Banff Park Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway travels in the shadow of the Great
Divide. Following the headwaters of three major river systems among the rugged
mountains of the Eastern Main Ranges, this route will take you through scenes
and experiences you'll never forget. It is one of the world's greatest mountain
highroads, named for the chain of huge icefields that roofs the Rockies.
Not long ago, only pack trains traveled here, and a fast
trip from Jasper to Lake Louise took almost two weeks. Today's parkway lets
everyone visit areas once seen by only the hardiest tourists.
Planning Your Trip
The parkway is a route built for leisurely sightseeing rather
than high-speed travel. It winds around mountains and climbs through high
passes. You can travel the 230 km between Lake Louise and Jasper in a day with
time to stop at points of interest. Or, as many visitors do, you can spend
several days along the parkway, staying in campgrounds and exploring inviting
side valleys on foot or horseback. No matter how long you spend, there will
always be more to see.
Because the Icefields Parkway is not a through-road like the
Trans-Canada, all vehicles traveling it must have a national park pass.
Gas, accommodation and other services are available in only
a few places along the route. Check the map on the reverse side for the
services you'll need and plan your trip accordingly. Be prepared for varied
weather conditions; snow can fall in the highest passes along the parkway even
in midsummer.
The Land
The mountains along the parkway look different than those
farther east or west. These are the Eastern Main Ranges--the highest, most
rugged mountains in the Canadian Rockies. They form the Great Divide, the
backbone of the continent, where mighty rivers begin in icefields and glaciers.
These rivers and the glaciers that feed them etch uplifted sheets of rock,
carving today's mountains.
The Life
As the parkway climbs high passes and plunges into valleys,
you will pass through three different life zones and will have a good chance of
seeing wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Black bears and deer are also
seen from time to time. Please slow down and drive with extra care when you see
animals beside the road.
Some of these animals may appear tame, but they can all be
dangerous. In order to keep visitors safe and the birds and animals wild and
free, it is illegal to entice, touch, or feed wildlife in a national park.
The Past
In the early 1800's, native people and fur traders used
parts of this route to cross the mountain barrier. Later, surveyors,
mountaineers and the hardiest tourists explored these valleys. The first
Banff-Jasper road was built as a relief-work project during the depression
years of the ‘30's; the present Icefields Parkway was completed in the early
‘60's.
Place names along the parkway recall the different groups of
people that have visited the area. Some names, such as Sunwapta (turbulent
water), are taken from native languages. Some commemorate fur traders
(Hardisty), mountaineers (Stutfield), explorers (Hector) or packers (Peyto).
Others, such as Tangle Ridge, Cirque Lake and the Weeping Wall, are simply
descriptive.
Stops of Interest
Bow Summit
The highest point on the parkway is Bow Summit, 2067 m above
sea level and 40 km north of Lake Louise. Here, the road crosses alpine meadows
near the source of the Bow River before dropping into the Mistaya valley.
You can climb even higher by following the short access road
to the Bow summit-Peyto viewpoint area. You will find hiking trails leading to
a high viewpoint overlooking blue-green Peyto Lake, and, in July and August, an
astonishing array of alpine flowers.
Saskatchewan River Crossing
Saskatchewan River Crossing, site of the old horse ford
across the North Saskatchewan, is close to the junction of three rivers. One of
these, the Howse, was the route used in 1807 by fur trader and explorer David
Thompson to cross the Great Divide. Today's David Thompson Highway leads east
from the Crossing to the city of Red Deer, 261 km away. If you take that route
out of the mountains, plan a stop at Rocky Mountain House, a national historic
park, where more can be learned about the days of the fur trade.
Columbia Icefield Area
The largest of the chain of icefields along the Great Divide
is the Columbia Icefield. This 325 km2 accumulation of ice feeds eight large
glaciers, three of which--the Athabasca, the dome, and the Stutfield--can be
seen from the parkway. Better yet, you can actually touch a glacier. A short
side trip from the parkway takes you the toe of the Athabasca Glacier.
A visit to the Columbia Icefield Centre (easily visible
beside the parkway) will help you discover what there is to see and do in the
area.
Sunwapta Falls
South of Jasper (55 km), you may drive a 0.4 km access road
to Sunwapta Falls. A footbridge affords thrilling views into a deep,
right-angled canyon where the Sunwapta River turns a corner to plunge toward
the Athabasca River.
A short hiking trail follow the riverbank to more falls and
rapids downstream.
Athabasca Falls
At Athabasca Falls, 32 km south of jasper, a footbridge and
trail skirt thundering falls and a steep-walled canyon.
Highway 93A, a section of the first Banff-Jasper road,
provides an alternate route between Athabasca Falls and Jasper townsite. Some
Jasper visitors use the northern portion of the parkway and 93A as a half-day
loop drive.
Trail Access
Many trails lead from the Icefields Parkway to backcountry
areas; trailheads are shown on the map overleaf. You may get information and
backcountry use permits at park information centres.
Should you have any further questions or comments about your
trip please write to:
http://www.worldweb.com/parkscanada-banff/visinfo.html
http://www.worldweb.com/ParksCanada-Banff/icefield.html
