Athabasca Glacier at the Icefield Center

Everyone talks about the Icefield Center and we will too. Located about halfway between the towns of Banff and Jasper, the Icefield Center is the most commerically developed area on the Icefield Parkway. The Center contains a museum of sorts, huge gift store, cafeteria with a very international menu, and an area where you can purchase a ticket to either hike the Athabasca Glacier or ride a Snocoach to the massive Glacier. The Athabasca Glacier is classified as a "valley" glacier. The bare dark rock walls on either side of Athabasca Glacier contain numerous Hanging and Cirque glaciers. We had the great good fortune of being here on a sunny day. We still kept our jackets on and the sun reflection off the ice made us glad we had our sunglass. The sights we saw along the Icefield Parkway were amazing, there were glaciers at every turn, but driving across and then walking on top of the Athabasca Glacier was humbling. It was a once in a life-time experience you must do too.

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Athabasca Glacier
 
big wheels on our Snocoach
 
That's were we are going!
 
Okay, everybody out
 
Camera at the ready!
 
The upper reaches of Athabasca Glacier
 
Side glaciers
 
An old Snocoach

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