Mountains/Glaciers/Rivers., Jasper National Park

To hear the wind whispering through the trees which cover the great slopes is a joy to behold - then to hear it gradually building to a crescendo as you hear & feel the mighty winds - find the fleece & sit back & enjoy this wonderous experience.

this place is really nice u get to see a really cool glacier on the mountain side , a small pool full of little bergi bites and alot of snow and mountains around you.

u have to walk from the parking - not a really long walk but not the shortest ull walk ....about 30 minutes walk - ull see angel glacier to ur right but keep going and then ull see the pool - get closer to it - go down with the trail till u r there

Needless to say anything. Just look at the picture. And imagine Mount Edith Cavell and the Angel Glacier just above it.

As you can see the basin is filled with ice floes. Look at the glacier in the back. You can see streaks of brown dirt/debris in the blue ice, caused by the growth of new ice layers on top of older ones which had dirt/debris on top of them.

You might not see it due to the perspective, but there are at least some 50 metres of lake between the ice floes and the edge of the glacier.

Well, the picture says it all. Angel Glacier is named after its form. Shaped like an angel with spreaded wings, this is one of the most spectacular glaciers I've seen.

When you stand here you can (in the summer) often hear (if you are lucky see) parts of the glacier breaking off. Only when combining this roaring sound with seeing relatively small parts break off, makes you realize how big this thing really is.

In the pic you see the glacier with the peak of Mount Edith Cavell to its left. As a reference: Edith Cavell Basin is located just outside the lower left corner of this photo.

Without a doubt Mount Edith Cavell (3363 m.) was the highlight of our trip to Jasper. The north face of this impressive peak towers over the town of Jasper and is definitely a must-see. Between Jasper townsite and the Athabasca Falls further south, the main road (hwy 93) is parallelled by the old road (hwy 93A). Somewhere halfway this hwy 93A, the Edith Cavell road leads towards the Mount Edith Cavell parking lot. Be prepared that the quality of this 15 km. tarmac road is extremely poor. So be careful and take your time. (I guess it can be done with a camper as well, but to be safe, ask at a visitors centre.)

Once you've arrived, you can either choose to do a nice alpine meadows walk. Or take the main hiking trail to the base of Mount Edith Cavell. It is a short hike (1/2 hour max.), but what a scenery! Towering in front of you is the impressive north face of Mount Edith Cavell. To the right "hangs" the spectacular Angel Glacier and at your feet lies Edith Cavell Basin, filled with ice floes and yet another small glacier.

Don't mix up this Edith Cavell Basin with Cavell Lake, which is located close by but lies closer to the main road in the valley.

Mt. Edith Cavell (3,363 m) is the highest mountain in the vincinty of Jasper townsite. Here has one of the most popular hikes in the park. It is so popular that you should get there early, or you might have trouble finding a parking spot. From the parking lot, there are two trails to choose from. The Cavell Meadow trail is longer and steep, but you will be rewarded with alpine meadows, along with a spectacular view of the the mountain and the Angel Glacier hanging on its north face. The Path of the Glacier trail is shorter and takes you to the Cavell Pond, right below the Angel Glacier.

try to be there before 11AM. It get pretty crowded later. (not enough parking ) It is definitely worth the driving (a lot of switchback on a narrow road). The hike to the pond is a little steep but it is a loop . you can take the right side of the loop to the pond and come back the same way.

The view at old fort point near Jasper town is very beautiful.You can see The river winding through the valley and how the Jasper rafting tour group floating back . If you climb high enough, you can see the Jasper town below you.Just climb up the wooden stairs near the parking lot in old fort point, you wo'nt regret at all !

The glacier is located between Lake Louise and Jasper. The icefield is about 300 m. thick. Its melt waters flow into the Mackenzie, North Saskatchewan and Columbia Rivers.
You can also take a trip onto the Athabaska Glacier in Brewster Tour's show coaches, which have been modified to drive on ice. ($30)

Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It doesn't get as much publicity as it's next door neighbor (Banff National Park) because it's more remote, but don't let that stop you from visiting.

Less crowds, less expensive and much more to see are just some of the things that Jasper National Park has to offer...plus, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as the glacial jewel of the Rockies.