Columbia Icefield

This is a great way to experience the rugged beauty of the rockies. It's free to visit and if you're up to walking for about a kilometer from the parking lot, you can get quite close to the glacier. There are some steep parts to this climb, but if you take it slow, it's not difficult for a regular nature-walker/hiker. If you want to walk on the glacier you will need to buy a trip through a nearby service.

The Columbia Icefield is a massive icefield located in the Canadian Rockies, straddling the border between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. It's one of the largest icefields in North America's Rocky Mountains. I have visited twice with 10 years inbetween and, on the second visit, I could visually see that the size of the glacier had retracted over the 10 years since my last visit. It's a great fun place to visit, going up on the specially build trucks and I guess you should visit before it disappears totslly...

Very cool to see a glacier up close. We went in august and were comfortable doing the publicly accessible hike in shorts and a sweater. The cost to hike onto the glacier was about $150 so we stuck with the free access hike. Lovely views. Signposts indicating where the glacier went to in previous years were sobering.

Beautiful glacier, didn't get to go very close to it as it was all blocked off. You had to book a tour to be able to get to the glacier and hike around it. Wish you could get closer without needing to pay $$. Still beautiful, worth going to check out.

A special experience to feel our natural nature and let us know the importance of environmental protection

Beautiful

Only by stepping on hundreds of meters of ice can one truly feel the power of natural change，and the insignificance of human beings. The glaciers, which are being nibbled away by global warming, are shrinking every year. These hidden dangers unknown to most people are changing our present and near future. Surrounded by majestic mountains, the air is clear and wildlife can be seen from time to time, so it is highly recommended that you experience the indescribable feeling for yourself. 只有双脚踏在几百米厚的冰川之上，才能如此真切的感受自然变迁的威力，与人类的渺小而不自知。被全球变暖一点点蚕食的冰川，一年一年在缩水，这些不为大多数人知道的潜在危险，正在改变着我们的现在与不远的将来。整个旅途都有巍峨的群山环绕，空气清新，还有各种大大小小的野生动物，时不时就能看见，强烈建议你能亲自体会这种难以忘怀的感觉。

Bellos paisajes hermosos

The Columbia Icefield is gorgeous! The agents of the Columbia Icefield are great! I really appreciate the hospitalities of these Canada people and especially the agents who work at the Columbia Icefield! They are very knowledgeable and I can always learn something new from the narratives of the agents who work at the Columbia Icefield. The vehicles to the Columbia Icefield are splendid: These vehicles are unique in their types, and this world has less than 100 such vehicles and some of them are for research purpose, if I recalled correctly from the narratives of the agent(s). The suspension systems of these vehicles are A-OK and I almost not felt that the slope was 30 degrees when I was on the vehicle when approaching and leaving the Columbia Icefield! Highly recommended!

It's once in a life time experience to walk on the Gracier. It was amazing. This Gracier is located in Jasper which is about a couple of hours away from Banff. The reason that I can't quite give five stars because the Columbia icefield truck was hot on the inside. They can make it a little more comfortable in summer for customers. The parking, the transfer bus, washroom, cafeteria are all great. Staff are friendly and helpful. Recommended.

When the Fairmont Lake Louise concierge recommended the Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience I didn't realize it was 1.5 hours away. The silver lining was that it was a gorgeous drive on the way to Jasper so if you're going to spend 3 hours in the car (there and back) at least it's a pretty one. I'm sure this is the one time I'll ever walk on a glacier so that's pretty cool, but overall I was underwhelmed by the experience. It felt a lot like walking around Chicago on a snowy winter day....and I want nothing to do with winter in the middle of summer. The coolest part was the truck they used to transport us to the glacier and our guide was very entertaining. He joked around a lot making it a fun experience for all ages and even demonstrated how to do a glacier facial for everyone at the glacier. After the glacier we headed to the skywalk, which was another gorgeous view and then a glass floor. I've done plenty of glass floors in big cities, but for some reason this one felt extra scary and i felt the need to get off the glass within minutes. We ended back at the Columbia Icefield Center where we grabbed a casual lunch and then jumped back in the car for another long, beautiful drive. It was an interesting activity that I'd recommend if you're right in the area, but probably not worth a long drive when there's so many cool things to do right in Lake Louise and Banff.

It was impressive to see the Columbia Icefield up close. The glaciers and the streams running through the snow made for a majestic picture. We enjoyed being able to see glaciers and the mountains up close. It was fun to be able to walk on the snow and see a live stream of water coming down from the glacier. A fun experience worth doing once.

Pretty easy hike to get up close and enjoy a glacier from viewing distance of the parking lot; not a lot of glaciers are this easily accessible from the road. Again, some regulation from the park staff would be great but the views are the best in the Rockies in this area.

The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies, covering 89 sq miles with a depth of 1,200 ft and 17 miles long. It is draped over the continental divide on a high alpine plateau along the Alberta-BC border, it gets on average of 23 ft of new snowfall per year. Not all of that snow can melt in the short summers, so it accumulates, turning to ice which flows outward through the surrounding passes, creating fingers of ice known as glaciers, the Athabasca Glacier being the most well-known. We got here when the opened. I started in one of the 76 ladies rooms, picked up tickets & got on the shuttle bus. The shuttle was a 5 minute ride to the ice explorers. We rode the ice explorer onto the glacier. Once on the ice we tasted glacier ice & did a glacier facial.

Do it! A must see and do. It is a bit pricey but totally worth the experience. I enjoyed my experience. It was my first time seeing a glacier let alone the opportunity to walk on one. You take a ride in a huge ice explorer up to the glacier then you get out and are allowed to walk around on the glacier. Very slippery of course with it being a huge piece of ice. Picture time then back on the ice explorer. Nice size gift shop and coffee shop on site. The Skywalk, was ok. Very crowded so it was hard to enjoy it. However beautiful views. Just book it and enjoy the adventure!

For this experience, I think it really depends on who your tour guide is. For us. We had a excellent time. The tour guide that we had was very informative and fun. Kept the energy up the entire time. So how the tour works is you meet at the experience center and then they take a bus to the the actual vehicles that will take you out to the glacier. All in all it was a lot of transportation time and then we spent about 15 minutes out in the glacier itself. I think it was a cool experience to do one time. Probably would not do again since it was somewhat pricey. Even though it was a lot of transportation time. It was great to be able to look at everything and really take it in. I would recommend if you have time to make it out there.

We went on the Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience which takes you on a short bus ride to the Ice Explorer stop which then brings you down a steep slope onto the Athabasca Glacier. The ride was short but fun and it was a cool experience being in such a large vehicle. We had 15 min to walk around the glacier within a relatively small marked off area. There were a few other groups when we went so it did feel a bit crowded and touristy but it was a fun experience nevertheless and we got some fun pictures. You can also try the glacier water if you bring your own bottle. After the glacier, the bus brings you to the skywalk which in theory would be awesome but the views from the skywalk weren't actually that nice and we were done with it pretty quickly. As far as the center goes, it's great that there's a Starbucks near the ticketing area and you can bring your drink onto the tour as well! After we got back to the center, we were hungry and checked out the cafe. There's also a nicer sit down restaurant as well that served a lunch buffet but we weren't super hungry. We ended up getting a burger ($18) and cold soba noodle salad ($13). The salad was a nice light meal but the burger was really disappointing for the price. I don't expect great food but I wish it would have been a bit cheaper for what we got. All in all, it's a good first time experience but I wouldn't come back if we were in the Banff area again.

This was an incredible once in a lifetime experience! Highly recommend. We did it through a tour company and they made sure we got to where we needed to be. Dress warmly as it's chilly out on the ice even in summer. It was a cloudy overcast day which actually made it MORE fun. You can even take your pic with a Canadian flag . How cool is that! The drivers are cautious and very knowledgeable (and funny!). Totally worth it!!

This is a must see when you are traveling to Banff. There is a wonderful visitor center where you can use the restroom, get coffee, shop and learn more about the Glacier. The guide was informative as we went on to the ice field as well. The drive from Banff to here was about 2 hours but it was beautiful!

The Icefield Glacier Experience was enjoyable for our family. Recommend taking the tour on the Ice Explorer as it allows you to get on the ice much easier. Our driver and guide Marc ("with a C") was entertaining and high energy so, we enjoyed the journey to and back from the Athabasca Glacier. The glacier was colder than we expected. The glacial melt was cold and enjoyable to drink. The skywalk was cool too though on the day we went visibility was poor. It's a classic tourist trap but one that's worth getting "trapped" by.

We stayed overnight at the hotel, which i recommend. Every staff person there is exceptional. The big bonus is that you wake in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Sunrise is phenomenal. Like others have mentioned, the drive from Banff to this location and onto Jasper just gets better every Km. The icefield adventure is a must do. The giant vehicles are amazing, I want one! The bonus is that if you stay at the hotel they have guided tours just for those guests. In addition, the breakfast was way better than I had expected. It's a great experience

We did the Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience and I highly recommend taking the tour so you can get up on the icefield! You can also hike it alone or on a tour, but an average person would not be able to just hike up the ice (and it would definitely take a long time). The Glacier Experience allowed you to get in a "Ice Explorer," the only one of its kind outside of Alaska. This vehicle has some of the biggest tires you'll ever see, necessary for when it drives you down the steep sheets of ice. Our Ice Explorer driver gave us a lot of really interesting facts about the glacier, land and the vehicle. She was funny and answered everyone's questions. Once she drove down the first steep hill of ice, she stopped on the flat field so everyone could get out for 15-30 minutes or so to explore and take photos. We loved how they had flags from around the world stationed up on the icefield and it was fun to slip around the ice and see everyone taking photos with their home country's flag. Highly recommend checking out. It's beautiful!

Would you pay $75 for a 8 mile round trip? Not just any trip, but on the largest accumulation of ice south of the Arctic Circle. We were traveling with our bus tour group down the Icefields Parkway on the Continental Divide in the Canadian Rockies, one of the most magnificent mountain roadways in the world. Temperatures in the 60s, clear and cloudless day with minimal wind. Stopped by the massive Columbia Icefields Discovery Center across the highway and a couple of miles from the Athabasca Glacier. Had previously gotten a bag lunch, as warned that prices at this place with cafes and restaurants are astronomical, and the food subpar. Classic tourist trap! Can't drive up to and onto the glacier, but must take a special vehicle to drive on the ice. Long lines for the $94 Canadian ($75 US) tour tickets, which include the skywalk tour, and the icefield tour. Lots of mainland Chinese, so definitely no driving while Asian! Boarded another tour bus, run by Brewster Tour company, for the 5 minute ride across the road to the Icefield Center, a temporary staging center on the edge of the glacier. We disembark, and then wait a 10 minutes to board the Ice Explorer, to go on the glacier itself. These are massive $1.3 million dollar, 30 ton vehicles, holding 53 passengers. 6 tire vehicles, each $5000 tire 5' tall and 4' wide. Windows on the sides, and in the ceiling, for an all around view of the glacier and surrounding mountain tops. Scariest part of the trip is not going on the glacier, but the trip down the slopes of the huge mountains of rock piles created by the moving glacier, a 35 degree 18% grade! Hold onto your hats! Got to wait until the pathway is completely clear of other vehicles, in case of brake failure! Vehicles go a maximum of 10 mph, and complete the trip to and onto the glacier in about 15 minutes. A half dozen Ice Explorer vehicles already parked in the safety zone on the glacier. Hundreds of visitors standing and gawking at the sight of the huge mounds of ice fields on all sides. The glacier is running right into us, like a river of ice miles across. Ice is about 300 feet deep where we stand, with water from melting ice. Got to be careful not to step into the blue areas, as you will end up with your shoes soaked to the ankle. Very slippery on the ice, as thousands of visitors have worn down the ice to be super smooth, with no grip. Would not want to become an instant internet sensation falling on your booty! At least we did not come in April, where there can be high winds, minimal visibility, and maybe a minute or two on the frigid icefield, wearing face masks. Today you could see a few young ladies in shorts, sandals and T-shirts. Warned not to go beyond the clearly marked safety zone, as crevices in the ice, where one could fall and get injured, if not worse! Lot of paperwork for Daniel Broghen, our tour operator! 20 minutes later we re-embark on the Ice Explorer and redo the 18% grade, this time going up the grade. One of the highlights of our trip, although a ripoff for $75 for traveling 8 miles round trip? Largest accumulation of ice south of the Arctic Circle, next to largest tourist trap this close to the Arctic Circle.

gorgeous view of the glacier. you get to spent about 20 minutes taking pictures. the tour guide for one of the ice explorers, sam, is especially enriching to the experience and handsome as well

I did the Glacier Adventure for ~$55CAD. It was ok, but honestly not super worth it. It was cool to stand on my first glacier ever and learn more about this area during the ride there thru the guide, but you literally get only 15 mins of free time to roam in a certain section of the glacier where the bus drops you off. It's kinda like just being in the middle of a lot of snow. Pictures don't really turn out great because there's not a lot of contrast, so I would recommend spending most of the time just taking it in instead of snapping photos especially when you have limited time. Maybe good for those more interested in leisure/chill activities to see things. What's cooler and free is the short hike that is located across from the visitor center of this place. I'm not sure the name, but you will see a blueish ice cave looking structure from afar and there is a road to get there with a parking lot. It has broken glaciers there and is way more amazing!

We just did this using Brewster Tour Company and here's some tips. DO NOT book tours using Expedia- they ruined my trip. Thank god Shay-Lee was so amazing at Brewster's because she did everything to get my tours back on track. They were beyond helpful. 1. Absolutely book and confirm WELL AHEAD of time. Tours fill up early and you need to have your Brewster vouchers printed in hand. 2. The buses are so nice. They have chargers at each seat and they recline! 3. On this tour you meet, head to Fairmont where you grab coffee and are right at Lake Louise for pics. 4. Bring a very warm jacket with hood for glacier area you can leave it on the bus until needed and wear sunscreen. 5. Lunch wasn't that great. Salad was good but overall if you are picky bring something. 6. The tour guides Patrick and Erin were incredible they are so informative. I would do this again in a heart beat. You beat finding parking, getting lost and it even includes the price of the skywalk which was wonderful and we saw goats!

We came at about 11AM and were told we would not be able to get onto the glacier until 4- so make reservations and buy tickets ahead of time. We opted to just do the walkway since we could go in 15 minutes. The bus ride to the walkway is short and pretty, the drivers might give you some cool insight. The actual walkway itself is gorgeous and dramatic! Even a little thrilling, however it obviously feels safe, haha. Even if you do the glacier itself, I recommend this too.

Went here with my sister. The service was sub-standard and the workers did not communicate well with us or each other. There were endless lines and the service staff were discourteous toward my sister and I. We arrived at 12 noon and were told to go to the skywalk because the glacier adventure was on standby. After spending just about 30 minutes at the skywalk, we came back and were told that the next glacier adventure trip was at 2:45 pm. We were taken to the station to board the ice vehicles for the adventure, made to wait one whole hour in the jammed stinky vehicles only to be told that the trip was cancelled because the ice was slippery and another vehicle fell into a ditch. I thought ice was always slippery. Overall it was not a pleasant experience especially with the service!

Our 9-day trip in the Rocky Mountain was remarkable, left us with a lot of happy memories. The only unpleasant episode was at ticket counter at Columbia Icefield late morning on Sept 5th. Between her not knowing how to handle Groupon voucher, our confusion at her loud request that 2 of our 4 people must go back to the end of the line ( we traveled as a group and we had gone through the line), our stress at her request to find Groupon email instead of paper ticket when we did not know fast enough (for her) that the building had internet connection, and the fact that we needed time to look at the Groupon printout to understand what was wrong, Erin was not patient, she was loud, rapid and perpetual in talking, she also talked over my friends assuming they did not understand English while in fact, we were just overwhelmed by her mannerism and the possibility that she might refuse our voucher after hundred of dollars we had spent on Groupon. In the end, Groupon voucher was processed fine, but we left all sweaty and exhausted. We decided as a group that we need to give this feedback. She needs more customer service training and to learn to be patient. Her thousandth time saying something can still be the first time each customer hears it.

This tour is a "Must Do" when in Banff!!!! Our tour guide, Sam, was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions and had a great sense of humor!! A lot of photo ops and we also drank water from the glacier stream. Well worth the trip...and riding in the Ice Explorer was exciting as well!!

The Columbia Icefield is located in the Canadian Rockies, astride the Continental Divide. The icefield lies partly in the northwestern tip of Banff and the southern end of Jasper National Park. It is about 325 km in area, 100 to 365 metres in depth and receives up to seven metres of snowfall per year. The icefield feeds eight major glaciers. The Athabasca River and the North Saskatchewan River also originate in the Columbia Icefield, as do tributary headwaters of the Columbia River. This puts the Icefield atop a triple Continental Divide, as these waters ultimately flow to the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. I was here the first time in the middle of a blizzard and didn't see anything! I had better luck the second time as Gayle and I drove up from Lake Louise, enjoyed the visitors centre, and then took a hike to get a closer look. The next time, we'll try out the "Tundra Buggy" and I'm sure it will be worth every cent. Parts of the Icefield are visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Athabasca Glacier in particular has apparently receded significantly over the years. It's a gorgeous sight nonetheless and well worth the Icefields Parkway Journey from either Banff or Jasper. You'll never see anything like this in your life again.

When I think of the Canadian Rockies, the things that instantly come to my mind are glacier-covered mountains, colossal pure white glaciers, waterfalls, turquoise blue rivers and lakes. The one thing that I never dreamt of was, walking on the glaciers! "What? Can I actually walk to the toe of the glaciers?" I was talking to myself when I saw a board that read that one can walk to the Athabasca Glaciers. I've only seen those mighty, white, mysterious glaciers from faraway. An opportunity to walk to the toe of the glacier? Yes of course, I'll take it any day! We parked the car and started walking uphill at a brisk pace. As the chilly winds brushed us, goose bumps started appearing on our skin. The weather had been so howling hot all morning that I could have fried an egg on the sidewalk. I gracefully welcomed and enjoyed the nippy winds on the way to the Athabasca Glaciers. A glacial stream separated us from the glaciers. Due to the perils of glacial crevasses, it is advised not to cross the stream and touch the glaciers. However, I also learned that there are glacier adventure tours that will take you on gigantic ice explorers to the glaciers, and you have the chance to walk on them. We came back another day, to do just that - walk on the Athabasca Glaciers! The wheels of the ice explorers were as tall as me! As these ice explorers drove on the glaciers, we saw glacial mountains on either sides of the bus, ice on the verge of melting into pure water and the gorgeous Athabasca Glaciers right in front of us! Initially, I was a bit scared walking on the glaciers. But then got used to it and started enjoying. I balled up the snow and threw them high above. Find the little glacial melts and drink the pure water flowing down. Fill up your water bottles with the glacial water - it's drinkable! Admire the ponderosity of the pure-white glaciers; I felt so teeny-tiny standing there amidst them! While returning, be on the lookout for Mount Snowdome (the triple continental divide or the hydrological apex), the water from here flows into three oceans - Pacific, Arctic and the Antarctic. Notice the mile-markers that indicate the glacier's retreat over the past two centuries. In 1840, the glaciers were all the way till the parking lot. Over the years they have retreated and it is predicted that at the current rate at which the glacier recedes, the glacier will very soon be replaced with a lake and a forest. That wouldn't be cool, would it? Downsides of development?

When I was 13 my parents took me on what I referred to then as "the camping trip from hell." Seriously, they didn't like each other, and it was the two of them and me in a camper, for 6 weeks, all through Yellowstone and Canada and back down the Oregon coast to Phoenix. It really was pretty damn awful. However, this Icefield was wonderful. I loved it. It was beautiful and so quiet, and so just flat out awesome. COOOOOLD. ( I was from Phoenix, so anything below 60 is time for a down coat, basically). I think this was a great use of my family's time and effort. I have been back again, and still felt the same way.

AWESOME!! I can finally say I've walked on a glacier....4 times!!! The sad thing is that trip after trip and lining the pictures up, I see myself growing taller.. than fatter... and the ice field shrinking. Over the span of 10 years, the evidence of global warming is apparent. You ride on these uber cool buggy things, listen to them give you a safety spiel, run around on the ice and head back. Oh yeah, you can also bring an empty water bottle to "bottle" up some of the "elixir water." Careful though!! They tell you stories of tourists who fall through crevases and die!

Avoid the Crowds & Arrive Before They Open at 9am. $50 is a lot but this is such a unique experience I figured it was worth it for the 80 minute drive out onto the glacier. The Ice bus itself was fun esp. going down a 30% grade. Get here early - we were the only group on the glacier. Later in the day there could be six or more buses out there. If I ever come back I'd try the walking tour on the glacier. August 2014

Review from Tripadvisor posting ------------------------------------------ One of the things that you must go on while in Alberta is the Glacier Adventure. I think the cheaper option is just to drive to the bottom of the parkway itself but if you join the Glacier Adventures, they've got a bus that brings you into the icefield itself. I thought I've seen snow before coming from Vancouver where there's mountains and snow in December but this is on a whole different scale. The ice is super thick and super cold! Be prepared to dress appropriately if you're going to do the Glacier Adventure. Due to the high volume of customers that they have, there's a set time limit for when you need to get back onto the bus to bring you back to the main lodge so be sure to be on time. The fellows that run the vehicles are super amusing so all the overloaded information that they give you is easy to learn and take in. The guys mentioned that every year the ice is receding so it's definitely something you want to see in your lifetime because it probably won't be there a couple generations after! Although it was pricey, I think it was definitely worth it's money!

CAUTION. According to the 2nd page and 2nd column of the terms and conditions the reservations are non-refundable. I attempted to cancel the reservation placed less than 12 hours before - tour reservations 6 months out. Customer service would not work with me. Do not reserve time ahead of your trip.

Took a tour with Trafalgar and got to go on an ice explorer up to the glacier. It was amazing to see close up and we loved the experience. Brett, our explorer driver, was funny, informative and filled our water bottles with glacier water. It was cold, (us being from Southern California), but it was worth seeing and walking around. Definitely go early to beat the crowd.

Tourist Trap. Overpriced but well organized and Informational. The best part was our Japanese driver. He was hilarious. Retired Financial Banker from Japan who use to work in New York but now spends his summers here with his wife. He was so funny and engaging and really cared about our time on the glacier. Impressive that he learned how to drive this big beast of a vehicle considering his background. It was pretty cool to be a passenger on one of their specially designed ice explorers and walk around on the glacier and drink melt water from it. There is a another tour 8 hours that you have a guide and hike with crampons and gear on the glacier. I wish I would have done that instead. It was cheaper and more my style but i didn't know i could do it. Everyone recommended this method of visiting the glacier. Maybe I'm dinging it a star for my disappointment. For most people i guess 45 minutes on a glacier is enough time but i wanted the hands on adventure.

I now realize why there is no cell service anywhere near the Columbia Icefield: because they wanted me to cool off before posting my Yelp review. After a fairly long (but beautiful) drive from Banff, we arrived at the Columbia Icefield. Parking is free and abundant. You walk up several flights of stairs to get to what I can only classify as a château. Inside, you'll find ticket sales, washrooms, and a gift shop on the main floor, as well as a cafeteria upstairs. We bought our tickets ($210 for four--yikes!) and got in line to get on the bus. The wait wasn't too long, and soon we were on Malcolm's bus. He takes you across the highway and partway up the mountain to the changeover point, where you get onto your Ice Explorer. Your ride begins with a descent down a 34 percent grade and then it's up the glacier. The ride is slow but the guide does a good job explaining the Athabasca glacier, surrounding glaciers, the technology of the Ice Explorer, etc. At the "top" (nowhere near the top), you are allowed to exit the Explorer and walk around for 20 minutes (technically you could stay longer if you want--just get on another Explorer for the ride down). It was cool to see the glacier up close and taste the water. Eventually we were back down and out of the bus. Our driver told us that the "observation center" (again, I don't know what to call it) set a record for having the largest women's bathroom in North America at something in the range of 68 stalls (only 19 in the men's room). Speaking of restrooms--they were disgusting. Every available stall had excrement of some sort on the seat, which meant I couldn't bring my son in to go to the bathroom. When we went upstairs to the cafeteria I got a firsthand experience of a monopoly. Knowing full well that there was no other food available for 50 miles in any direction, the cafeteria was full-on price gouging. We went with two sandwiches that looked like they were from 7-11 and a juice, which still came to almost $20. The glacier was cool, but I felt like I was at Disneyland with a "tourist" stamp on my forehead. It was a great experience, but is far too expensive for what you get.

50.00 each is not cheap, but this is not the time to be cheap. Take your lunch to work for a couple weeks if you have to but do not miss this adventure. You ride a specially made 6 wheel drive bus up on to 1000 ft of 1000 year old ice. It is too cool. Speaking of lunch, bring your own to the ice fields. The food is mediocre and expensive.

You'll take the Icefields Parkway to the Icefields Center, where you will start your tour. They depart approx every half hour or so. From here, you catch a Brewster Ice Explorer which will bring you out to the glacier. This is a specially equipped bus with some insane looking tires. These vehicles are serious, and make you almost feel not the least bit nervous about the little drive you are about to take. (if I don't come back, tell Al Gore he was right.) so as you drive onto the glacier you are thinking "this thing is kinda heavy"... Yikes! About half way through the tour, they stop for you to get off the bus and go walk on the glacier. Funny how you step off so carefully, just making sure that the ice is not going to give way. It really is beautiful out here. The crevasses are impressive and intimidating. This makes me wonder how I will answer the question below: Good for kids? If you hold onto them and not let them go for one second, it's awesome for kids! Before you know it, it's back on the Brewster to finish off your tour. Staff is friendly, and the tour is very informative and interesting. This is definately a "bucket list" type of adventure.

This was the highlight of my 8 day trans-Canada drive from Seattle to Calgary. Truth be told, while I planned this trip for my mom, I made the glacier bookings for me! I'd never been on a glacier and the chances of me ever getting to walk on one are slim to none and so finding out about these tours and getting to be so accessible via a drive and flight to Seattle made it worthy. The experience is awesome and our driver was also really great. She gave us great tips and history on the glacier and we could definitely see the effects of global warming. This stuff is for real!! It's a great thing for family but not young children. I don't think they can truly appreciate the beauty of it and appreciate the fact that it won't be there later in their lifetimes. In addition, that glacier water is the best. Well worth the 11hr drive from Seattle and the 3hr drive in from Calgary. The one thing I would have liked more is a longer time on the glacier. For $50-$60, fifteen (15) minutes is NOT enough. Especially when there are tons of tourists there. There can be up to 3 or 4 Brewer ice buses on that glacier at one time with about twenty to thirty tourists on board. It takes away from the experience not to mention, impossible to get a picture. You end up wasting 15 minutes just trying to wait for a turn to get a picture with the Canadian flag! Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience though. Should have brought an empty gallon jug for that water!

Bought Combo Ticket online, paid 90 dollar for 3 activity (Gondola, Ice Field and the glass walk) It's worth to take all of those 3 activity while in the area. We have wacky Cannuck Tour guide who like to sing and she explained the history and gave lots info about the ice field. Drink the water from the glacier from the small falls at the glacier shelf on stop at the top. Bring jacket and photo with lots of batteries and memory/film

Ice. As far as the eye can see. When you have to board a specially built ice truck to get onto the ice field, you know it's going to be good. It was like being in another world. Mountains of ice. Valleys of ice. Stunningly beautiful. Of course I drank some of the fresh glacier water too. review 8/7/2008 I.M.Y.

This is not cheap and we waited at least 45 minutes before we got on the bus to take you to the Ice Explorer. Wear anti-slip shoes and be prepared for anything, we were prepared for cooler temps but not the 80km winds and sleet. I have to admit, this was a bucket list kind of activity for me and maybe I built it up in my head but was a little disappointed when there was no "drinking water from a glacier" like in the pictures and videos we saw prior to going in. I also work in the environmental field so I'm aware of the effects climate change/global warming, whatever you want to call it has on these glaciers. However, although our tour guide Brad was awesome, the tour was kind of depressing knowing this glacier won't be here much longer(another reason to visit) and wish they would maybe give advice on how to lessen our carbon footprint or advice on how to help save places so majestic. All in all I think this experience is still worth the money and the trip. We actually drove up from Banff since we've never been in the area before and the drive was amazing. We almost got tired of saying how beautiful and breathtaking everything was. :)

The huge bus tires. The steep bus ride. This is something you do and you feel 'WOW'. You enjoy the views, the calm (except when there are tooo many people). If you can afford it.. DO IT! Not everyday and everywhere you get to stand on a glacier which has a depth more than the height of the Eiffel tower. Word of advise: Dress well even if you don't feel too cold before you get there.

A truly amazing experience! Although the tickets were rather expensive for the Icefield tour, we decided to do it since we were there, and in the end, we were glad we did! You first take a bus up to the Ice Explorer port and transfer on to one of the Brewster Ice Explorers that takes you out to the glacier. We had a great tour guide that made the experience very enjoyable. Once up top at the glacier, you are free to walk around and take plenty of pictures. Many people had brought water bottles and filled them up with the melted ice that was streaming.

The scenery alone is worth the drive along the 230-kilometer Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper...majestic mountains, breath-taking glaciers, beautiful lakes and, lucky for us, wildlife such as black bears, deer and elk. Be prepared for the long drive through the parks, but you can get food and drinks at the Columbia Icefield Centre where everyone stops to visit the Athabasca Glacier. From the explorerockies.com Web site, "The Columbia Icefield is located on the boundary of Banff and Jasper National Parks. One of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle, it covers an area of nearly 325 square kilometres, sometimes reaching a depth of 300-360 metres. The continuous accumulation of snow feeds eight major glaciers including the Athabasca, Dome, and Stutfield Glaciers, all visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefield is a true 'hydrological apex,' for its meltwater feeds streams and rivers that pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans." We did not take the Brewster Ice Explorer tour out onto the glacier, but preferred to observe the glacial glory from the Columbia Icefield Centre. It felt more respectful to not step all over the glacier, especially after learning about it's retreat over the years (check out the markers for where the glacier's reach used to be as you drive to the parking lot closest to the glacier's tip).

For most folks it's a great opportunity to 'be on a glacier'...I mean, if you're a tourist and driving by, there's few reasons not to do it. Yep, it's pricey, but so is filling up your gas tank. Overall, it was a fun experience, after the waiting and the lines. A suggestion for the tour company though...keep a dang stack of disposable paper cups on the bus for us to drink the water! Sure, there are the idiots without manners that will toss them on the ground, but if they don't get back onboard without their cup, then leave em up there! Otherwise, you're licking it like a dog from the side of the glacier. The smart ones brought a bottle!

This was my first time on a glacier. Its a really neat experience. They take you out on specially designed glacier trucks which are totally unique and unlike anything you have ever seen before. I learned more than I ever knew about glaciers. It was quite an interesting diversion on the road between Banff and Jasper National Parks.

What an interesting place to visit and the good thing is its a few hours from civilization. One can only visit these ice fields with a tour unless one happens to be a researcher. After a couple of hours of driving from my base hotel in Banff I was contemplating whether I should visit this spot or not and boy was it worth the drive. If you are doing the Edmnonton, Calgary, Banff and Jasper loop you will drive by this interesting spot anyway. Initial impression is somebody has just carved a block of ice and placed it in this valley. The tour is pricey so beware of that. Once is hauled in the custom built vehicles as one needs a special vehicle something that reminds of the vehicle in the arcade classic moon buggy. Apparently the land is very loose around here so one has to be extra careful and not veer off the main area. I saw the land just crumble all over when a researcher drop some equipment. The walk on ice is an interesting experience and is recommended. The staff though knowledgeable wasn't very friendly. Something that threw me off was that they were all from Australia on my visit. Last I heard there isn't much snow there. A very memorable spot and highly recommended if you are in the area.

Must go here if you are in the area! There is nothing quite like a standing in a glacier!! Shane, our adventure driver, was super knowledgeable and funny! Definitely worth the drive from Banff on the gorgeous Icefield Parkway!!

Best experience in Banff. Don't miss it. Where else can u walk on a glacier and drink glacier water. Staff is funny, experienced and the coordination among their whole team is amazing. Just exquisite and a MUST DO even though it is a drive from Banff. Plan a whole day trip for this and you will not be disappointed. I am struggling with the number of stars. I loved the experience a lot. Then we went to eat in their cafeteria - which was significantly over priced (as you would expect so no big deal) - but then the food was just absolutely the worst. Though I have never been to prison, but I expect prison food to be better. Thus the struggle on the number of stars. Anyways - 5 stars for the experience, negative 5 stars for the food.

My husband booked this trip for us. While I did enjoy it, I was surprised at the lack of concern this company has for the environment. It is clear that this type of tourism negatively affects the life of the glacier. Our guide even told me that was the case! Unfortunately, it seems as though they are just trying to make a buck as opposed to making an attempt to preserve nature. If you are unaware of what actually takes place during the tour, the company loads up a massive van (expelling all kinds of exhaust into the air) and totes around 40-50 people up to the glacier ... and then the tourists GET OUT AND WALK DIRECTLY ON THE GLACIER for 30 minutes. There are countries around the world that are already beginning to ban this - Canada, catch up before it's too late! I understand that the glacier would melt regardless of tourist walking on it, but as the guide told me, it definitely speeds up the process. If I would have known this, I never would have agreed to take this tour. If you are even the least concerned with the environment and it's preservation, please do not take this tour. I promise you can still get beautiful pictures from afar!

Yup, it's insanely expensive. There is a small 33 room hotel, two restaurants, a gift shop and two expensive tourist activites. Next year there will be an interpretive center but it's being rebuilt. In less than 24 hours, we slept the night, ate 2 meals and a snack/half meal, took the ice explorer and did the skywalk and I think that privilege came to about $600 for two people with no souvenir purchases and not including gas or transportation. I had been on the ice explorer as a child but my husband had going onto a glacier on his bucket list so it was a matter of time that we ended up here because I think that's the easiest way onto the glacier even if you're going to walk onto one. With this in mind, we'd do it over again. The scenery is wonderful and we saw a lot of animals. I'm born and raised around the rockies but my first wild grizzly was spotted on this trip which I'm excited about. I recommend the ice explorer as long as you know you just drive out there, walk around a bit, fill up a water bottle with glacier water (yum) and drive back down and are cool with that). The skywalk was just OK. I didn't think the view was anything too special (it's not really over the glacier or anything because that's unsafe to build around) so it's just over a valley and although the mountains are special it's just a valley like most around the area when I say not special. It's a lot like a roadside turn out with a bit more signage and education and then of course the glass walkout over the cliff. I've been on glass platforms before so it's not that new or scary but for some it seemed like they were facing a life long fear so it might be more meaningful to others. I went to the west rim of the grand canyon and skipped the skywalk there for the reason I'm not thrilled about the glacier one. The difference was the glacier one was a bit more reasonable than the one in arizona and you can bring your own camera out there. I have a separate review of the hotel on here but overall I liked staying by the glacier. The food was OK but very much "take it or starve". The cafe is bad hospital food but more expensive. The dining room has a very expensive menu but isn't nearly as bad as I thought. We had dinner here and the food is good/upscale pub fair to some fairly decent food in it's own merit. I had a quinoa apple salad (something not just anyone get right) and it was DELICIOUS. We also have breakfast here (it was part of our room package) and the buffet was good as far as breakfast buffets go it included lots of options and decent hot food. Very expensive, but you have little choice if you didn't bring food with you.

You get to walk on a glacier!!! Definitely worth the trip! Come for the 9:30am bus (the first one out) and you will enjoy the glacier with a much smaller group. After that, the buses get very packed. Must see!