Day 8: Journey to Jasper

Today we set off early with our packed car on the highway towards our next destination: Jasper. But on the way, we had an appointment: a ride with a special off-road bus, the Ice Explorer, onto the Columbia Icefield on the Athabasca Glacier, and a walk on the Glacier Skywalk over the Sunwapta Canyon.

The ride with the Ice Explorer was already a highlight on its own. Thank you, Brian, for the entertaining ride on the slowest rollercoaster in the world. Walking on a glacier – in the middle of summer – is indeed extraordinary. Yet it is also quite alarming: The Athabasca Glacier loses 15 meters of length each year.

The Glacier Skywalk was at least a highlight for three of us: A gigantic view of Sunwapta Canyon was already on the way there. Then stepping out onto a glass walkway over the edge was definitely a thrilling experience. For me, it was definitely not my cup of tea.

After this adventure, we continued our journey to Jasper, our stop for the next two days. Even here, the atmosphere became somewhat somber along the way: for the last 20 minutes, we drove past vast areas of burnt forest. While forest fires are common in the region, we are well aware that every year there are more fires. Seeing those gigantic destroyed areas first-hand is something that leaves a mark.