Columbia Glacier

Gorgeous morning, mountains penetrating up through the fog. Sun is shining brightly. Today is a great day already. First stop Sunwapta Falls. This glacier fed river splits around the small island and returns at the head of the Falls. The rocks are worn away by years of rushing water. Strange how this one rock jutting up in the head of the falls is still there. I wonder how big it once was. The water flows through a narrow opening in the rock creating another hole where the water spins like a whirlpool.    What away to start the day and it’s only 9 am.

MT Kitchener, still thick with a couple of hundred feet of snow on top, rolls right into a massive glacier and another glacier is just forward of Sunwapta Canyon. These glaciers that we are seeing are fingers of the Columbia Ice field which covers 241 sq miles. Today we will be able to take a trip onto Athabasca Glacier.   These huge vehicles, Ice Explorers, will transport us up to the head wall of the glacier. Now just a little info on these vehicles. There are only 23 of these in the world. 22 of them are here at Brewster Columbia Ice field Glacier Experience and the USA has one for arctic exploration. All the wheels are connected to the transmission and will not free wheel which will allows for travel on extremely steep inclines or declines. We traveled on a 34 % grade to bring us to the glacier.    

           The water that is flowing is from melt off from snow that is  at least 150 years old and is the purest natural water known.     We had to fill up a bottle         to have a taste and to bring some home for the grandkids. It really did taste clean and pure.

Last night treat was a rainbow, tonight's treat, bear.  Two of them, and they were fast.