Day 16

Last full day in Banff and we spent it at a really slow pace.  After a late breakfast we headed to the Cascade Gardens for a slow stroll.  Next was a drive along the Banff golf course and a stop along the river for some relaxing rock skipping.  After pletty of relaxation by the Bow river (and a stop to get some more milkshakes) we took a tour on the Sulfur Mtn Gondola which took us to the top of Sulfur Mtn for some great views of the mountains and valleys around us.  Now we are trying to decide where to eat dinner (like I said, relaxing day today).  Tomorrow we head out of Banff and go through Kootenay NP on our way back to Spokane.  PS. The temp today is in the upper 50's, low 60's.

Cascade Gardens in Banff

View of Banff Ave from gardens

Doesn't get much better than skipping rocks

And relaxing

Next stop, Sulfur Mtg Gondola ride

Town of Banff

Old weather station

Info about weather station

Gondola station w/ restaurant

Day 15

     This morning we awoke at 6am and ate our breakfast at the hotel. We then proceeded North onto the Icefields Parkway and saw some sights including the Bow and Peyto Lakes, Mistaya Canyon (really cool but pictures didn't do it justice) and then used the washrooms one last time, as we would not get another chance until after the five hour glacier walk.
     When we arrived, dad was insistent about packing all kinds of winter gear. We all thought it was crazy until the frosty glacier winds struck us. Let's just say that my backpack (which held the gear) was very light for the rest of the trip. Our guide was an epic guy named Peter, who remembered everyone's names on the first try and then used them for the rest of the hike!
     When stepping on a glacier, the first thing you notice is how grippy its surface is. Glaciers are not smooth; in fact, I'll argue that they are easier to walk on than rocks! Another odd thing is how cold they make the air around them; the temperature never rose above 2 degrees Celsius (never got above 9 degrees during our drive today)! They even affect the weather patterns in their vicinity! Whereas it was raining down at the parking lot, it was sleeting on us as we ascended! Like the scales of a gigantic dragon's back, the glacier has countless small ridges and valleys that have been forged by meltwater (the higher up on the glacier we went, the larger the mounds and crevasses got. Distance and size is difficult to gauge, as there is nothing to use as a comparison. Not until you see another person in the distance do you realize how massive the glacier truly is!
     When we summited the ice river (IE arrived at the lower portion of the ice falls), the sun came out (God is good!) and several small avalanches tumbled down in the distance. Our guide then used a Mars candy bar to explain how glaciers work. Curious? Buy me a Mars bar when I return and I will demonstrate. It was really cool and surprisingly easy to grasp!
      A picture tells a thousand words, so we attached plenty of pictures to solidify what I wrote.
      After the walk, we had to drive two hours to get to dinner (that was a terrible two hours >.<). We ate a a place called the Mountain Restaurant (sampler plate with 2 spring rolls, two buffalo chicken wings, 5 garlic sauteed shrimp, a caesar salad, and fries for me [it wasn't as big as it sounds; it was a sampler]) For desert, we went to a gas station and bought candy bars (king size Reeses package for me).
     We then went to Lake Moraine that mom and dad saw the other day. It was pretty and we saw another pika! We then drove another hour back to the hotel and collapsed (9:30 by the way; that's 11:30 for you all).  Thus I wrote the blog this morning because, well yeah... I collapsed. Three more days!
       ~Logan
P.S. $15 Canadian dollars equals $15.45 US dollars.

Bow Lake and Bow Glacier on the Icefields Pkwy

Next stop, Peyto Lake on Icefields Pkwy

Voted best bathroom view

Our first steps on the Athabasca Glacier

Look at piece of duct tape on pole just beside the guides glove.  This tape was put there on June 1 this year (That's a lot of melting).

Cont'd trek up the glacier

Sites along the way

Don't jump!

Sleet storm while we are walking (also while we ate lunch)

Almost there ...

Getting closer ...

A look back over just a portion of the glacier we covered

Sites around us

We made it !!!

Can't go any further w/out climbing gear

Small avalanches around us

Perspective (see 2 dots in front of the ice falls, that's people)

Walk back down

Millwell (holes in the glacier where the water goes)

Lake Moraine stop after dinner (long day)