The
Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers at Athabasca Falls on Highway 93 Jasper, Alberta, Canada August 1, 2015 and previously on August 26, 2009 |
NOTE: Most of the photos below are from 2009 (the smaller photos) , but more have been added from 2015 (the larger photos.) Karen Duquette did not want to take a lot of duplicate photos. |
The Athabasca River has been carving a gorge through the Rocky Mountains for many thousands of years. The 23-metre Athabasca Falls are located 19 miles south of Jasper. Athabasca Falls has breathtaking views of jagged cliffs and brilliant flashes of spray. |
They are not very tall falls, but there are an amazing number of places to view the falls from different angles. First there is the Athabasca River and a great picnic area, followed by the Athabasca Falls viewpoint, then there is the Lower Canyon, the giant pothole, and the lower canyon viewpoint with rafters ............... | |
Now that you have seen the signs giving a hint
of what to expect, scroll down for the real thing. |
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Below: The two RV Gypsies enjoyed a picnic beside the Athabasca River in 2009. They wanted to picnic here again in 2015, but this portion of the river was closed to the public with no access in 2015. |
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Athabasca Falls is a waterfall in Jasper National Park on the upper Athabasca River, approximately 30 kilometres south of the townsite of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, and just west of the Icefield Parkway. A powerful, picturesque waterfall, Athabasca Falls is not known so much for the height of the falls (23 metres), 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. The falls can be safely viewed and photographed from various viewing platforms and walking trails around the falls. Access is from the nearby parking lot, which leads off Highway 93A just northeast of the falls. Highway 93A takes off from the nearby Icefield Parkway, and crosses the falls on the way north to the town of Jasper. White water rafting often starts below the falls to travel downstream on the Athabasca River to Jasper.It is a Class 5 waterfall, with a drop of 80 feet and a width of 60 feet. |
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Below: The two RV Gypsies at Athabasca Falls in 2015. |
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POTHOLE - looked like good
chocolate candy, according to Lee Duquette. |
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Below: The
Two RV Gypsies went down to the lower canyon (small photo is 2009) (big
photo is 2015) |
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Below: Lee Duquette on the path in 2009 and Karen Duquette on the same path in 2015. |
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The lower Canyon viewpoint
and the river below |
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Below: 2009 |
Below: 2015 |
Below: Karen Duquette felt the glacier-fed waters which were icy cold, of course. (2015 photo) |
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Below: Looking from lower
viewpoint upwards towards the falls in 2009 and 2015. |
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Continue exploring the two RV Gypsies adventures in Alberta, Canada |
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AFTER you have viewed all of the above sites in Alberta Canada, please continue on to British Columbia, Canada |
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