More wonders of the Rockies

Banff and Jasper national parks are in the heart of the Canadian Rockies and home to some of the most spectacular scenery on the continent.  The Icefields Parkway links the two.  Jasper NP is larger, wilder and less explored than Banff NP – but there were still plenty of people there.

    

The Icefield Parkway is the highest road in North America and about as close as one can get to the Rockies’ craggy summits in one’s vehicles.  Numerous roadside stops allow one to take in the Parkway’s brilliantly colourful glacial lakes, waterfalls and viewpoints.  

Another natural bridge.  This used to be a waterfall until the force of the water gradually wore the rocks down and it is now a bridge - until who knows when?

Athabasca Glacier, below, is a tongue of the vast Columbia Icefield.  The Icefield contains about 30 glaciers and is up to 350m thick.  It is the largest icefield in the Rockies and feeds five different rivers with its melt-waters.  The Athabasca Glacier runs almost down to the road and can be visited on foot – Andrew of course did it.

The rock formation known as the Castle on the way from Banff to Lake Louise.  It was renamed the Eisenhower Mountain but due to general outcry it was changed back to the Castle.