked really close at the postcard and could only count about 20 cars at the visitor center on this beautiful blue sky day. The parking lot has since been expanded and on a typical summer day is full of cars, RVs and a handful of tour buses.

The biggest difference in this photo from the 1960s in contrast with 2008 is the Athabasca Glacier itself. The photo shows the Athabasca Glacier protruding much further from the Columbia Icefield than it protrudes today. The glacier has been receding each year as summer melting exceeds the rate of winter snow accumulation. What will be of the Athabasca Glacier in 100 years from now? Will it still exist?

Interesting postcard.  One can imagine a 1960s Jasper National Park traveler purchased it while inside the Icefield Center gift shop.  Then it sat in storage for many years until I acquired it.  And now, here it is on Jasper National Park Journal for the whole world to see.

At the south end of Jasper National Park, bordering Banff National Park, lies one of the most visited destinations with the park: The Columbia Icefield. Undoubtedly, the Columbia Icefield is one cool place.

Visitors can tour the Athabasca Glacier – a portion of the Columbia Icefield – by doing a Snocoach tour. I highly recommend doing at least the basic tour. You’ll learn a lot.

“You Gotta See This Place! It’s so cool I’m wearing gloves!”

Yin and Yang at the base of the Columbia Icefield

Walking on cracked ice – crevasses across the Columbia Icefield

Surrounded by ice and snow

Inside the Snowcoach

Looking out the window of the Snowcoach

Inukshuk rock sculptures

The retreating Athabasca Glacier from 1992 to 2006. The last Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago and the glaciers have usually been retreating since then – increasingly in recent years. Whenever more snow melts in the summer than is added in the winter, the glacier retreats.

Sunset at the Athabasca Glacier – It looks so small from far away.

Related posts:

1. Make time for the Icefield Parkway during your Canadian Rockies vacation