Days 53 - 54

2004_0525Image0001.JPG Waking up to snow 2004_0525Image0005.JPG 2004_0525Image0010.JPG 2004_0525Image0012.JPG 2004_0525Image0020.JPG 2004_0525Image0026.JPG 2004_0525Image0029.JPG 2004_0525Image0030.JPG 2004_0525Image0032.JPG Crowfoot Glacier 2004_0525Image0042.JPG 2004_0525Image0045.JPG 2004_0525Image0046.JPG 2004_0525Image0047.JPG Bow Lake 2004_0525Image0048.JPG 2004_0525Image0051.JPG 2004_0525Image0053.JPG 2004_0525Image0059.JPG 2004_0525Image0061.JPG See the small road going across?  That's where I'm going. 2004_0525Image0067.JPG Bottom of Bridal Veil Falls - at least 600 ft drop 2004_0525Image0069.JPG Looking down from the road you see two pics ago. 2004_0525Image0072.JPG upper part of Bridal Veil Falls 2004_0525Image0076.JPG Athabasca glacier - from my hotel room 2004_0525Image0078.JPG For going onto the glacier 2004_0525Image0082.JPG on the glacier looking up at another glacier 2004_0525Image0086.JPG close-up of other glacier - ~50 m thick 2004_0525Image0095.JPG standing on the glacier 2004_0525Image0096.JPG looking down the Athabasca glacier 2004_0525Image0099.JPG Sunwapta Falls 2004_0525Image0105.JPG 2004_0525Image0114.JPG Athabasca Falls

Day 53 - 5/24/04
Lake Louise, AB to Athabasca Glacier, AB
83 miles

It was snowing heavily when I got up this morning, so I thought it was going to be another bad weather day.  However, it did clear up to the point where there was no rain and the clouds were high enough that you could see the mountains.  Occasionally the sun came out.  This was definitely one of the more physically challenging days of the whole trip, with over 80 miles and two major mountain passes.  The second one, Sunwapta Pass, had probably the steepest climb I have done yet (see the two photos above).  Some of the waterfalls here are incredible, with drops of several hundred feet.  I think that's the last major mountain pass I'll have to cross for a while.  Stopped for the evening at the Columbia Icefields Visitors Center, which is directly across from the Athabasca Glacier (part of the Icefields) and has hotel rooms.  My room overlooks the glacier, pretty great view.


Day 54 - 5/25/04
Athabasca Glacier, AB to Jasper, AB
71 miles

Started the day with a tour of the glacier, including a trip in a giant landrover bus out onto the ice.  It wasn't quite as exciting as I had anticipated.  I guess until about mid-summer a layer of snow is on top of the ice, so you really don't get the effect that you're standing on an ice cube.  Other than the following bicycle ride being mostly downhill, it was not a fun day.  First it snowed on me, which then turned to rain as I descended.  The clouds were low, so you couldn't see most of the mountain tops.  Part of one of the racks broke on my bike, so I'll have to visit a bike shop tomorrow.  Then, I got a flat about 5 miles outside of Jasper. 

I only received a couple of intermediate updates on where my stuff was after they left Lake Tahoe, so I haven't been posting updates on that.  Today my stuff arrived in Fairbanks, so I guess it will be there when I arrive.  Congratulations to Anna and Daniel on a successful trip, I hope they had fun.