This is the seventh in a continuing series about our trip through Canada to Alaska
“Sit awhile and relax, enjoy the beauty that surrounds you: Towering mountains, soaring birds, whispering pines and awe-inspiring waterfalls. I am here in the essence of nature. So until we meet again, live life to its fullest for we are here but for a little while.”
From a plaque honoring the accidental death of Barry George Wall at Lower Sunwapta Falls.
Parked by the Athabasca Glacier, an Arm of the Columbia Icefield
Okay, I’ve got to agree with Monique – “It’s all soooo gorgeous!”
I’ve been trying to focus in these blogs on what you might find helpful if you decide to make the trip to Alaska, but while you’re reading all that, we are here reveling in the scenery.
We spent last night in a parking lot; no hook-ups, listing to the left, snow flurries coming at us, NO INTERNET. But don’t spend too much time pitying us. The view from the left side of the trailer was spectacular, as the photo above proves. Outside our window was a glacier only about 80 meters away – oops, we’ve been here five days and I already sound like a Canuck – 250 feet from us.
The Columbia Icefield in Alberta, Canada, is vast, the culmination of many glaciers that produce the only triple continental divide in the world. The run-off feeds the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Ice 1,000 feet deep, but far less than in centuries past, slowly melts away as the climate warms. You need to get here in the next 300 years to really appreciate its grandeur. And throwing facts, figures and descriptions at you isn’t quite the same as seeing the pale blue ice from the “glacial flour” under your feet. It’s another WOW!
And here’s a defense of signing up for a caravan going to Alaska. The cost of the bus and the Brewster Ice Explorer is $49.00 per person. “Well, should 
we go? We can see the glacier from the visitors’ center anyway.” Had we been on our own, we would have hesitated before pulling out the plastic that would have enabled us to walk on the ice. Had we saved the $$$, we would have missed a very memorable experience. For us, we didn’t have to decide because it was included in our registration, along with the $16.90 for entering the National Park.
Oh, and a caveat: We were up there on the glacier with a bunch of mostly juvenile retirees, many of whom seemed to have lost some inhibitions at high 
altitude. And, from our bus/explorer drivers we gleaned some very interesting knowledge.
“Bear Jams.” We were part of ‘em. A bear jam is where a traveler sees a bear (could also be for a moose, bighorn sheep, anything wild) and stops. We see a stopped car and so we stop. In 30 seconds, there are dozens of cars and RVs strewn along the side of the road, interspersed with tourists’ cameras and binoculars trained at a moving bush. Tuesday we saw two black bears and a cinnamon. Bigggg guys.
Then Monique and I stopped for lunch beside Bridal Veil Falls watching it jump, jive and wail down the side of a 10,000-foot Canadian Rockies peak . Just another spectacular spot along our route.
We turned our RV in at spectacular falls recommended by our wagonmaster. While there, I chanced upon a couple from the U.K. coming off a no-big-deal trail, who told me, “You’ve got to go there.” Since there was so much enthusiasm in their voices, I ran across the river and grabbed Monique, telling her that we had to go. “It’s only 2 km each way,” I told her. I was thinking we were going two-thirds of a mile round-trip, but she corrected me – “It’s almost two and a half miles.”
The Bear that Took Our Picture Said He Wasn't Used to Being on that Side of the Camera
It led to one of the most inspirational places we have visited in our 11 years of hiking together. The power of the falls filled our bodies and souls with the richness of nature. Being in this spot alone, surrounded by raging water and lush green trees and under blue skies and snow-capped mountains cast a blanket of calm over us. The plaque (transcribed above and shown below) caused us to give thanks for the opportunity of finding that sacred place.
No more writing for tonight, just some photos.
We Were Where Dorothy Wanted to Be
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And when, as I look at the 360o panorama and say, “Oh, my God,” it’s just me giving thanks to the Creator for all the beauty around us and that we have the privilege to see.
From the “Never-Bored RVers,” We’ll see you on down the road.
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susan
Greta post, commentary and pictures! Thank you for taking the time.
You are creating quite a journal for yourselves.
Fred
Pam, I would say the falls pictured would have to be crashing through the Maligne Canyon. I have been there many times, since I only live 4 hrs from them.
It truely is a beautiful site to see, both in summer and in winter when most of it
is frozen solid. If you get the time, visit them both seasons. My favorite of course is the summer months.
Carry on camping. btw, I love the updates on the trip to Alaska. That is a trip that I must do, but that will be in the next few years. / This year we are travelling to BC. to Christina Lake. Next year my wife and I will have a lot more time on our hands to travel. ( We both retire June / 2011 ) Woo hoo……… there is a light at
the end of the tunnel !!
Sucie
Hi You Two,
We are enjoying your posts. I like the picture of your rig in front of Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Ice Fields. I can remember 37 years ago when we were there you could see the toe of the glacier from the road. We parked our car
about 100 yard from the toe and walked up to it and stood under a shelf to have our pictures taken. Now you can’t even see the toe.
Happy Trails and Safe Travel,
Susie
Pam
I’m reall enjoying your blog. Keep at it. What was the name of that spectacular falls? And what highway is it off of?
Carol & Wayne
Thanks to the comments on your daily blogs, and thank you for taking the time to do that… We have decided not to go to Alaska this summer as one of your followers said that August is the rainy season and it rained everyday and that a lot of campgrounds close 1 Sep.. Since we are travelling across Canada to go to Kelowna, BC for 14 Aug for our Granddaughters Ponyclub Nationals… . it would be too late I would think to continue on to Alaska so we appreciate reading your daily blogs. We have decided that BC is a spot that we need to explore more and Alberta.. we have been to both but just to really visit our daughter and have never taken our 5th wheel there, so the West Coast of Canada is going to be our stay for a month or more… We will then hopefully venture down to Arizona for a month and home in time for Christmas… I look in anticipation for your daily blogs and again, thanks for sharing!!!!!! Carol