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NARRATOR>> The Athabasca Glacier is one of six glaciers
spilling from the 200 square kilometre Columbia Icefield.
This icefield, the Canadian Rockies' largest mass of ice, is bounded by multiple peaks
and straddles the boundary between the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.
Over the last 125 years or so, a warmer climate has caused the Athabasca Glacier
to melt and retreat over 1.5 kilometres.
In spite of this shrinkage, though,
the glacier still comes to within a kilometre of the spectacular Icefields Parkway,
a scenic drive that stretches 232km between Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta.
While anyone can walk the 1.5km return trail from the parking lot to the glacier's toe,
walking on the glacier is dangerous and, therefore, off limits
unless you're in the company of a qualified mountain guide.
So, we're joining a guided Icewalk,
a 3-4-hour adventure that will see us ambling a couple kilometres up the glacier itself.
We meet in the parking lot, where guides Josh and Bernard outfit us
with necessary cold-weather gear.
Today, this includes rain jackets and pants, gloves, and boots.
BERNARD>> Y'all want to come out on the glacier? Let's do it!
NARRATOR>> Walking a short way, we pause to learn a bit
about how the glacier has affected the surrounding landscape.
For example, Bernard tells us that around 1850, at the peak of the Little Ice Age,
the Athabasca stretched all the way to the top of the lateral moraines we see now.
These moraines consist of the rubble left by the glacier.
We also learn that the glacier creeps forward an average of several centimetres per day,
pushing rubble with it.
And during the warmer months it melts and recedes,
never quite reaching the place where it was the year before.
Soon, it's time to step onto the glacier itself.
We walk single file, following Bernard, who keeps us well away from dangers.
Glacial hazards include crevasses - deep cracks hidden beneath snow -
as well as mill wells, which are places where water runs down deep vertical shafts in the
ice.
BERNARD>> Water is eroding a big mill well.
These things could be several metres across.
I've seen like up to 4-5 metres across...
They could be 50, 100 metres deep.
And what would happen if you fell 100 metres?
And then on the bottom, there will probably be several creeks that are joining together.
You'll be washed away...
NARRATOR>> Bernard finds us a couple examples of mill wells along the way,
even allowing us to safely have a look;
however, he ensure we're never in any danger of falling into them.
Crossing a few streams on our way up the windy glacier,
we eventually reach our turn-around point.
Here, we rest, taking photos and enjoying the view.
KARA>> We've walked up 2km on the Athabasca Glacier.
You can see the three levels of the icefall up here.
They do a longer walk, a little bit later in the season that goes to the bottom of the
lower one, but there's too much snow to do that right now.
We've learned heaps about glaciers and the landscape,
and our toes are starting to get cold.
NARRATOR>> Fortunately for my sensitive feet, it's time to return to balmier earth, and
we head back down.
This morning's journey hasn't been difficult,
but the experience of walking on a glacier here in the majestic Rockies
delivers a natural high that lasts the rest of the day.