Glaciers, Lodges, and Lakes--Oh My!

We woke up on Day Two in Banff...

We stayed at the Spruce Grove Inn. It had recently received a facelift to fit in with the rest of Banff.

Our goal for Day Two was to go see the Columbia Icefields. Mom had heard about them from one of her friends. I drove, Mom visited with me, Allison and Dad rested in the back seat.

As we wound through the mountains, I said, "it's kind of like Glacier National Park except not as scary." The road in the park up here does not have any super crazy road clinging to the side of a mountain like 'Going to the Sun'.

The mountains and the glaciers felt a lot like Montana. But, the mountains up here were less 'in a row' it seemed. There were peaks that have created valleys, but they seem to just pop up all around.

I kept stopping to take photos. The mountains were really beautiful.

I was impressed with the craggy, jagged peaks!

The light was a little grey in the morning on the way up. We smelled and saw what we thought was smoke. We later found out it was indeed smoke from the B.C. Wildfires, as they have been named.

The water in this lake was an amazing color. The picture doesn't do it justice. It was a beautiful color in person.

We made it to the Columbia Icefields around 11:15 in the morning. Mom immediately got our tickets for the Ice Explorer experience.

Mount Snow Dome on the left creates this glacier, or glay-see-er, as they say it in Canadia. I took a lot of pictures. I have tried to cull out the best or most informative.

As we walked in to the Visitor Center I took this one. The snow looked like an incredibly thick layer of 7 minute icing on the top of the mountain, so cool!

At the sub-alpine level, the trees grow really slowly. We saw trees that were not very tall but were 200-700 years old. This tree was probably 100 years old or more. We liked the purplish cones.

Our whole group with the Athabasca Glacier behind us. A little while after this we were walking on that glacier!!

Inside the Visitor Center I got a quick pic with a Royal Canadian Mounty...

This is an Ice Explorer, the special vehicle that this company has designed for the icefields. There are 23 in the world, the Columbia Icefields have 22, the other one belongs to the U.S. government, and is permanently stationed in Antarctica. It is a six wheeled mobile that holds 56 passengers. The tires are almost 5 feet tall!

We took a short bus trip from the Visitor Center across the road to get to the Ice Explorers. Once we boarded the vehicle, our driver/guide, Bruce, let us know that we were going to go down the steepest 2 lane grade on the continent (32%).

I was seated in the seat furthest back. This is looking down as we progressed down the grade. But, since Bruce engaged the six wheel action and was able to move so incredibly slowly, going down the grade was not bad at all.

I looked up as we moved down.

A crevasse in the icefield. The crevasses can be quite dangerous. If you fall in one, more than likely you will not be pulled out alive. You would freeze to death in 2-3 minutes if you landed in the water under the crevasse.

The blue color was absolutely beautiful in many parts of the glaciers that we saw. Bruce explained that the color achieved in glacial water is different from spring water because of something known as rock flour (silt) that is in the water and ice from the rocks(minerals) that are scraped and shaped by the glacier as it moves.

Dad and Mom on the Athabasca Glacier next to the Ice Explorer.

Bruce was an awesome guide/driver, not such a great photographer. I was hoping that the glacier on the mountain behind us would have made it into the photo. But Bruce knelt down and shot this instead...oh well.

Our group walking on the glacier. This glacier advances about 10 feet per year, but retreats about 25 feet, for a net loss of 15 feet per year. Scientists estimate that the glacier will become a meadow in 80-100 years.

This is the AA Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefields. It will soon no longer be connected to the Columbia system.

This is looking back toward the Visitor Center. You can see two of the Ice Explorers.

I took this group shot! I tried to get some of the AA Glacier in the photo.

A self portrait with the AA Glacier.

Looking up at the Athabasca Glacier.



If there is water, Allison is probably going to get in it. And so it was on the glacier.

Yes, he sat right down in the glacial water! People on the Ice Explorer were shouting and cheering!



He even lay down in water!


Allison found an ice chunk to toss around.

Allison and I AFTER his dip in the glacial water!

I tried to get a close up of the blue ice.

Another picture of the glaciers. It really was overwhelming.

You can also walk on the glacier from the terminus (bottom). Here, a group walks up in the distance.

These rock hills are called the lateral moraines of the glacier. It is the rocks and dirts pushed to the sides as the glacier moves. They are also unstable and unsafe to walk on.




Allison poses with the Ice Explorer after our adventure on the glacier.

And here I am with the Ice Explorer.

This is an Ice Explorer of the past. They called it the "Shake and Bake" since it didn't have suspension and the windows did not open!

A side view of Mount Snow Dome. It is either the only or one of two Triple Continental Divides (I don't remember the scientific name) in the entire world! Glacial meltwater from this mountain flows into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans! Wow!


This glacier is independent of the Columbia Icefield system. I can't remember the name.

This shows a couple of the glaciers near the Athabasca in the lower right. I believe they are the Andromeda Glacier and AA Glacier.

Another view of the Athabasca Glacier.

Mount Snow Dome! It is the host of the Dome Glacier.

Unfortunately, we didn't see the signs like the ones we saw on the first day of our trip. But, I did see a Butt Stop. I really wanted some butts in the picture, but I couldn't get anyone else on board with that idea.

One of the first Ice Explorer machines; it has been completely restored and is operational. But it is on display at this time.

Looking back at the Athabasca and the Dome Glaciers.


This picture shows a phenomenon known as 'flagging'. This happens when the winds blowing off the glacier freezes the sap on one side of the tree, thereby only allowing growth on the opposite side.

On our way out of the park, we decided to stop at this red roofed building that Mom and I had noticed on the way up.



It is called Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. It sits on the banks of Bow Lake which flows out of the Bow Glacier.



We had a delicious lunch at the lodge, including a favorite of mine, Italian Wedding Soup.

Looking away from the glacier toward the other end of Bow Lake. I wanted to show the water colors in the lake.

Of course, Allison was in the water!





Bow Glacier sits above the lake.

Allison went way out in the water. He could still stand up!

After the Bow Lake and Num-Ti-Jah Lodge stop, we made our way to Lake Louise. I have heard of Lake Louise, but I had never visited there before.



In this picture Lake Louise looks like many of the other lakes I've shown, but in person it is so unique. It is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen.

I truly don't know how to describe the color of the water. It is something like opaque (glacial rock flour) turquoise. There are no motorized boats allowed on Lake Louise, which only adds to its charm. The many canoes on the water are quite a sight.


Lake Louise reminded me of The Sound of Music. It is so quaint, serene, and beautiful. There is a huge hotel there, but somehow it doesn't take away from the beauty of the lake.

Dad and Mom posing at Lake Louise with Victoria Glacier in the background.

I even took a picture of a bird. I don't know what type of bird it was, but it had an interesting beak and color.

Allison was convinced that we needed to go in the water. I was not sure at first, but the beauty of Lake Louise drew me in. There was no one else in the water. People started getting out their cameras as we went in the water. The guidebook said that the water was about 43 degrees.

I believe it! Wow! I went completely under and came out refreshed!


And a little cold! But I quickly warmed up.

I put on dry clothes and we went on to Calgary. Mom let Allison choose the restaurant for the night. Allison chose a Moroccan restaurant. After an adventure of traveling all around the outside of Calgary on an expressway that loops the city and being stuck in a construction mess, we found our hotel. Allison called the restaurant to make sure it was still there, still open (at 8:30 or later) and get directions. This turned out to be a good idea since we were using a guidebook from 2002 (Mom left her new one in Vancouver at the Olympics). We found that several things in the book had moved since 2002.

The Sultan's Tent had moved a few blocks, but it was open and ready for us. We found another road under construction, so we were hungry when we finally got to the restaurant. Our server was awesome and saluted our determination to get there.



Mom and Dad looking a little tired and in need of nourishment.

We ordered a salad sampler (I forgot to take a picture), a couple of appetizers, and a couple of main dishes to share at our table.


This is the Briq of Mergez. It is spicy lamb sausage wrapped in phyllo dough. YUM!

Allison with some of the wonderful fabrics in the background. The restaurant booths were delightful.


This is the B'stilla Royale. It is going to be featured as an Empanada of the Day in a posting coming soon.

Brothers with some of the funky fabrics.

Hello Gorgeous!!! This is the Couscous Royale. It included a sampling of each of the meats: chicken, mergez sausage, lamb kabobs, and prawns. There was also cabbage, carrots, and zucchini. It was delicious!


An incredible sweet tagine of Cornish Game Hen, honey, almonds, plums, and apricots.

We had a fabulous time at The Sultan's Tent. It was so fun for me, since I had not been to a Moroccan restaurant in such a long time. I love the pre-meal handwashing at the table, eating with my hands, and the post-meal handwashing at the table. Great choice, Allison!