It was a short and sweet trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains back in July 2006. We planned the two-day trip to Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Driving along, we have visited fascinating sites: the Athabasca Glaciers and Columbia Icefields, Alberta, Canada. The view was spectacular. We have decided to see glacier fields by taking this special tour bus designed to drive on the rocks, in the snow, and up the hills. It felt scary at times; however, the vehicle did handle well on the rough surface.
Once we got there, whoever sold us tickets told us it would be only about 5 degrees C. Well, when we got to the glacier fields, including the wind shield factor, it was more like 25 degrees below zero. It was cold. However, we should have known this; the field was covered with snow and ice.
Let me then introduce you to the site called Athabasca Glaciers, located in the Canadian Rockies. It is 6 km (3.75 miles) long, covers an area of 6 km² (2.5 mi²), and is measured to be between 90 meters (270 feet) and 300 meters (1000 feet) thick. These glaciers are melting, and they are melting at a rate of approximately 2 to 3 meters per year and moving several centimetres a day. The moving glaciers also crash and push the rocks at the same time. This glacier is the most visited glacier in North America, and I was one of them. Remember, it is melting, so you better hurry to see it yourself. The second photo shows a group of scientists that investigate and study the Athabasca Glaciers, or maybe this is just a guided trip that I missed.
It is kind of an old article from 2002 that was published by National Geographic News, "Glaciers Melting Worldwide: Study Finds," which gives you a quick overview of why melting "Most of Earth's 160,000 glaciers have been slowly shrinking and thinning for more than a century as the climate warms up from both natural causes and human activity." The article from the same source, "Mountain Glaciers Melting Faster Than Ever, Expert Says," gives you the most recent overview of what is happening to mountain glaciers such as Athabasca Glacier.
~ Anna
Once we got there, whoever sold us tickets told us it would be only about 5 degrees C. Well, when we got to the glacier fields, including the wind shield factor, it was more like 25 degrees below zero. It was cold. However, we should have known this; the field was covered with snow and ice.
~ Anna
Comments
Excellent shots Anna.
Well written post as usual.
~JD
I will be linking your site with mine soon ok? I am under the weather so to speak and will be on rarely over the next few days. When I am able to devote more time I will place the link. Thank you for placing a link in your blog roll to my site and to your comments as well.
Take care. {Hope I made sense :-)}
~JD
Kathy
I called my mom in CA to check to see what you wrote about today. She will show me the pictures when she gets back. Very interesting about the glaciers, but sad that they are melting so much. I will have mom show me that link when she gets home.
I can't wait to blog again!
--JB
~Oswegan
Thank you for your visit.
One of the problems with getting people to focus on things related to the earth is the scale of time involved. Tell people that New York City will be under water from melting glaciers in 600 years and some say "Huh, how does that affect me or my kids or grandchildren"? Or "how do we know they won't start to refreeze and grow in 150 years?" Tell them that Coke is going to change the formula of their favorite soda, and you better stand back because that is the end of the world!
Thanks again for the great photographs!
-Will
Cheers,
DSM
It was wonderful seeing this image, it brought back a lot of memories for me…
I grew up in the Canadian Rockies, just on the BC side; I spent many years in Yoho National Park but also in Banff. I cycled from Banff to the Athabasca Glacier and back, which is a killer cycle considering the altitude change including a very horrid hill!!! I also had many opportunities to climb it including into some of those crevices you spoke about. On several occasions I hiked on other glaciers of the Columbia ice fields. It is a stunning location!
To give you an idea of the melting when you visit the Athabasca Glacier link you provided you can see the highway in the foreground. As a child (1970-72) we used to throw rocks from the road at the glacier and it was only about 100 meters out of range…It is a lot further now…but my parents remembered it was almost up to the highway when they were children!
It is a wonderful part of the world, but not as nice as Emerald Lake :)
http://www.crmr.com/gallery-emerald.php
Great article Anna thanks for the memories!
Take care
L
Will you said: 'Tell them that Coke is going to change the formula of their favorite soda, and you better stand back because that is the end of the world!' - lol, that is funny Will, but true.
Thanks for commenting Will, all your good questions are always appreciated, you actually make me think from different angles. Anna :)
These are wonderful photos of what must have been an awesome trip. I love photography, though I couldn't take a decent photo if I had a magical camera. You have a new fan of your blog. Thanks. -Mike.
It is an amazing cycle but it is a killer! Did you see that STEEP and HUGE switch back hill part way back to Banff and Lake Louis? It was even hard on the brakes going down hill; nowadays with modern bikes it wouldn’t be as bad but still tough….
Lake Louise is beautiful no doubt about it, I like to give Emerald Lake a plug because I spent a lot of time in the area, hiking and climbing in the mountains etc, and since it isn’t as well known as Lake Louise or Banff it gets missed by some, but I have to say it really is prettier in my opinion. You can actually walk around the entire lake; you can canoe, etc…Like anyplace in the mountains though you are at the mercy of the weather!
I thought you may have seen the markers they have posted on the positions of the glacier over the years. It is a cool place in more way than one!!! LOL
The trees throughout the Rockies are all slow growers compared to down here on the BC coast. One summer I did tree planting in the Rockies (very hard work) most of the trees I planted would have taken 13-15 years to be ready for harvesting but down here on the coast it takes 7-8 years for the same size…(one summer I was also a forest fire fighter LOL Also very hard work).
Always a pleasure Anna…
Wow what a wonderfull surrounding and beautiful photography!
I came to your blog through DSM fromThailand and I love your name, so I took a look and I liked what I saw. A lot of my family is living in Canada, different parts, therefore I am also interested in Canadian blogs..and Canada because I have been there once last year.
I am from Holland i like photography and I show a lot of photo's from My countrie and our holidays in-outside Europe. Be welcome to visit my blog!
JoAnn from Holland
The handiwork of God is overwhelming would love to see more of them too since I haven't visited them.
Thanks for always caring about us, by carrying us along
Godbless
Great Glacier post and photos, Anna. Thanks for the great links!!!
I bet it was cold. Makes one want to wear four layers of clothing.
Hugs, JJ
Wow, tree planting in the Rockies, were you digging through the rocks or soil, lol? Wow and you were forest fire fighter, my you did cool stuff out there, and yes all hard work. Must have really lot of good memories, and I am sure that BC is nice too.
Thanks for sharing again, I really fell in love with the western Canada, may be one day I will move or just travel on temp basis - right now all family is here, and we need to be here.
Thanks Anna :)
Who knows if we humans will be here, after the seas rise to swallow the coastlines? There will be so much population displacement--I don't know if countries/societies around the world can handle it.
I'm glad you have brought this problem to our awareness--we need all the consciousness raising we can get!
skylar
http://awolfadventure.blogspot.com
I live not so far from Alps,in Italy,and here also the glaciers are melting and there isn't snow on the mountains.
We've been able to change the climate.
Applause!
A big applause to all of us...
We will grow bananas in Norway...
I like your new header!
--JB
-Will
I am going to be honest with you: I hate the cold...
This being said I don't think visiting a glaciar is on my "got to visit" list lol. However I must confess that glaciars are a beauty to the sight :D. How did you stand that cold? Just by reading your post I could actually feel the cold down my spine *bbbrrrrrr*.
The melting down is a problem, indeed. Most say that it is due to global warming, some say it is the earth adjusting itself, others say it is God re-arranging things...I don't know what to think about it; but I do know that I will not worry about it much. I will continue to do my job as a decent citizen (by recycling waste, by being responsible with water, not throwing papers onto the floor etc), that's all I can do...that and pray!
The photos are amazing, Anna...your trip was worthwhile :D!
Cheers
Thanks for reading all my silly posts!
I came back to see your latest new header and like it even better than the last one. This is a very beautiful and colorful photo!
--JB
Look at all of these replies! :D
Hugs, JJ
Have a great weekend
Fruity
Seems like the banner is different from what I remember, are you planning to change your blog theme here? I am curious if that is so.
BTW, I found something interesting to look at:
Animals having fun pt 9
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Max you said: 'I will continue to do my job as a decent citizen (by recycling waste, by being responsible with water, not throwing papers onto the floor etc), that's all I can do...that and pray!' - lol, Max, you are funny, but you are right. All we need is everyone doing what you are doing and we all will be fine. About what is going on with global warming, there is another theory that cruising around - that earth disinfects itself every cycle, may be this time it will be heat, as last time it was cold. Oh well, there is so much we can do.
Hey Max, I will see you around, just been busy with work a lot, and all other stuff around the house. It is always nice to see you here, Anna :)
Heated seats are essential in that weather lol :). We are being so blessed this winter, here in Portugal (our temperature since Saturday: 18ºC)...it is warm! :D
"Well I wouldn't want to miss the snow from the last ice age, lol, then I actually do anything if it is something worth seeing. But hey we are all different, staying warm is good Max." - I hear you lol. Indeed we are all different (thank God) :)!
"About what is going on with global warming, there is another theory that cruising around - that earth disinfects itself every cycle, may be this time it will be heat, as last time it was cold. Oh well, there is so much we can do." - that is an interesting theory! And it makes sense, too :). I say that we live as we may and trust in God...that's all we can do, really :).
I see you around, Anna. It is my pleasure to come to your place :D!
Cheers
You are most welcome :D! It is my pleasure to keep coming back :D!!!
I hope that next we will have even more intelligent human beings :). I don't feel like mutating, and I don't feel like having dinossaurs ever again lol (cause events are always repeating itself, throughout human history; but I sincerely hope that God spares us from those ugly and huge animals)...
Cheers