The Athabasca River drops over layers of hard quartzite and then flows through a gorge of limestone. The falls, with a drop of about 80 feet, roar with an enormous volume of water.
Canada
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Sep 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Athabasca Falls
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Sep 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Athabasca River
The Athabasca River flows down from the Columbia Glacier in the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. It was part of the main fur trade route from the Great Lakes to the Mackenzie River in the late 1700’s through the mid 1800’s.
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Sep 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Upper Sunwapta Falls
A view of Sunwapta falls from an access bridge from the highway. The river churns as it drops and it’s easy to see why it was named “Turbulent Water.”
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Sunwapta Falls Detail
A dramatic 60 foot waterfall on the Sunwapta River, fed by meltwater from the Athabasca Glacier. Sunwapta, a native name, means turbulent water
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Peak Detail 2
A short telephoto, 85mm, to pull in some detail from a peak seen from the Icefields Parkway
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Peak Detail
As snow clouds descended, this mountain peak came in and out of visibility. Taken from the Icefields Parkway near Bow Lake.
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Bow Lake
A small glacial lake along the Icefields Parkway. There are views of the Bow Glacier and the Crowfoot Glacier. I am still amazed by turquoise colored ice.
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Pulpit Peak
A look up into the snow storm dropping over the mountains. I was worried that I might need chains later in the day, but, fortunately, that didn’t happen. The storm added drama to an already magnificent view.
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Aug 11
Canada and Alaska 2011–Hector Lake
Hector Lake, one of many small lakes that line the Icefields Parkway. It is the second lake from the headwaters of the Bow River.