Our Expertise
Checking In
The expertise begins on the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre. After check-in, you possibly can seize meals at one of many eating places, decide up some items, or learn the interpretive shows to study extra in regards to the space’s geology, nature, and wildlife.
We first checked into the resort to drop our baggage off. Then we picked up lunch on the Chalet, a cafeteria-style restaurant. Jacob often goes with the secure wager, whereas I like experimenting with my meals selections. Why not have enjoyable with it? As a result of 90% of the time, it backfires. In case you’re ordering one thing right here, Jacob’s hen tenders with fries have been the only option, particularly because the fries have been precisely how we appreciated them.
After ending our meals, we lined up for the bus.
Native Tip: No restrooms can be found throughout the expertise, so make sure to go earlier than you permit!
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 large transport automobiles appear to be one thing out of an area film and take you safely onto the glacier. There are solely 23 on the planet, one in Antarctica and the remainder on the Columbia Icefields.
Picture Tip: There are many home windows alongside the facet and the roof so you possibly can benefit from the views as you go, and if you happen to’re hoping to shoot photographs and video, get a row the place the window can open so you possibly can shoot with no glare.
After arriving on the glacier, your driver offers you the time to satisfy again on the Ice Explorer, and also you’re free to roam. We had about 25 minutes on the glacier, which was loads.
There’s an space roped off the place you possibly can roam freely. The ropes may be annoying for photographs, however security comes first. Convey a water bottle so you possibly can 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 usually windy, so pack accordingly! Jacob and Rob have been positively 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 possibly can take within the views of the Canadian Rockies.
There are a number of interpretive indicators alongside the quick stroll, and if you happen to’re interested by studying extra in regards to 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 should put on any shoe coverings. They ask that you just wipe them off on the mats earlier than strolling on the glass. We additionally may shoot our personal photographs and stroll at our personal tempo.
Once we have been accomplished, 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’ll be able to keep as lengthy or as quick as you need!
Native Tip: This season, a household of mountain goats lives below the bridge. We noticed one sleeping on the cliffside.
