COLUMBIA ICEFIELD
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Large glacier south of the Arctic Circle, a remnant of the ice covering the mountains of western Canada to the prairies.
Located 130 km north of Lake Louise and 100 km south of Jasper, it is undoubtedly a must on this route. This glacier, the largest south of the Arctic Circle (325 km2, an area the size of the city of Vancouver), serves as a link to Banff National Park. It is the remnant of the thick mass of ice that once covered the mountains of western Canada all the way to the prairies. Nearly three-quarters of the highest peaks in the park are located near this ice field, which has lost half its volume and has retreated more than 1.5 km in recent years.
An information centre, on site, will give you all the necessary information on the walks in the area as well as all the possible options to visit the glacier. Although it is totally forbidden, many tourists walk on the glacier, between the crevasses, risking their lives and those of the rescuers in the worst case. Guided tours, with equipment provided, are offered to go on the glacier. It is also possible to admire the glacier from a panoramic platform. Don't think twice about... What's more, a one-kilometre trail leads safely to the base of one of the eight glaciers in the Columbia Icefield, the Athabasca Glacier, with a 30-metre elevation gain. Be careful, however, the ice fields create their own microclimate, so katabatic winds blow very strong, especially in the fall.
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Members' reviews on COLUMBIA ICEFIELD
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
Mais lorsque nous y étions au mois d’aout, il faisait 6°, il pleuvait et la visibilité était réduite à quelques mètres. Le temps change très vite ici et il fait en tenir compte pour l’habillement.
En venant de Lake Louise, à droite se trouve le Visitor Center (départ de l’Ice Exploreur, gros bus qui roulent sur le glacier)
A gauche, le parking qui mène au glacier route. Ensuite il faut gravir à pied la cote pour découvrir le « champs de glace »
Le glacier est spectaculaire mais il est interdit (sans guide) de marcher dessus car c’est très dangereux. Il est possible d’aller au bord du glacier et de toucher la glace.
Que de monde ici…
Un sentiment un peu bizarre de voir cette nature merveilleuse et unique, polluée par des immenses bus qui roulent sur le glacier et des « touristes tablette à la main » plus préoccupées de prendre une belle photo que du respect de l’environnement.
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On lit parfois que l'excursion nous emmenant sur le glacier ne vaut pas le coup, et bien si ! 3h avec Ice Walk, le guide fait plein d'arrêts ce qui fait que ce n'est pas épuisant du tout. A chaque arrêt, le guide nous explique l’histoire de ce glacier.