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The Columbia ice field. Photo by Kyle Tsui.

Top 10 Facts about Ice Fields Alberta

Famously known as the Columbia ice fields, they are the largest mass of ice in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The Canadian Rockies are part of the North American Rocky Mountains, the longest mountain range in North America.

It stretches over approximately 4, 800 kilometers from the northernmost part of Western Canada to New Mexico. The Ice field is accessible through the famous Icefields Parkway.

It is an incredible tourist destination with breathtaking scenery. It has beautiful geological features. These include high mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, valleys, and a plethora of wildlife.

Visiting the ice fields is one of the best things to do while in Banff or Jasper town. Here are the top 10 facts about Ice Fields Alberta.

1. The Ice field was formed during the Great glaciation period

The Columbia Ice field. Photo by Kyle Tsui.

The Great glaciation period occurred from around 238,000 to 126,000 BCE. The ice fields advanced through the Early and Late Wisconsin periods.

Their last major advance was during the Little Ice Age, a period of regional cooling, especially in the North Atlantic Region.

Simply put, the icefields have been shaped gradually by several ice formations over a period of thousands of years!

2. It is the largest icefield in North America’s Rocky Mountains

A section of the Rocky Mountains. Valley between Mt Norquay and Cascade Mountain, seen from Cascade Mountain summit, Banff National Park. Photo by Khoshhat.

The Rocky Mountains are a range of mountains stretching over 4,800 kilometers from Western Canada to New Mexico.

The ice fields are located in the Canadian segment of the N. America’s Rockies.

They cover an approximate 325 Square kilometers. They measure about 100 meters to 365 meters in depth and receive around 7 meters of snowfall annually.

They are quite extensive, making them the largest in the Rockies.

3. It was first reported in 1898 by J. Norman Collie

Due to its isolation and terrible weather conditions, it was one of the very last major geological features to be recorded by European explorers.

In 1898, British explorers, J. Norman Collie and Herman Wooley explored the area.

On 18^th August, they climbed the east side of Mount Athabasca, their first ascent of the mountain.

On reaching the summit, they discovered an extensively massive ice field spread out on almost every horizon.

J. Norman described it as 鈥渁 new world spread at their feet, probably never before seen by the human eye, and surrounded by entirely unknown, unnamed and I climbed peaks鈥�

4. It feeds six major glaciers

Athabasca Glacier on the Columbia Icefield, Jasper National Park. Photo by Ethan Sahagun.

The glaciers form when the snow melts at a slower rate than it falls. As the snow thickens it forms dense glacial ice, which then slowly flows downhill.

The glaciers included the Athabasca glacier, the most known and easily accessible one. The rest are Castle guard, Columbia glacier, Stutfield, Saskatchewan, and Dom glaciers.

Some of them, such as the Athabasca are visible from the Icefield Parkway, which traverses the Canadian Rockies. They are a breathtaking sight.

5. Some of the highest mountains in the Canadian Rockies are located here

The ice fields are quite expensive and soaring mountains on the edges are not an unusual sight. Most of these have reached the 11, 000 feet mark! 

They include Mt. Alberta, Andromeda, Columbia (12,293ft), Bryce, Castleguard, Athabasca, and King Edward. The Snow Dome peak waters flow into the Arctic Ocean.

They are a sure destination for mountain climbers. Offering unique views and thrilling height experiences, the mountains have been climbed by many over the years.

6. The Athabasca glacier is a famous site to explore in the icefields

An ice explorer shuttle on the ice field. It is specially built for the ice. Photo by Kyle Tsui.

The Athabasca glacier is a massive glacial sheet at the foot of the fields. It is located within the British Columbia 鈥� Alberta border. It spreads out on the bases of Mt. Athabasca, Andromeda, and the Snow Dome.

It is the most accessible glacier due to its proximity to the Ice field Parkway, just 1500 meters off, and the Columbia Icefields Discovery Center.

Visitors are allowed to walk on the ice and even fill bottles with the glacial water! However, they must be accompanied by the tour guides and only explore the designated areas for safety reasons.

They can alternatively use the Ice Explorer vehicles provided by the Center. Walking on the ice is a lifetime-worthy experience and the Athabasca glacier offers that and then some.

7. The Ice field Parkway is a fantastic drive-through

Section of the ice fields Parkway. Photo by Shaun Syversten.

It is a 232-kilometer road traversing the rugged terrain of the continental divide, through the ice fields. It connects Lake Louise in Banff with Jasper town in Jasper National Park.

It is a scenic driveway through the breathtaking alpine views. Talk about soaring mountains, glaciers, beautiful waterfalls, and a variety of wildlife such as mountain goats!

The unique views as you drive through the parkway are definitely worth the trip. It has been deemed one of the most famous and incredible scenic roads.

One however, requires adequate preparation when planning for a road trip through the parkway. The road has only about one stop for gas and phone reception is hard to come by.

It’s advisable to carry one鈥檚 food and bring along an emergency kit in case of emergencies. Winter may pose hard times as well.

8. The icefield Sky Walk is a breath-taking experience, literally

Glacier skywalk. Photo by Ovedc.

The skywalk is a suspended glass bridge hovering above the Sunwapta Valley. It is a one-kilometer walk, offering spectacular views of the terrain below. It is about 280 meters above the ground!

Walking on the glass is a thrilling experience, to say the least. Beautiful views of waterfalls, glacier landscapes, fossils, and wildlife make the height scare worth it.

Interpretive tour guides take visitors through the process of forming some of the geological features in the icefields.

The skywalk is not only adrenaline-filled, thrilling, and fun but also educative. It is only accessible by a shuttle from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center.

9. The Icefields are one of the main tourist attractions in Banff and Jasper National Parks

The two national parks are located in the Canadian Rockies and offer tourists incredible visit packages, the ice field tours included.

They are connected by the Icefield Parkway. The Icefields can be accessed from either of the parks.

Banff National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Icefield adventure is one of the best tours to take at Banff and Jasper National Parks.

10. The Columbia Icefields Glacier Discovery Center coordinates tours to the icefields

It is located on Icefields Parkway, 1 hour south of Jasper and 2.5 hours north of Banff. Vehicles park at the center. Visitors book their tours in advance.

Those taking the skywalk tour must take a shuttle from the center with a tour guide. Tours depart every one to two hours.  It is like the gateway to the incredible icefield adventure.