Day 58 - The Icefields Parkway

Day 58
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Jasper NP to Banff NP – The Icefields Parkway

We got an early start today. We had a long drive planned with stops along the way. Added to that was the fact that there were some long, steep hills to climb, which added to the driving time.

Much of today’s drive was on the Icefields Parkway, voted one of the most scenic drives on the planet. The wildfire smoke was still present as we started off, but fortunately, visibility improved as the day wore on. It was never picture perfect, but the skies were clear enough that we could appreciate the scenery.

We arrived at the Icefield Discovery Center just in time for our 10:45 tour. We boarded the bus at the center and then transferred to an all-terrain Ice Explorer. The $1.5 million dollar, 56 passenger Ice Explorer, weighing 25 tons, was designed for glacier travel. The Explorer drove right onto the Athabasca Glacier. Then we got out of the vehicle and stepped onto the glacier. That was a first for us. It was 30 degrees, but it didn’t seem that cold. We took some time to look at the views

around us, but mostly we looked at the glacier ice underfoot as we walked VERY carefully, so as not to fall. The ice was very blue. Some people had brought bottles and filled them with water from a small glacial stream. Glacial melt is essentially rain water so you can drink it without first purifying it.

For the rest of the drive we had views of swiftly flowing rivers, layers of mountain peaks, sparkling blue lakes and more hanging glaciers than I could count. We even saw three female bighorn sheep.

We passed through downtown Banff on our way to Tunnel Mountain Campground, right inside the park. The first thing that struck us was the crowds. The town itself is very upscale. The storefronts of restaurants, gift shops, and outdoor apparel are architecturally cohesive with almost a ski resort vibe. So many people waiting on the corners to cross the street reminded me of New York City!