Athabasca Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the Canadian Rockies and a must-see if you’re in Jasper National Park. Part of the Columbia Icefield, it’s a rare chance to get up close to the glacier, take some photos, and even drink water off of it!
Getting here, its about a two hour drive from Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway.
These are the people movers. You would ride a bus from the visitor center to a small parking lot at the base of the glacier, then you would ride these to and on the glacier. They went very slow and traversed one (or maybe the) most steep hills in the world.
Here we arrived on the glacier, you could only go up to the posted signs / fenced in area. You can see a small stream of water, you could drink the water off the glacier. It was the best water I have ever had in my life!
Another photo of the Glacier
This is an old school people mover that is now on display at the visitor center, with the glacier in the background.
The tour would stop at the Cloumbia Icefield Skywalk
From here you would get some nice pictures of the area.
Photo of the structure.
Visiting Athabasca Glacier is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Recommend taking the drive, booking at tour and being able to experience the glacier yourself.