7-23-13. The 18th Day of Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies. Lupe and SPHP woke up fairly early, around 6:30 AM. It was already light out, of course, and had been for over an hour. The sky was a brilliant blue and the sun shone brightly on the mountain peaks to the W.
Lupe and SPHP were still in the shadows of the mountains to the E. Lupe and SPHP went down to the bridge they had crossed the previous evening when Lupe had gone to see Chephren and Cirque Lakes. For a few minutes, Lupe and SPHP just stood on the middle of the bridge looking at the Mistaya River and enjoying the moment.
Then it was time to go. Lupe had things to do! SPHP was really looking forward to it, too. Lupe was going to go on the most anticipated trek of the entire vacation, the short hike up to Parker Ridge for a magnificent view of the Saskatchewan Glacier! After a quick breakfast, Lupe and SPHP headed N in the G6 along the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93.
Even from the highway, there were great views of snow-clad peaks all around. N of Saskatchewan Crossing, the impressive North Saskatchewan River meandered through the huge valley just W of the Icefields Parkway. A medium-sized black bear ran across the highway from the (W) river side to the (E) mountain side of the highway. Lupe saw it. It was the first bear she had seen on this trip and she got a very good look at it. She barked ferociously. The bear took no apparent notice of the noisy dingo whizzing on by.
Climbing up past the big loop in Hwy 93, the skies suddenly darkened. It wasn’t any more than 4 or 5 more miles up to the Parker Ridge turnout. Lupe was soon at the Parker Ridge trailhead right alongside the Icefields Parkway, but the weather was suddenly very threatening. Dark clouds with heavy fingers of fog were rolling down the mountainsides from the NW.
Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6. SPHP checked out the map on display at the Parker Ridge trailhead. A chill wind was blowing. Within just a minute or two, a cold rain descended on Lupe and SPHP. Clearly conditions were not favorable for climbing Parker Ridge. Even if Lupe and SPHP could endure the cold wind and rain and get up on the ridge, there wouldn’t be anything to see in the fog. Lupe wisely jumped back in the G6 before she got bone-chilling soaking wet. Carolina Dogs know enough to come in out of the rain.
SPHP decided Lupe might just as well head on over Sunwapta Pass to the Icefields Centre near the Athabasca glacier, which wasn’t far away. At Sunwapta Pass, Lupe left Banff National Park and entered Jasper National Park for the first time. It was still quite early and people were just starting to arrive when Lupe and SPHP pulled in to the parking lot at the Icefields Centre. A cold rain was coming down steadily. The whole sky looked as dark and threatening as if a huge November blizzard was about to strike. Across the highway, the Athabasca glacier and surrounding snow-covered peaks loomed gloomily and mysteriously through the fog.
The Icefields Centre had just opened. Lupe stayed in the G6, while SPHP went in to see if there was any weather forecast available. Lupe’s bright cheerful summer day had changed to a very convincing display of the onset of winter in the span of 30 minutes. The weather looked so bad outside, SPHP had started thinking that if this was really a major front moving in, maybe the Athabasca glacier was as far as Lupe would get on here 2013 Dingo Vacation. The notion that Lupe was going to miss out on climbing Parker Ridge and seeing the Saskatchewan glacier was very disappointing.
SPHP talked to a young woman at the information desk and asked for a weather forecast for Jasper for the next few days. Someone else was interested in the same information. She got on her computer and checked it out. Today and tomorrow would be rather iffy with thunderstorms possible, with highs of 17°C (63°F) and 20 degrees C (68°F) expected. The following two days were supposed to be clear and 25°C (77°F). SPHP was relieved. The forecast was far less ominous than the weather outside. SPHP returned to join Lupe in the G6 and wait.
The rain continued for the better part of an hour. Lupe snoozed. SPHP read. By the time an hour was up, the rain had pretty much stopped. Lupe and SPHP could see a little patch of blue sky trying to peek through over the Athabasca glacier. The weather improved rapidly. The little patch of blue sky was growing and spreading out fast from the Athabasca glacier. Soon the mountainsides 1,000 feet above the Icefields Centre parking lot were becoming visible revealing a significant dusting of new snow.
SPHP was elated! Lupe was not only going to get to go up Parker Ridge to see the Saskatchewan Glacier, but the scene would be even more fantastic with a dusting of new snow on the mountains. Lupe and SPHP headed back to the Parker Ridge turnout. Other people were already gathering there for the hike up as well. The climb along the excellent trail only takes 45 minutes or so to reach the crest of Parker Ridge.
The Saskatchewan Glacier is visible flowing down from the Columbia Icefield near the head of the huge valley on the other side of Parker Ridge. Except it wasn’t. The valley below was full of fog when Lupe first arrived. Lupe and SPHP waited for it to clear. SPHP chatted with a couple of guys from Edmonton. After 20 or 30 minutes, the fog started dissipating. Eventually it disappeared entirely.
Lupe and SPHP wandered around up on Parker Ridge for quite a while. Different vantage points gave slightly different perspectives. Due to the lay of the terrain, climbing higher up on the ridge seemed to just hide more of the glacier from view. Some of the best vantage points were achieved by following a trail towards the E along the edge of the valley going away from the glacier.
On the way back down to the G6, Lupe was amidst a crowd of tourists coming up or going back down. Lupe made a few new acquaintances along the way. Once back to the G6, Lupe and SPHP headed N again on Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 over Sunwapta Pass (the border between Banff and Jasper National Parks). SPHP drove on down to the Icefields Centre again, but this time turned off the opposite side of the Icefields Parkway and went down to the parking lots below the Athabasca Glacier.
The parking lots were 80% full and there were a lot of people around. Not exactly a wilderness experience, but where else can you drive practically up to the toe of a big glacier? A short trail led Lupe to a viewpoint well short of the glacier’s edge. Fences and lots of signs warning of the extreme dangers posed by glaciers blocked any further advance. It was all typical over-the-top hype that applies to everything these days, but whatever. (Drizzle on Jersey turnpike! Millions affected! Take appropriate precautions and stay tuned for further updates!)
The Athabasca Glacier was making its own weather. A strong, chill wind blew down off it into Lupe’s face. Away from the glacier, summer had returned. Close to it, cold locked in the ice during winters long centuries ago made itself felt one more time.
Lupe returned to climb Parker Ridge on 7-29-14 for a second time during her 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies. Click on the Parker Ridge link to see Lupe’s post on that ascent!
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