Icefields Parkway
Today we drove along the Icefields Highway, the 93, to Jasper. The Icefields Parkway is a spectacular 230 km long road between Lake Louise and Jasper. On our way we passed, and of course stopped, at a lot of beautifull sites.
The first one we reached was the Crowfoot Glacier. A century ago, the glacier had three 'toes' of ice. Since then the glacier has melted back and the lower toe has been lost. The middle toe is disappearing too.
Next we passed Bow Pass, 'Bow Summit', the highest road pass in the four mountain parks at 2.088 m above sea level. After a short walk we reach a fantastic viewpoint on Peyto Lake. The lake looks brilliantly turquoise.
Third on our list was Mistaya Canyon. A deep canyon worn out by the water with a natural arch on the canyon walls.
After a tankstop at Saskatchewan Crossing, the only gasstation between Lake Louise and Jasper, we drove to the Columbia Icefield. Overthere we took a motorized tour to the glacier. We stayed a while on the glacier, drink a bit of glacier water, and head back to the visitor's center at the foot of the glacier. Although, the foot of the glacier a century ago. Now the foot of the glacier is far away from the visitor's center as you can see on the photo.
Before reaching Jasper we passed, and stopped at a few falls. First Sunwapta Falls, named of the Stoney Indian term 'Sunwapta', meaning 'turbulunt river'. Next was Athabasca Falls, a 23 metre waterfall wich has the most powerful flow to be found anywhere in the mountain parks. Due to this flow. When we reached our hotel it was already getting dark.
