Our Expertise
Checking In
The expertise begins on the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre. After check-in, you’ll be able to seize meals at one of many eating places, decide up some presents, or learn the interpretive shows to study extra concerning the space’s geology, nature, and wildlife.
We first checked into the lodge to drop our luggage off. Then we picked up lunch on the Chalet, a cafeteria-style restaurant. Jacob often goes with the secure guess, whereas I like experimenting with my meals decisions. Why not have enjoyable with it? As a result of 90% of the time, it backfires. In the event you’re ordering one thing right here, Jacob’s rooster tenders with fries have been the only option, particularly for the reason that fries have been precisely how we preferred them.
After ending our meals, we lined up for the bus.
Native Tip: No restrooms can be found in the course of the expertise, so make sure to go earlier than you allow!
ATHABASCA Glacier
The bus trip is a brief one from Discovery Centre. It takes you throughout the road to the glacier’s base, the place you switch to an Ice Explorer. These big transport autos appear like one thing out of an area film and take you safely onto the glacier. There are solely 23 on this planet, one in Antarctica and the remaining on the Columbia Icefields.
Picture Tip: There are many home windows alongside the aspect and the roof so you’ll be able to benefit from the views as you go, and in the event you’re hoping to shoot pictures and video, get a row the place the window can open so you’ll be able to shoot and not using a glare.
After arriving on the glacier, your driver provides you the time to fulfill again on the Ice Explorer, and also you’re free to roam. We had about 25 minutes on the glacier, which was a lot.
There’s an space roped off the place you’ll be able to roam freely. The ropes may be annoying for pictures, however security comes first. Convey a water bottle so you’ll be able to style the glacier water.
Native Tip: It’s often round 27° F (15° C) levels cooler on the glacier than on the Discovery Centre, and it’s typically windy, so pack accordingly! Jacob and Rob have been undoubtedly a lot hotter than I used to be of their sleeping bag onesies.
The Columbia Icefield Skywalk
When our time was up, the Ice Explorer took us again to the bus then we rode about 10 minutes north to the Skywalk. The glass-floor Skywalk takes you over the sting of a cliff 918 ft above the valley flooring, the place you’ll be able to take within the views of the Canadian Rockies.
There are a number of interpretive indicators alongside the quick stroll, and in the event you’re excited about studying extra concerning the historical past and geology, they’ve guided excursions too! We didn’t do the guided tour however stopped by to take a look at the bones of a Large Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats..
Not like different Skywalks we’ve been to, we didn’t need to put on any shoe coverings. They ask that you just wipe them off on the mats earlier than strolling on the glass. We additionally might shoot our personal pictures and stroll at our personal tempo.
Once we have been performed, we headed again in direction of the car parking zone, the place they’ve buses a couple of instances an hour to select up anybody completed and take them again to the Discovery Centre. You may keep as lengthy or as quick as you need!
Native Tip: This season, a household of mountain goats lives beneath the bridge. We noticed one sleeping on the cliffside.
