I woke up this morning because the sun was so high it was heating up the tent. I had slept very well. Hiking, I decided, would wait until the evening. I climbed into the car and headed back to the north on Highway 93 for about 80 miles towards the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier.
The Columbia Icefield is situated among the peaks of the craggly Canadian Rockies. About 30 glaciers flow outward from the icefield, including the Athabasca. The icefield is the largest in the Rockies and feeds many of the surrounding river systems, including the Columbia. I wouldn’t actually visit the icefield; that would take a day or two with either a guide or a lot of luck so as not to fall into a crevice on the ascent. So I first visited the Icefield Center, which seemed more like a modern airport terminal than a visitors’ center. Bustling with tourists, the climate controlled building contained numerous ways to spend money, information video screens, and electronic signs indicating departure times for the “snocoaches” – large ATVs – departing for Athabasca Glacier every 15 minutes or so. These snocoaches are monsters and cost nearly $500,000 each.
The Icefield Center also contained a nice museum/exhibit containing more information on the natural and human histories of the icefield. I especially liked the hand-carved oak sign that once marked the boundary between Jasper and Banff national parks. It was carved by Hans Mauer in the 1940’s while he was working at an Alternate Service work camp for people who wanted to serve their country, but were conscientious objectors to WWII. Also on display was interesting time-lapse video of glacier movement and erosion.
I drove to near the foot of the Athabasca Glacier and hiked a short distance the rest of the way. It was cool and very windy at the base. The short hike included many signs identifying the dangers of falling into a glacier crevice. In a nutshell, hypothermia sets in within minutes and then you die. The last three people who slipped into a crevice in the area perished – including one boy who only 5 years ago slipped in just meters from the path. I got the point and stayed within the designated hiking boundaries.
It was a nice visit, but I had several things I wanted to do during the day, including laundry, blogging, and a hike around Moraine Lake, near Lake Louise. I also needed to clear a spot in Conrad for both Matthias and his gear as I would be picking him up in Calgary the next day. I returned to town, purchased an ice cream sandwich and a 24-hr wifi pass at The Depot. Then I visited the Lake Louise Inn to do my laundry. There was a waiting line. Arghhh!!! And the dryer didn’t dry. Double Arghhh!!!
I left with damp clothes in my laundry bag, but all of my worries disappeared when I caught my first glimpse of Moraine Lake, about 7 miles beyond Lake Louise. I don’t know if it was because the sun was setting or nearly all of the tourists had gone, but Moraine Lake became my favorite spot in Banff NP. The setting was perfect and the air temperature just right for a two mile hike to the other side of the lake and back.
I returned to camp, hung out my wet clothes to dry, fixed supper, and then headed back into Lake Louise village to post this blog entry. I expect that I’ll return to camp for a shower, then sleep.
The Columbia Icefield is situated among the peaks of the craggly Canadian Rockies. About 30 glaciers flow outward from the icefield, including the Athabasca. The icefield is the largest in the Rockies and feeds many of the surrounding river systems, including the Columbia. I wouldn’t actually visit the icefield; that would take a day or two with either a guide or a lot of luck so as not to fall into a crevice on the ascent. So I first visited the Icefield Center, which seemed more like a modern airport terminal than a visitors’ center. Bustling with tourists, the climate controlled building contained numerous ways to spend money, information video screens, and electronic signs indicating departure times for the “snocoaches” – large ATVs – departing for Athabasca Glacier every 15 minutes or so. These snocoaches are monsters and cost nearly $500,000 each.
The Icefield Center also contained a nice museum/exhibit containing more information on the natural and human histories of the icefield. I especially liked the hand-carved oak sign that once marked the boundary between Jasper and Banff national parks. It was carved by Hans Mauer in the 1940’s while he was working at an Alternate Service work camp for people who wanted to serve their country, but were conscientious objectors to WWII. Also on display was interesting time-lapse video of glacier movement and erosion.
I drove to near the foot of the Athabasca Glacier and hiked a short distance the rest of the way. It was cool and very windy at the base. The short hike included many signs identifying the dangers of falling into a glacier crevice. In a nutshell, hypothermia sets in within minutes and then you die. The last three people who slipped into a crevice in the area perished – including one boy who only 5 years ago slipped in just meters from the path. I got the point and stayed within the designated hiking boundaries.It was a nice visit, but I had several things I wanted to do during the day, including laundry, blogging, and a hike around Moraine Lake, near Lake Louise. I also needed to clear a spot in Conrad for both Matthias and his gear as I would be picking him up in Calgary the next day. I returned to town, purchased an ice cream sandwich and a 24-hr wifi pass at The Depot. Then I visited the Lake Louise Inn to do my laundry. There was a waiting line. Arghhh!!! And the dryer didn’t dry. Double Arghhh!!!
I left with damp clothes in my laundry bag, but all of my worries disappeared when I caught my first glimpse of Moraine Lake, about 7 miles beyond Lake Louise. I don’t know if it was because the sun was setting or nearly all of the tourists had gone, but Moraine Lake became my favorite spot in Banff NP. The setting was perfect and the air temperature just right for a two mile hike to the other side of the lake and back.I returned to camp, hung out my wet clothes to dry, fixed supper, and then headed back into Lake Louise village to post this blog entry. I expect that I’ll return to camp for a shower, then sleep.
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