Piece of Heaven

For those who wants a piece of heaven. :)

Crowfoot Mountain

Crowfoot Mountain is located in Banff National Park in the Waputik Range. It is situated north of Hector Lake, south of Bow Lake, and east of the Wapta Icefield at the northern end of the Bow River Valley. The spine of the Continental Divide is less than 2 km to the west of this bulky mountain. The scenic Icefields Parkway passes to the east of Crowfoot Mountain and its three summits can be seen from many vantage points along the highway. A highway pullout near Bow Lake provides a classic view of the Crowfoot Glacier on the northeast slope from which the mountain derived its name. This glacier has receded since its naming in the late 1800's and today only two of the three toes of the crow's foot remain visible. However it remains one of the most photographed mountains in the Canadian Rockies and it can be found on many calendar and postcard images.

Nightscape in Jasper Town

Taken with 8 seconds exposure, having to capture the movement of the light, together with the light shadow of one of the rockies are the best part of this photo. This was taken in the town of Jasper, Alberta. Truly an awesome town, however small. :)

Reflection

Just admiring the reflection showed in the water. :)

Athabasca Falls

Located approximately 30 kilometers south of the townsite of Jasper, and just west of the Icefields Parkway. A powerful, picturesque waterfall, Athabasca falls are not known so much for the height of the falls (23 meters), as it is known for its force due to the large quantity of water falling into the gorge. Even on a cold morning in the fall, when river levels tend to be at their lowest, copious amounts of water flow over the falls. The river 'falls' over a layer of hard quartzite and through the softer limestone below carving the short gorge and a number of potholes. 

Taken with 30 seconds exposure, F/8. On a cold fall day, temperature was about +1. I was not satisfied with my shot, I could have used a longer exposure time except that my remote suddenly didn't work, crap! Must be of the cold weather. Anyway, I see this is still worth posting. Enjoy! =)

Snow Coach

Massive Brewster Ice Explorers, specially designed for glacial travel, take passengers on a remarkable excursion onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Each 80 minute journey is lead by an experienced driver-guide, who shares a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on our environment. Mid-point in the tour, passengers can safely step out onto the glacier and stand on this powerful ancient ice. Tours depart every 15-30 minutes from the Icefield Centre on the Icefields Parkway.

A snow coach is a specialized passenger transport vehicle, designed to operate over snow or ice, similar to a large, multi-passenger snowcat that is equipped with bus style seating. These vehicles may have multiple sets of very large low pressure tires or they may have tracks. A snow coach may seat 10, 20 or more passengers and are often used for sightseeing tours or for over snow transportation.

Snow Dome

Snow Dome is a mountain located on the Continental Divide in the Columbia Icefield, at the intersection of Banff National Park, and Jasper National Park, in Alberta, and the British Columbia border in Canada.

The mountain was named in 1898 by J. Norman Collie because its snow-capped massif resembles a dome.

The mountain, reaching a height of 3,456 m (11,339 ft), is possibly a hydrological apex of North America, depending on the definition of the boundary between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, and of which of those hydrographic regions Hudson Bay is considered to be a part. (The other apex is Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park, Montana, United States.) Water falling on Snow Dome's summit may flow into streams that drain into the Pacific Ocean (via the Columbia River), the Arctic Ocean (via the Athabasca River), and Hudson Bay (via the North Saskatchewan River). The Dome Glacier flows to the north-east, the Stutfield Glacier to the north-west, the Columbia Glacier to the west and Athabasca Glacier flows to the east of the mountain.

Mount Andromeda

Located between Athabasca Glacier and Saskatchewan Glacier on the border of Banff & Jasper parks, Alberta Major headwaters Athabasca & Saskatchewan rivers, Mount Andromeda is located within the Columbia Icefield. The mountain can be seen from the Icefields Parkway (#93) near Sunwapta Pass and is directly southwest of Mount Athabasca. This peak has two summits, the southwest and northeast. Although older guidebooks said they were approximately equal height, BC Basemap clearly shows that the Northeast summit has one more 20m contour line. This summit has many technical snow and ice routes. All routes to the summit are exposed and subjected to considerable rockfall or avalanche danger. 

Mt. Andromeda was named in 1938 by Rex Gibson, former president of the Alpine Club of Canada, after Andromeda, the wife of Perseus.

Athabasca Glacier

The Athabasca Glacier is one of the six principal 'toes' of the Columbia Icefield, located in the Canadian Rockies. The glacier currently recedes at a rate of 2-3 metres per year and has receded more than 1.5 km in the past 125 years and lost over half of its volume. The glacier moves down from the icefield at a rate of several centimetres per day. Due to its close proximity to the Icefields Parkway, between the Alberta towns of Banff and Jasper, and rather easy accessibility, it is the most visited glacier in North America. The leading edge of the glacier is within easy walking distance; however, travel onto the glacier is not recommended unless properly equipped. Hidden crevasses have led to the deaths of unprepared tourists.

The Icefield Interpretive Centre, closed during the winter (mid-October to mid-April), stands across from the glacier. It is used as a lodge and for ticket sales for sightseeing on the glacier. Standard buses transport tourists to the glacier edge, where they board specially designed snow coaches for transport over the steep grades, snow and ice part way up the glacier.

The glacier is approximately 6 km (3.75 miles) long, covers an area of 6 km² (2.5 mi²), and is measured to be between 90 metres (270 ft) and 300 metres (1000 ft) thick.

Some cold hard facts

* It is 6 km squared in area.

* It is 6km long.

* Its depth is 90-300m (270 – 1000 feet) – The ice is as thick as the Eiffel Tower is high.

* It has icefall movement of 125m / year (400ft)

* It has turn around movement of 25m/year (80 ft)

* The icefalls elevation is 2700m (8900ft)

Once, the Athabasca Glacier flowed north to the present site of Jasper before joining other glaciers and cruising south east past Calgary. This journey, much like trying to get through Vancouver in rush hour, took many centuries. The Athabasca is slowly flowing downhill from the Columbia Icefields similar to the flow of a river.

Columbia Icefield

Midway between Jasper and Banff is one of the most popular attractions in Western Canada.

Athabasca Glacier is part of the masssive Columbia Icefields which are a vast reservoir of ancient water. The Icefields are the source of the headwaters of three rivers that flow to three different oceans (Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic). Nowhere else on Earth can you find such a phenomenon.

As the glaciers melt they are also sliding down the mountain sides and as they do so are crushing vast amounts of prehistoric rock into a fine powder, called rock flour. This powder floats into nearby lakes and rivers. It becomes suspended in the water and reflects light to our eager eyes. The colors are stunning and are different shades of blue, green and grey. Colors vary at different times of day and from lake to lake. It is a remarkable display that nature puts on for lucky travelers to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. 
Some cold hard facts. 
* It covers 325km squared – making it comfortably the largest body of ice in the Rocky Mountains
* Its highest point is Mt. Columbia at 3745 m (12,284ft)
* The average elevation is 3000m (10,000 ft)
* The greatest estimated depth is 365m (1200 ft)
* The average snowfall is 7m (23 ft) every year.
* Uniquely it drains into the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

The Columbia Icefields are considered one of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle, and can reach depths of 2,000 feet. 

Rock and Colors

A view on highway AB 93 South on way to Jasper National Park, combining the chaste color of the rockies and plush shade of autumn. Artlessly A-OK!!! =)

Fall Driving

Driving to a beautiful scenery as this, who wouldn't FALL?! =)

Lost Paradise

An empty space filled with beauty and grace. A lost paradise waiting to be captured. =)

Long Drive (Cross-Province)

Drove 8.5 hours from Yorkton, Saskatchewan to Edmonton, Alberta. From there, it took 3 to 4 more hours to go all the way to Jasper. This was our first stop - over from Edmonton to Jasper. The view is breathtaking. One of the longest and best road I've ever driven on so far. :)

Surrounding the area are the Rockies which would make your hours of driving amazingly incredible. You'll definitely be in awe of God's creation. Absolutely a must-do on summer time. =)

Canadian Rockies

This is what Canada is famous for, the Canadian Rockies. :) Drove 8.5 hours from Yorkton, Saskatchewan to Edmonton, Alberta. From there we had to drive 3 - 4 more hours to go to the Jasper. On the way would be all these Rockies that would make all the driving worthwhile. :) It is indeed the best long drive I ever had and I would definitely come back next year. The temperature around that time was between +4 to +8, almost ready for winter, but if you would dress up in layer, this wouldn't be too much of a problem. So now, let's enjoy The Rockies =D

The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. The northern end is at the Liard River in northern British Columbia.

The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (3,954 metres (12,972 ft)) and Mount Columbia (3,747 metres (12,293 ft)). The Canadian Rockies are composed of shale and limestone (unlike their American cousins). Much of the range is protected by parks and a World Heritage Site.