Jasper and Glacier National Park

Heading north out of Banff (see Banff) and Lake Louise (see Lake Louise) along a winding road through many miles of mountains and forest you eventually arrive at Glacier National Park. This park climbs well up into the mountains, culminating at a visitor's centre at the highest peak on the highway where you can get tours of a glacier that is within 200 meters of the road.

Glacier National Park

You can walk up to the glacier and around the base by taking a rather long path (getting longer every year as the glacier is receding – look for the year signs in the rubble indicating where the glacier was) up a steep slope.

There are guided tours that will take you in a normal coach (bus) up a long road where you transfer to massive snowmobiles that take you onto the ice.

A Tour of a Glacier

The massive size of the vehicles makes travel along the incredibly steep road very interesting and keeps everyone (literally) on the edge of their seats. They do let you walk onto the glacier though they do make it clear that doing so is at your own risk – occasionally someone will fall into a crevasse in the area. Despite this, do get out and look around, the breeze from the top of the glacier is truly refreshing.

A View from the Glacier

As you are driving through this area do be prepared for snow even in the middle of summer.

Just past Glacier National Park you arrive in Jasper which is a small town that basically serves the tourist trade though much quieter and more authentic than Banff.

The Town of Jasper

Skiing

There is one ski area in the area, that is, Jasper Ski Resort. Though I have not visited the resort (Jasper is a number of hours from the main ski areas in Banff and Lake Louise) it is supposed to be quite nice.

Further Information

For further information, please see: