We now have finished the Columbia Icefield Journey a number of occasions and we’re right here to share what we have now discovered so you may have an superior time once you go to!
Is the Columbia Icefield Journey value it? Sure!!!
In your manner from Banff to Jasper by way of the Icefield Parkway you need to make a cease on the Columbia Icefield! If you find yourself right here you received’t wish to miss the Ice Explorer and the Skywalk. They arrive in a mixed ticket and are effectively value a cease!
You can buy your tickets for the Columbia Icefield Adventure (Ice Explorer and Skywalk) here. We love this journey because it will get you out on a Glacier. Sure you really get to stroll on a Glacier! Plus you may drink the glacier water!! However thats not all you additionally get to exit on the glass skywalk that takes you out over a canyon with some epic views.
What’s the Columbia Icefield and the place is it situated?
The Columbia Icefield is the biggest icefield in North America. The Columbia Icefield Discovery Middle is situated proper throughout from the Athabasca Glacier which is one in every of 6 “toes” of the Columbia Icefield.
It’s situated on the Icefield Parkway in Jasper Nationwide Park and is about 2 hours from downtown Banff Nationwide Park and 1 hour quarter-hour from downtown Jasper Nationwide Park.
How can I go to the Columbia Icefield?
There are some excursions that may come right here. Or you are able to do the drive your self in your automotive or your RV to return and go to the Columbia Icefield. There may be loads of automotive and RV parking. There may be some mountain driving however nothing to loopy.
You may drive the Icefield Parkway all 12 months however the highway is typically closed on account of Avalanches. You always want to check before heading out on the road in the winter.
The Columbia Icefield Journey is normally open Could to starting of October – all climate dependent.
What are the favored actions and points of interest on the Columbia Icefield?
The preferred actions on the Columbia Icefield embrace the Columbia Icefield Journey the place you are taking an Ice Explorer out on the Glacier and get out to stroll on the Glacier. Plus the Skywalk the place you stroll out on a glass platform over the Sunwapta Valley.
Notes On The Columbia Icefield Journey:
Athabasca Glacier: That is the glacier you see and go on when visiting. It’s a part of the Columbia Icefield within the Canadian Rockies. The Columbia icefield is the biggest in North America.
Tickets: You can check ticket prices here. Tickets do have a timed entry and also you do must be there quarter-hour early so you may load onto the bus on the proper time. We have been working late and by chance after we received there they have been capable of transfer us to a later time. However I might not depend on this being obtainable.
Jasper Nationwide Park: You’re in Jasper Nationwide Park once you drive the Icefield Parkway so you will have your Jasper Nationwide Park move as effectively earlier than driving on the Icefield Parkway. You should purchase this on the Jasper Nationwide Park entrance sales space in your manner in.
Parking: There may be loads of parking within the lot for the Icefield Journey each automotive and RV parking. If you need you may even keep in a single day in your RV within the RV Parking zone – examine the signal within the lot for the fee. After we went it was about $12 (USD) – you place the money in an envelope.
Garments: It will get cool up on the Glacier so it’s possible you’ll wish to deliver an additional coat once you go up. They advocate bringing layers to put on once you get to the Glacier. We visited on a sunny day and the youngsters had shorts on and have been completely high-quality. We additionally didn’t have any jackets and it was OK. However you recognize your self and your loved ones so gown accordingly.
Seats: Seats should not assigned on the bus so get in line early if you wish to be first on and have your choose of seats collectively. The buses do replenish. We advocate getting on and taking seats in the direction of the entrance so you might be first off the primary bus and first in line for the Ice Explorer bus.
Once you get on the ice explorer I like to recommend sitting on the left hand aspect once you stroll onto the bus this provides you with the most effective glacier view when you find yourself going as much as the glacier.
Be ready – persons are fiesty and are in search of these seats so they’ll leap as much as get them! Even if you happen to can’t get the very entrance seat it’s nonetheless good to get seats on the entrance of the bus so you’re the first one on and off.
Water: Carry an empty water bottle so you may fill it up with Glacier water!
No Rest room: There isn’t any rest room on the entire expertise. I repeat there isn’t a rest room on the entire tour! The entire thing takes about 2 1/2 hours in order onerous because it could be it’s best to skip the Starbucks once you stroll within the Discovery middle to examine in.
Size of Journey: 2 1/2 hours from begin to end.
Our Expertise on the Columbia Icefield Journey
The parking zone is an honest stroll from the Discovery middle the place you examine in and get on the bus. In case you are a slower walked or favor to take your time give your self at lest 20 minutes to get from the parking zone to the ticket examine in. There are additionally a whole lot of stairs you’ll have to stroll as much as get into the Discovery Middle.
We received there and grabbed some candy picutres with our RV from the RV Parking zone – there may be loads of room right here for all sizes of RV’s.
After that we headed up, purchased some stickers within the reward store, and received in line. We have been the 2nd group in line so ended up with seats within the entrance – rating!
Glacier Expertise
We received onto the primary bus – much like a greyhound bus and it was a couple of 5 minute experience to the Ice Explorer station. As soon as we reached the station we received off the one bus and received just about proper onto the Ice Explorer.
Take observe if you wish to maintain your entrance spot make sure to keep within the entrance of the road!
From right here we received onto the huge Ice Explorer and our driver and information Rocco stored it entertaining as we made our manner onto the Glacier. I ought to say entertaining and academic!
Once you get on the Ice Explorer you do must put seatbelts on so no sitting on laps on these seats. They’ve home windows you may open if you’re scorching.
Off we went to drive to the Glacier. A part of this course of takes you down a 32% grade rock hill! Im not going to lie it was a bit scary!
The motive force goes very decelerate the hill and I don’t know if that makes it extra scary or much less. However he’s speaking the entire time sharing tales concerning the space, the historical past and the glacier in order that helps!
I might say the experience there takes about quarter-hour or so. When you attain the Glacier you’ll be able to get out and stroll round – staying inside the boundaries. These boundaries are not any joke so keep inside them!! You may have about 30 minute to discover the Glacier earlier than your Ice Explorer leaves.
Time On The Glacier
There’s a small stream proper by the boundary the place they let you know to fill your water bottle or seize a drink. We had introduced our water bottle from house and stuffed it up and drank it and it was chilly and tremendous refreshing!
We received some household photos – simply ask somebody there and make sure to return the favor and take an image for them.
In addition they have a Canadian flag that we took an image by.
The children in fact needed to throw some snow/Glacier ice at one another and had enjoyable working across the Glacier.
After that we took some photos by the large Ice Explorer and headed again in for the experience again to the station the place we switched again over to the bus.
You can buy your tickets for the Columbia Icefield Adventure (Ice Explorer and Skywalk) here. We love this journey because it will get you out on a Glacier. Sure you really get to stroll on a Glacier! Plus you may drink the glacier water!! However thats not all you additionally get to exit on the glass skywalk that takes you out over a canyon with some epic views.
Skywalk Expertise
The bus took us previous the Discovery Middle and over to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. That is the one option to go to the Skywalk. I repeat you can not drive your automotive and park on the Skywalk. The one option to get entry is thru the Columbia Ice Discipline tickets.
They dropped us on the Skywalk the place we needed to scan our Skywalk tickets and off we went to stroll on the glass floored skywalk!
The Skywalk is a round glass backside platform that juts out from the canyon wall that you just stroll on. It goes over the spectacular Sunwapta Valley. Cannon walked out and began leaping immediately. Making us and some different folks nervous round us!
We walked across the platform and received some photos with the jaw dropping views of the Canadian Rockies and the valley. From there we headed again to the bus. The bus took us to the Discovery Middle – it’s a couple of 5 minute experience. And that was a wrap on our glacier journey!
Our Ice Explorer driver informed us that NASA ran some exams and they’re predicting that the Athabasca Glacier – the one we walked on. Could be gone in 60 years – presumably sooner with how heat the local weather has been.
He additionally talked about how Glaciers present 70% of the earths consuming water.and shared with us concerning the unique individuals who lived on this space of Cananda.
They nonetheless come again every year to do a ceremony and the Pursuit group on the Columbia Icefield have been invited to take part in it for the primary time this final 12 months. Each events are working to kind a optimistic reference to one another and to maintain the glaciers a precedence so we will have them round so long as attainable!
Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre
If you wish to hang around extra on the Discovery Centre you may! They’ve a starbucks, resturant and reward store. There may be additionally a small mountaineering path outdoors. And you’ve got superb views of the Glacier!
Areas On The Icefield Parkway
While you’re making the scenic drive alongside the North American continental divide from Banff to Jasper Nationwide Park on the Icefield Parkway it would be best to make a cease at Lake Louise (if you happen to haven’t had an opportunity but!) and in addition at Peyto Lake. There are a ton extra stops you could possibly make. Actually you could possibly spend an entire day driving to the Icefield Parkway.
If that’s one thing you wish to do and you’ve got an RV. You would plan sooner or later to drive the parkway and plan to spend the evening within the Columbia Icefield Parkway RV lot. Then stand up the following morning to do the Icefield Parkway Journey.
Lake Louise
Don’t miss a cease right here. We now have discovered the most effective time is to go at 8pm at evening. You may simply park within the lot up by the lake at the moment. Both that or actually early within the morning (we aren’t morning folks).
When you go later within the day you received’t be capable to park up there. And it’ll make the entire cease take longer since you’ll have to take a shuttle. It’s attainable however it will likely be more durable to do. Take a look at this submit on how to try this right here.
Peyto Lake
It is a beautiful lake cease in your manner from Banff to the Columbia Icefield Parkway Journey! You pull into the parking zone, park, get out and stroll a couple of 1/2 mile uphill to get to the lake. Have a look at the colour of this lake water!!
It’s lovely and effectively value a cease. Relying on how briskly you stroll (uphill) you may make this a fast cease! It’s value it so add it to your locations to cease in your option to the Icefield.
Get your Jasper: Columbia Icefield Skywalk and Ice Explorer Ticket here.
Further Actions You Don’t Need To Miss In The Space
There are such a lot of nice things to do in Banff National Park. Listed here are a couple of we don’t suppose it’s best to miss.
Banff Gondola – we had an superior time going up on the Banff Gondola. We cherished taking in superb views and hike to the highest of Sulphur Mountain!
Lake Minnewanka Cruise – this 1 hour cruise will take you out on the attractive waters of Lake Minnewanka.
Horseback Riding In Banff National Park – We did a 1 hour lengthy horseback driving journey alongside the Bow River and cherished the horses and the views!
Golden Skybridge – Drive a pair hours from Banff and spend the afternoon on suspension bridges, zip-lining and a ropes course!
Johnston Canyon Lower Falls Hike – this brief however lovely hike is a prime hike to do in Banff. Don’t miss it!
Chinook Rafting – we had such a enjoyable time on our household pleasant rafting journey!
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**We have been hosted by Pursuit Collections on our Columbia Icefield Journey. All opinions are our personal.
She loves being outdoors and exploring new locations which is all made higher when doing it with household and mates!
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