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 items, or learn the interpretive shows to be taught 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 normally goes with the protected guess, whereas I like experimenting with my meals selections. Why not have enjoyable with it? As a result of 90% of the time, it backfires. For those who’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 preferred them.
After ending our meals, we lined up for the bus.
Native Tip: No restrooms can be found through the expertise, so make sure you 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 enormous transport automobiles seem 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 remainder on the Columbia Icefields.
Photograph 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 if you happen to’re hoping to shoot photographs and video, get a row the place the window can open so you’ll be able to shoot with no glare.
After arriving on the glacier, your driver offers 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 may be an space roped off the place you’ll be able to roam freely. The ropes could be annoying for photographs, however security comes first. Deliver a water bottle so you’ll be able to style the glacier water.
Native Tip: It’s normally 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 toes above the valley ground, the place you’ll be able to take within the views of the Canadian Rockies.
There are a number of interpretive indicators alongside the brief stroll, and if you happen to’re keen on 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 must 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.
After we have been performed, we headed again in direction of the parking zone, the place they’ve buses a couple of occasions an hour to select up anybody completed and take them again to the Discovery Centre. You may keep as lengthy or as brief as you need!
Native Tip: This season, a household of mountain goats lives underneath the bridge. We noticed one sleeping on the cliffside.
