Ice walk- hiking the Athabasca Glacier
Today we did one of the most amazing hikes. We hiked the Athabasca Glacier. It is part of the Columbia Icefields and is one of the largest active glacier in North America. Due to global warming, it is melting at a rate of 100 meters ( over 300 feet) per year. There were markers showing where the glacier was at different points in time. That part was sad.
We met our guide and began hiking up the rocky field that was the deposits of the retreating glacier. The first part of the glacier is covered with dirt and rocks over the years. Some areas have cracked and you can see the blue ice. Once we reached the toe of the glacier, we put ice spikes on our hiking boots and we took our first steps onto the glacier.from a distance, the glacier looks large but not nearly as large as when you are standing on it. We looked like ants to the people at the observation area. We hiked across many steams- the glacier water rushing to the bottom. Deep crevasses and cracks were deep and the blue ice again was visible. The ice us blue due to a lack of oxygen that disappeared over the thousands of years of compression.
From the toe to the first ice break was 6 kilometers. (3.73 miles)There were two levels of breaks and we stopped to have lunch near the second. Huge chunks of ice created shelves and towers. On the way down, we were able to walk inside a deep crevasse. Marty filled our water bottle with the icy glacier water. Best tasting water ever. We also had to hike on icy ridges because the water flowed on two sides. It was a spectacular day!
We met our guide and began hiking up the rocky field that was the deposits of the retreating glacier. The first part of the glacier is covered with dirt and rocks over the years. Some areas have cracked and you can see the blue ice. Once we reached the toe of the glacier, we put ice spikes on our hiking boots and we took our first steps onto the glacier.from a distance, the glacier looks large but not nearly as large as when you are standing on it. We looked like ants to the people at the observation area. We hiked across many steams- the glacier water rushing to the bottom. Deep crevasses and cracks were deep and the blue ice again was visible. The ice us blue due to a lack of oxygen that disappeared over the thousands of years of compression.
From the toe to the first ice break was 6 kilometers. (3.73 miles)There were two levels of breaks and we stopped to have lunch near the second. Huge chunks of ice created shelves and towers. On the way down, we were able to walk inside a deep crevasse. Marty filled our water bottle with the icy glacier water. Best tasting water ever. We also had to hike on icy ridges because the water flowed on two sides. It was a spectacular day!
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