Wednesday 9th September - Icefields Parkway to Jasper

09.09.09. How about that for a nice little pattern?

We had to scrape the ice off the windscreen and mirrors this morning before we left (-0.5 degrees). We headed off along the Parkway and stopped at lots of viewpoints along the way including:

Hector Lake - largest natural lake in Banff National Park.

Crowfoot Glacier - named in early 1900s because it looked like a crows foot but later the third toe fell off and melted.

Bow Lake - with the beautiful Num-ti-jah lodge on its northern edge.

Peyto Lake - shaped like a bear

Columbian Icefields - feed 3 major river systems which flow into 3 different seas - the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Athabasca Glacier - we took the bus trip onto this glacier. Shuttle bus to the glacier then a specially built bus with huge wheels. It was freezing on the glacier (-12 degrees C) but a wonderful experience. The ice was quite blue.

Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls - Both amazing p how can so much water get through such a narrow canyon?

Jasper - booked into Jasper HI. Have a private room for tonight but none available tomorrow. Don't fancy sleeping in a dorm so we will be on the search for accommodation in the morning. Went into town and bought some nectarines at the farmers market.