The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
and the Glacier Snowcoach Adventure
Highway 93, Icefield Parkway
Jasper, Canada
phone-: '403.762.6735
August 3, 2015

• The two RV Gypsies were excited to have the opportunity to be in the Canadian Rockies once again, and this time they decided to tour the Athabasca Glacier in a giant Ice Explorer, called a snowcoach. During this unique 80 minute journey, they learned how glaciers are formed and saw incredible geological features.

  . They even got out of the snowcoach and walked on the 300-metre-thick sheet of ice during a short stop in the middle of the glacier.

The Terra Bus wheeled vehicle is one of the few snowcoach type vehicles currently produced. It is an all-wheel-drive, three axle, off-road bus which is specially constructed for use in Arctic climates by the Canadian specialty vehicle manufacturer Foremost, based in Calgary.

The Terra Bus can transport up to 56 passengers. The vehicle is equipped with six extra-large, low pressure tires - typically filled to 30 pounds per square inch. Length 48.9 feet.

Below: The Athabasca Glacier and the route that the snowcoach undertakes.

The journey on the Glacier Adventure started at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre where the two RV Gypsies boarded a shuttle and traveled towards the Athabasca Glacier. As the glaciated terrain became more rugged, everyone transferred to the snowcoach. Karen Duquette took photos out the side window of the snowcoach as it made its way up the glacier.

Along the way, the driver shared information about glaciers and Icefields and their impact on our environment. Even the dirt area shown below is actually part of the glacier.

The red arrow in the photo below is pointing to the RV and toad of the two RV Gypsies in the parking lot of the Icefield Centre, as seen from the traveling snowcoach.

The dots seen on the 'road'
in the photo below are snowcoaches.

Below: One snowcoach in the dust
and one on the 'road' ahead.

Below: Alongside the snowcoach path, Karen Duquette photographed a small, slow moving river of ice that went 30 stories deep.

Time for the two RV Gypsies to exit the snowcoach and walk on the glacier. Lee Duquette made some new friends.

Below: The two RV Gypsies headed for the water flowing down the bank of the Glacier.

Below: Karen Duquette did not know that she should have brought her water bottle with her to refill with the pure glacial water that was flowing by in rivulets, so she decided to cup her hands and get a few sips of the water anyway. She had to be careful not to fall into the crevice while reaching for the water, (which may not have been a smart thing to do). Lee Duquette thought Karen was crazy.

Below: The water tasted great, but almost froze Karen Duquette's hand off.

Below: A close up of the water as it reached the crevice area, and the water on the floor of the glacier.

There were people everywhere. Suddenly there was a bit of a commotion because a hole opened up where a lady had stepped and when her friends helped her get her LEG out of the hole, her sneaker was still in the hole. So someone reached down into the hole to get the sneaker for her. She dumped the water out of the sneaker and had to wear it again. Bet her foot was frozen for real!

Below: Lee Duquette and the Canadian Flag.

Below: Karen Duquette's foot sank into a small hole as she was holding the Canadian flag, but she moved quickly enough not to get trapped in the hole like the other lady did.

Below: Another area with water flowing down into a crevice. This water was flowing faster and wider than the other section.

Karen Duquette had a harder time reaching for a drink of water this time.

Boo ! - Time to get back on the snowcoach.

Below: View from the side window
of the snowcoach.

Below: One dot on the 'road' ahead
- another snowcoach.

Below: Karen Duquette stuck her camera out the small opening in the side window to get photos of the other snowcoaches.

Glacier Definition: Glaciers form where more snow falls in the winter than melts each summer. As the snow get thicker and heavier, it compacts into dense glacial ice that slowly flows downhill, like a river of taffy. Water flows to three different oceans from this area, known as a hydrological apex. On the British Columbia side of the icefield, meltwater flows into the Columbia River and eventually into the Pacific Ocean. On the Alberta side, the North Saskatchewan and Athabasca Rivers feed into the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean, respectively. These rivers provide fresh drinking water for millions of people and are crucial to agriculture and countless ecosystems. That is why their source is protected in a national park.

At the end of this adventure, the two RV Gypsies traveled in their RV to Banff and took a few photos along the way, mostly of Bow Glacier.

Below: A waterfall

Below: a Wildlife Crossing Bridge (no cars allowed)

This is not a linear website, so visitors always have options of where to navigate next. Below are three of those options.

Visit sites in the order they happened and continue on to Lake Minnewanka boat ride in Banff.

OR

RETURN to the Alberta main menu

OR

Go to the main Canada menu for British Columbia, Saskatchewan, The Yukon Territory, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, PEI, Nova Scotia, Campobello Island, and New Brunswick.