The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
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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. |
The Athabasca Falls 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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The two RV Gypsies enjoyed
a picnic beside the Athabasca River |
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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 POTHOLE that
looked like good chocolate candy, according to Lee Duquette. |
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Below: Time for the two
RV Gypsies to go down to the lower canyon. |
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Below: The lower Canyon
viewpoint and the river below |
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Below: Looking from lower
viewpoint upwards towards the falls |
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Please continue on in order of travel to Horseshoe Lake
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