Welcome to the seventh post in our Canadian adventure series! Previously, we left off with my heart racing at the sight of "No network coverage for 287KM" while the fuel gauge flirted dangerously with the 15% mark. It was a moment of sheer panic, but we survived to tell the tale. This time, join us as we venture to the stunning Athabasca Glacier, a visit that almost didn't happen.
The story so far:
- The Back Story
- East Canada - Toronto
- East Canada - Niagara and 1000 Islands
- Rest of East Canada
- From Fuel Guzzlers to Frozen Trails and Everything in Between
- Ice, Bears, and Fuel Scares: A Rocky Mountain Adventure
- Ice Explorers and Ticket Blunders ← This post
- From Canyon Crisis to Scenic Bliss
- The Final Few Days
Potholes and Canyons
It was a beautiful day weather-wise, a perfect mix of sunshine and the crisp promise of snowfall later on. Our first stop of the day was the magnificent Athabasca Falls.
Athabasca Falls
Known as one of the most powerful falls in Jasper National Park, Athabasca Falls doesn't just tumble over rocks; it carves through them, creating intricate features like potholes and a stunning short canyon. The sheer force of the water is mesmerizing.
Potholes
Take a look at this pothole. Notice the cuts in the rock from the top all the way down to where the water rushes? These formations are the result of water's relentless power, swirling in a centrifugal dance, slowly chipping away at the rock to create deep, circular pits. It's nature's own sculpting at work.
Canyon
And the canyon! It's a masterpiece where the river, canyon walls, trees, and mountains come together in a breathtaking panorama. It's like standing inside a postcard.
The Trail
One of the best parts of visiting Athabasca Falls is the trail along the water's edge. It winds down to the very bottom where the waterfall merges with the river, offering a scenic hike with views that make every step worth it. Imagine walking alongside the roaring water, feeling the mist on your face, and being surrounded by such raw natural beauty. Need I say more?
Ticket Blunder
Our excitement was palpable as we approached our next adventure: exploring the Athabasca Glacier! To get there, we would ride in a giant Ice Explorer—a monster truck designed specifically for glacier exploration.
The Ice Explorer - Notice how the wheel is almost as tall as an human!
We had booked our tickets well in advance to avoid any last-minute rush. The Ice Explorer and the Skywalk were bundled together in one ticket package, and we were all set. At the Columbia Icefields Discovery Centre, where the tour begins, we showed our booking confirmation to the ticket attendant. She printed out our tickets, but as I glanced at them, I noticed something odd: they only mentioned the Skywalk, with no mention of the Ice Explorer.
Not too worried at the time, I shrugged it off. Our bus was about to leave for the Skywalk and Ice Explorer, and I saw that some people had two sets of tickets—one for each attraction—while we had only one. I figured the attendant might have missed printing our second set, but with the bus about to leave, there wasn’t much I could do.
The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is a thrilling glass-bottom bridge suspended 280 meters above the Sunwapta Valley. Walking on it is like floating in mid-air, with nothing but glass between you and the valley below. The experience was breathtaking, but I couldn’t shake the nagging thought about our missing Ice Explorer tickets.
View from the Skywalk
As we finished the Skywalk, I shared my concerns with the group. We decided to head back to the Discovery Centre early to sort out the ticket issue and make sure we didn’t miss out on the Ice Explorer.
Back at the Discovery Centre, we approached the ticket attendant. After reviewing our situation, she delivered the unfortunate news: our Ice Explorer tickets weren’t booked. I protested, explaining that I had paid $40 per ticket and had specifically booked both the Skywalk and Ice Explorer. She replied, “Exactly! You paid only $40, which is the cost of the Skywalk only. The combined Ice Explorer and Skywalk ticket costs $120.”
I was stunned. Despite having double-checked my booking, it seemed I had mistakenly booked only the Skywalk.
We pleaded with her to let us take the Ice Explorer as well. She agreed, but said we’d have to pay the full $120 per person, as there were no separate Ice Explorer tickets. This meant $40 we spent earlier was going to get wasted, a total of around 27,000 Rs for our group of 11!
Feeling heartbroken over the blunder, we reluctantly paid the additional cost and got tickets for the next available slot. The weather outside was stormy and snowy, matching the gloominess of our mood.
Then, my father-in-law spotted an Indian man who looked like he worked at the Discovery Centre. He urged me and my half-brother to speak with the Indian employee, hoping he might help. Though hesitant, I agreed. The man turned out to be the Food and Beverage Manager. He couldn't help directly but offered to introduce us to the Ticket Manager.
With nothing to lose, I spoke to the Ticket Manager, explaining our predicament. She informed me that because we booked through a third-party website, she couldn’t offer any discounts. I persisted, and after a tense ten minutes or so, she made an offer that sounded like music to my ears: $900 for 11 people for the Ice Explorer!
Relieved and thrilled, I accepted immediately. She refunded our newly purchased tickets and issued new ones for the Ice Explorer at approximately $80 per person.
We were overjoyed and thanked both the Ticket Manager and the kind Indian employee who had helped us. With 45 minutes to spare before our Ice Explorer slot, the weather miraculously cleared up, turning sunny and pleasant. It felt like the universe was finally on our side!
The Ice Explorer
Our Ice Explorer driver shared a fascinating tidbit: there are more astronauts in the world than Ice Explorer drivers! That’s right—his profession is incredibly rare.
With only 23 Ice Explorers operational globally, 22 are stationed at the Columbia Icefield, and 1 is deployed for research in Antarctica. These monster trucks are truly a marvel.
As we climbed aboard our Ice Explorer, we were driven across the Athabasca Glacier, a colossal ice field that has been around for about 240,000 years. Did you know it takes around four years of fresh snowfall for snow to become glacier ice? It's incredible to think about.
On the way to the Glacier
The glacier stretched out before us, a vast expanse of ice and snow. We spent about 30 minutes exploring and had a blast. The sheer scale and beauty of the glacier are something that photos just can’t capture fully.
Enjoying the peace at the Athabasca Glacier!
All in all, the day turned out to be a fantastic adventure. Despite the ticket fiasco, everything eventually fell into place, and we ended up having a memorable experience.
Next Time
In our next post, get ready for a real cliffhanger: we’ll recount the time we lost my son for 45 minutes—no joke!
