angel glacier?
Jun 9th, 2004, 07:53 PM
#2
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It's 2 miles (3.2 km) from the parking lot to the viewpoint. The elevation gain is 1,000 feet (305 metres), so it involves pretty steady uphill walking.
As with the Lake Agnes Teahouse walk, different people accomplish this walk in different amounts of time. Speaking for myself, I would allow 1.5 hours one way.
Keep in mind it also takes a little while to drive from Jasper townsite to the parking lot from which one begins the walk.
Drive 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy #93). Before the Icefields Parkway crosses the Athabasca River, turn south onto Hwy #93A. Follow Hwy #93A for 7 miles (11.7 km), until just past the Astoria River Bridge. Turn right onto Mount Edith Cavell Road. From this turn off, it's a 9 mile (14.5 km), narrow, winding but nonetheless paved route to the end of the road where the parking lot is.
The Mount Edith Cavell Road affords some tremendous views of the Astoria River Valley, and it's worth stopping in a couple of places to get out and look at the scenery.
As with the Lake Agnes Teahouse walk, different people accomplish this walk in different amounts of time. Speaking for myself, I would allow 1.5 hours one way.
Keep in mind it also takes a little while to drive from Jasper townsite to the parking lot from which one begins the walk.
Drive 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy #93). Before the Icefields Parkway crosses the Athabasca River, turn south onto Hwy #93A. Follow Hwy #93A for 7 miles (11.7 km), until just past the Astoria River Bridge. Turn right onto Mount Edith Cavell Road. From this turn off, it's a 9 mile (14.5 km), narrow, winding but nonetheless paved route to the end of the road where the parking lot is.
The Mount Edith Cavell Road affords some tremendous views of the Astoria River Valley, and it's worth stopping in a couple of places to get out and look at the scenery.
Jun 9th, 2004, 08:56 PM
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Bear in mind that the Angel Glacier can be viewed from several places after you leave the parking lot. In years past, there have been ice caves on the floor of the valley below the tongue of the Angel Glacier. The glacial ice has receded some in the last few years so that the ice does not quite touch the lake.
The Cavell Meadows loop trail will get you up high enough to actually see the main body of the glacier whereas if you stay on the lower trails about all you see is the tongue of ice flowing over the side of the cliff.
Mount Edith Cavell itself rises about 5,000 vertical feet above Cavell Lake which is the lake at the base of the glacial tongue.
I recommend this experience over all of the others in Jasper. If the trail is open when you are there, take the full Cavell Meadows loop. The climb is moderate and the photo opportunities as you go up are incredible. The loop is measured at 3.8 miles, but you can turn around anywhere and retrace your steps to the parking lot.
The Cavell Meadows loop trail will get you up high enough to actually see the main body of the glacier whereas if you stay on the lower trails about all you see is the tongue of ice flowing over the side of the cliff.
Mount Edith Cavell itself rises about 5,000 vertical feet above Cavell Lake which is the lake at the base of the glacial tongue.
I recommend this experience over all of the others in Jasper. If the trail is open when you are there, take the full Cavell Meadows loop. The climb is moderate and the photo opportunities as you go up are incredible. The loop is measured at 3.8 miles, but you can turn around anywhere and retrace your steps to the parking lot.
Jun 9th, 2004, 10:55 PM
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Keep in mind that you can see Angel Glacier as soon as you get on the trail up the stairs off the parking lot (as Bob mentioned) and past the little bridge.
The trail itself is somewhat rocky in places; I've seen people walk it in sandals but I would recommend at least a good pair of walking shoes (if not hiking boots).
You can walk as much or as little of it as you like.
If the weather is clear you will also see the awesome summit of Mount Edith Cavell. If it is not clear you might see some mist and clouds move away from the top to reveal freshly fallen snow, yes, even in July (if that is when you are going).
Besides people (and this is a very popular walk) and scenery, you will see lots of little ground squirrels and chipmunks, and also Clark's Nutcrackers (grey birds of the Corvidae family who will wait for you on the roof of your car hoping that you will feed them some goodies. Please do not do that - Jasper is a national park and the wildlife is expected to stay "wild").
The trail itself is somewhat rocky in places; I've seen people walk it in sandals but I would recommend at least a good pair of walking shoes (if not hiking boots).
You can walk as much or as little of it as you like.
If the weather is clear you will also see the awesome summit of Mount Edith Cavell. If it is not clear you might see some mist and clouds move away from the top to reveal freshly fallen snow, yes, even in July (if that is when you are going).
Besides people (and this is a very popular walk) and scenery, you will see lots of little ground squirrels and chipmunks, and also Clark's Nutcrackers (grey birds of the Corvidae family who will wait for you on the roof of your car hoping that you will feed them some goodies. Please do not do that - Jasper is a national park and the wildlife is expected to stay "wild").
Jun 10th, 2004, 06:01 AM
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I wholeheartedly agree with Bob that the Angel Glacier trail is the top do-not-miss experience in the Jasper area. It gets my vote for the best views with the least effort. My husband and I walked the trail in the late evening, after the crowds and heat had disipated, but only to the base of the small lake. We were amply rewarded by even this short hike.
