Glacier in Retreat

One of the highlights of the Icefields Parkway is the sprawling Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefields. Well-equipped hikers often venture out onto the glacier, which can be extremely dangerous for the novice, due to deep crevasses in the ice. Snow vehicles provide less adventurous tourists with a safer experience. This glacier is in retreat, and has moved back a long way from its extent when I first visited it in 1971, the spot from where this photo was taken. Markers show the glacier's reach in previous years.

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