Jasper Continued

After our tour of the area we were dropped off in downtown Jasper to shop, enjoy lunch, and if you didn't have a meal plan (we did), to decide where to have dinner as well.

We visited many, many shops, bumped into other friends from the train (Rocky Mountaineers now) and then walked home to our hotel.  That walk let us enjoy the marvels of the mountains around us, and the pleasures of the small town that is Jasper.

The following morning we were up and on our way early so that we could enjoy more of the scenery on our way to Lake Louise.  But first, we followed the Icefields Parkway and made our way to the Columbia Icefields for our trip to the glacier.

Every group is given a time, and if you miss your time, then ... well, we didn't want to find out if they'd be able to fit us in.

The gathering point is now across the road from the glacier.  They transport you in their own buses to the mustering point, and then switch you over to the vehicles that travel to the glacier.  They told us that if you'd visited the glacier 25 years ago you would not recognise the road in since they have rebuilt it all since then.  It was my first visit so I can't really say.

It was impressive, not only to take the road there (I sure was glad that I wasn't driving!), but also to see the glaciers all around us -- there are actually five ... at this moment their name elude me, but when I have a moment to go through my information I will add them.

The software on my netbook is not allowing me to edit my photos, so once I've returned home and caught up with myself, I hope to transfer the pictures to my home computer and edit them, and add some more, when I can see clearly what I have!

In the meantime, here are a few in their unedited glory!

As you can see, it is quite the ride to the glacier, and we passed the piles of morain that have been left behind as the glaciers receded.  They are always moving -- even when we think that they are stationary.

The lakes that are fed by glaciers are gorgeous colours.  We were told that this is because the constant action of the glaciers pushes rock against rock until the rock disintegrates into a fine powder that is called rock flour.  The flour is then washed into the lakes where it causes refraction of the light, absorbing some colours and reflecting others.  We were also told that the colours change with season, and also with the mineral content of the rock flour.  They also said that rock flour is everywhere if you work around glaciers and gets into clothing and never truly washes out!

After we left the Icefields we continued down the parkway stopping at Peyto Lake.

 Then on to Bow Lake and Bow Valley, created and fed by the Bow Glacier, which supplies the water not only for Lake Louise, but also for Calgary!

 At the summit stop we were warned to take it easy and not to be surprised if we had a little trouble catching our breath because we were at 7,000 feet and the air was thinner than most of us were used to -- and here I thought it was just because the incline was steep!  The signpost is the indicator for the peak just above it.

One more photo stop ...  

And then on to Lake Louise!

Why yes, that IS the reflection of my camera in the window -- why do you ask?  ;-)