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  3. TRAVEL: 2007 through 2011
  4. AUGUST 2009 WA AND CANADA

ALBERTA: BANFF TO ATHABASCA GLACIER

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canadaalbertajasper national parkathabasca glaciercanadian rockieszacwaterdrinking

  • Of course, once we got to the area where we were allowed to get out of the bus and walk around, it was time to pull out the cameras! You are looking toward Mount Andromeda, and I think that the hanging glacier there is Andromeda Glacier.
  • Our guide said that the water was OK to drink, so we had to try it. Notice the "dirty" look to the ice. This, again, is at least largely due to all the teensie-weensie dust particles, one of which was at the heart of each and every snow flake which fell to make up the glacier. As the ice then melts, those itty-bitty specks congregate on the top to give a dirty appearance.
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  • The walking area was cordoned off with cones. The guide and all reading material available emphasized that there are hidden crevasses lurking just outside the safety zone and all over the rest of the glacier. Reportedly, they do occasionally loose people who decide to wander out across the rest of the glacier.
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  • Wonderful, fresh, glacier water! Probably better than the Rocky Mountain Spring water use to make beer, right Zac?
  • Sometimes it's as much fun to watch the people as it is to gawk at the awesome scenery.
  • Look at THESE people, for instance! Who WOULDN'T get a kick out of watching THEM?<br /> <br /> The Snow Buses are totally custom built for use on this glacier by the Bombardier Corporation (a Canadian company, and parent of Leerjet). Inflation is significant, in other ways than just these tires: The older ones in the fleet cost only about $750,000. The new ones were a cool $1.2 million each. I guess they want you to know that so that you won't feel like they are gouging you with the ticket prices (which were indeed significant -- but the excursion is well worth it).
  • Back at the snow bus lot. You can see that the next group of tourists is starting down the road to Athabasca. You can also see a couple of snow busses on the glacier (look just behind the one heading down the hill). If you look closely, you can even see there there are 2 parked down on the ice in the distance where we were walking earlier (in that little darker area).
  • And, we'll end this album with a nice overview shot. You see Athabasca Glacier and the trail we took to the base of it to your right. Mighty Andromeda Mountain soars just to your left from Athabasca. Between you and the dense stand of trees left of center, you see a bus on the road up to the snow buses. If you look closely at the lower-left portion of Athabasca Glacier, you can even see a snow bus heading out onto this remarkable river of ice.<br /> <br /> After waiting 30 years to return, I still think that this is one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen.<br /> <br /> Join us in our next album as we see cool waterfalls on our journey to Jasper!

  • t

    on September 27, 2009

    .....alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! "Vanilla-Beaned-Flecked-Glacier-Water:::I think I found a new source (or at least marketing-angle) to sell, yet another, 'type' of water to all thirsty souls thirsting for the younger springs of the high ancient mountains from a planet that is slowly warming itself up to become what it might have been when it all first started with the BigBang; steam! --(whew! Got THAT out of me!!!) lOl

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