July 30, 2013: Icefields Parkway

 We left our campground just south of Jasper and headed south on the Icefields Parkway, route 93.  We took a byway up to Mt. Edith Cavell and Angel Glacier.  The drive up to the mountain was spectacular as it took us right to the north face of the mountain.

Mt. Edith Cavell

 

  

We made the short, very steep hike up to Angel Glacier, named because of the "wings."

Base of Angel Glacier with mini-icebergs 

 We returned to the RV and drove a few miles south to Athabasca Falls.  Incredibly powerful waterfall.

 We stopped at a turnout to have lunch and continued south, stopping at viewpoints along the way to get photos of the magnificent scenery.  Where there was no place to stop, we resorted to taking photos out the window or even through the windshield.

 

 

 

We did another short, extremely steep hike to Emerald Lake with the most beautiful color water I have ever seen.

 

 

We saw three black bears and got a photo of one, but missed the shot of a bear and her cub.



Columbia Icefield.  The size of cars and people walking on
the path illustrate the immense size of the glacier.

Next stop was the Columbia Icefield glacier for a quick photo.  We did not make the steep walk up to the glacier or take the specialized icebus ride ON the glacier because we had done it last time we were here.

We stopped at a small campground with no electricity, water, internet, phone or TV, but we got a site right next to a babbling brook.  We sat in the warm sunshine, had appetizers and enjoyed the setting sun lighting up the mountains in orangesand pinks.

Just as we were getting ready for bed, we couldn't get the water pump to work because the deep cycle batteries died with no warning.  Our panel just an hour earlier said the batteries were fully charged. 

A sleepless night worrying that the refrigerator would quit or that the temps would go below freezing, jeopardizing the plumbing with no way to get any heat without battery power.