Lake Louise and Athabasca Glacier

July 10, 2013

We left Banff National Park before everybody today (0645) as we wanted to do Lake Louise early in the am, before crowds. The plan worked perfectly as we found an unmarked overflow lot for the Lake Louise Visitors Center to park the rig and disconnect the car. Our first stop was Moraine Lake. On the way up we got to see our first grizzly bear. I didn’t get a picture because a Park Ranger shooed us away too soon. Moraine is a beautiful glacial lake surrounded by mountains. Our second stop was Lake Louise so Katherine could see it. It was a perfect morning for us to see the Lakes.

Typical view along the Ice Fields Parkway

Banff National Park - Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake and Blue Water

Another view of Moraine Lake and if you haven't guessed it IS my favorite lake.

 

We then proceeded north on the Icefields Parkway, a 230 KM spectacular drive surrounded by glacier topped jagged peaked mountains and two climbs up and down Bow Pass and Sunwapta Pass, both over 7000’. At one point we saw another black bear. Shortly after crossing the North Saskatchewan River we came across a herd of Big Horn Sheep who were right on the roadside and got caught in a mini traffic jam when they decided to meander across the road.

More beautiful scenery, mountain and glaciers.

Lake Louise pretty too, but not the intense but of Moraine Lake

One of the many lake along the Ice Fields Parkway

Athabasca Ice Field View

One more mountain pass lake

Big Horn Sheep that lost their winter coat.

Big Horn Sheep

 

Our destination, about halfway through, was the Athabasca Glacier and a drive onto the glacier in the icemobile. The glacier is part of the Columbia Icefield, a massive sheet of ice in the Canadian Rockies. It was very pleasant down in the valley, but up on the glacier quite cold and windy. Yes we took a sip of glacial water. The glacier is much lower than we remember. Tonight we are dry camping at 6700 ft. in the parking lot of the Columbia Icefields Center.