Athabasca Falls & Columbia Icefields - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

From Jasper, we headed south down the Icefields Parkway.

This road was littered with glaciers!

First stop though, Athabasca Falls.

Brooke checking the view from the roof of the car.

Yep, the view is good.

At Columbia Icefield, they have markers out to show the ice melt over the years.

The closet mark was 2008, and was still 50-75 yards away from the icefield!

*NOTE: Yes, climate shift [or "Global Warming"] is natural/cyclical, but it's happening faster than it should.

We were still a half mile away from the icefield, but found a date close to Andrea's birth year!

By the way, right before we left for this trip we found out we're having a baby boy!

We are super excited, and look forward to all of the adventures...with a baby in tow!

Even though it looks like pavement, Brooke is on Columbia Icefield!

 

Andrea approves!

Brooke grew up with glacial grooves in his cellar, but to see scratches from ice up close is still crazy!

Weeping Wall; a cliff that's wet.

Brooke turned from taking photos to find Andrea looking at paint swatches!

What a designer!

Nursery color choices!

From Jasper, we wound up in Lake Louise for a few days.

Dinner on the grill!

Angel Glacier - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

After Maligne Canyon, it was off to Angel Glacier. Above, Andrea checking to see if the rain has stopped.

Angel Glacier...if you look closely, and use your imagination, it looks like an angel with it's wings spread out.

Two angels!

There was still a lot of snow pack.

Angel Glacier melted into a lake that had another glacier!

Maligne Cayon - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Before leaving Jasper, we checked out Maligne Canyon.

At the end of the little trail, we saw two guys...who didn't look like they knew what they were doing...rappelling into the canyon.

Skyline Trail - Jasper, Alberta, Canada



Jasper National Park: Our destination for Week 1 for some backpacking, kayaking, and day hiking!



On our way into Jasper, we found this lone black bear munching along the road.

Kayaks in tow for a backcounty kayak trip in Maligne Lake.

Glorious. Free.

In Jasper, we wanted to hike the Skyline Trail. Since the middle was still snowed in, we opted to hike as far as we could for two nights and some day hiking. At the start of the trail was a beautiful old burned area.

Thank goodness for bridges. This was during their big snow melting time.

Airing out our feet at base camp.
This was at Little Shovel Pass Camp.

This is bear country; both black and grizzly. You have to hang your food when not in immediate use!

Tent Sweet Tent: Our home for the next 21 days or so!

Did we mention: Glorious and Free!

This woman is 5.5 months pregnant!
Crossing snowfields, climbing, and always trying to make me keep up...My hero!

Still too early for wildflowers, but we found one or two.
Anyone know what this is?

Little Shovel Pass.

Not a bad place to have lunch!

We stopped in the meadow/valley between Little Shovel Pass and Big Shovel Pass.
They was an ice cornice blocking Big Shovel Pass, so this was the end of the line for us.

River crossings too!

Seriously...you can't stop her!

Building a cairn on Little Shovel Pass on the return trip.

Self Portrait...as always!

Happy....Tired Campers!

Retrieving the food bag for breakfast!

Our next phase in backcountry kayaking in Maligne Lake...