Athabasca Glacier

The Athabasca Glacier is the most accessible glacier in the Canadian Rockies. It's about 100 kilometers south of Jasper, in the area of the Columbia Icefield. It is not anywhere close to the most impressive or biggest glacier you can see in the Canadian Rockies, but as it is next to the motorway, it's one of the most comfortable to visit. There is a tiny walkway that lets you access to the base of the glacier, and a specialized vehicle takes you to the central area which is interesting.

Access to the ice is restricted to the use of special shoes and should be done with expert guides since it is a treacherous area and there are many tricky areas.

You can visit Athabasca Glacier with the Sundog Tours service or, if you prefer to go it solo, head to the Interpretation Center and find a bus tour that takes you aboard the Ice Explorer, a special truck for moving up the glacier. Once in the middle of the glacier, you have to stay within certain boundaries for safety reasons, but taking a walk up there is really amazing. It's so white it almost hurts your eyes! It's really important you take some sunglasses and dress warmly. Don't forget to try a sip of the melting ice, it's the purest water you'll taste in your life! Tip: bring a water bottle