Photographing within the Columbia Icefields of Canada
At first glistening crunch, I knew I used to be again in my glad place. Listening to the sound of ice crunching beneath my crampons, watching because the ice sparkled earlier than my eyes, and marveling as my thoughts tried to soak within the immense magnificence because it piled in icy chunks towards the pinnacle (the highest). Glacial landscapes are an surroundings like no different, and I’m about to share how one can stroll upon one!
Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada, is among the most accessible glaciers on the planet. Situated inside the Columbia Icefields on the Icefields Parkway, it’s roughly a one-hour drive from Jasper and two hours to Banff. When you can cruise on by and catch views from the automobile, it’s past value stopping and staring slightly longer. Or, spending a number of days gazing upon the magnificent mountainside formations when you’re like me and may’t bear to look away.
What makes this glacier so particular is that you just’re capable of rise up near one thing that’s usually the results of a multi-day hike, hidden in a distant alpine valley. Glaciers are shaped when snow accumulates over time, turning to ice over many centuries, and the stress then creates a stream impact, outward and down, slightly bit like a really slow-moving ice river.  They’re present in alpine areas and shift and alter all through the seasons, calving, creeping, nonetheless, most lately, receding quickly.
Not solely do the glaciers themselves change, however the surrounding panorama is shifted over time. An instance of that is seen in sharp piles of particles and rock often called lateral moraines which have been transported and carried by the glacial ice, solely to be later revealed as soon as the ice melts. Lateral moraines are seen alongside the glacier, and Athabasca Glacier has some nice examples of this course of.
When visiting the Athabasca Glacier, you may take a brief, self-guided hike to the foot of the glacier, accessible by way of a carpark simply off the Icefields Parkway, or, you may take issues one very thrilling step additional.
You possibly can stroll upon the glacier itself which is one thing I wholeheartedly suggest anybody does when you’re snug mountain climbing for roughly 5km. It’s this expertise I need to share with you at the moment from my latest journey with IceWalks on their half-day traditional tour.
Simply to notice, whereas secure within the presence of a educated information, strolling solo on a glacier is extraordinarily harmful with hidden crevasses, collapsible sections, and probably fast-moving sections making a maze of obstacles, principally invisible to the untrained eye. It’s at all times suggested to stroll on a glacier with a educated professional, ideally a mountaineering information that’s had years of expertise exploring these treacherous but stunningly stunning environments.
The group at IceWalks have been strolling upon Athabasca Glacier since 1985 beneath the management of Peter Lemieux, an ACMG (Affiliation of Canadian Mountain Guides) ski information. After 36yrs on the ice, Peter transitioned possession of the corporate to a different member of the ACMG and long-term IceWalks information Corin Lohmann, and his spouse Megan. It’s Corin I had the pleasure of strolling with a number of weeks again on the opening weekend of their excursions in 2023.
It’s one factor to have a look at a glacier and be amazed by its dimension, element, and sheer magnificence, it’s one other to study and listen to tales from somebody who has devoted their life to this panorama.
Truly, I’m leaping forward now…let’s return to the beginning of the day.
When reserving a tour with IceWalks, they’ll equip you with all the things wanted to make sure your security on the glacier. Mountain climbing boots are really helpful, however when you don’t have any, they’ve received a van crammed with all sizes to package you out. There’s a pair of crampons for everybody, gloves, jackets, and even waterproof pants when you want them. After all, you may put on your personal gear too, I solely used a pair of crampons as I had the remaining with me.
There are two occasions supplied for the half-day traditional tour, I opted for the 10am tour as we have been staying in Jasper and it was only a quick drive down the parkway. Alternatively, you too can keep on the close by campgrounds in summer time, or the Glacier View Lodge the place I additionally stayed an evening and liked the view and really snug beds! Along with this there’s a 2pm tour, or when you’re after a full-day deluxe tour these kick off at 9:30am. Indigenous-led excursions are additionally supplied on particular dates all through the season, make sure to examine their web site right here.
The tour begins with a brief shuttle trip all the way down to the trailhead by Sunwapta Lake. From right here, a 15-min stroll takes you towards the toe of the glacier, the place the bottom level meets rocky terrain and lateral moraines. Stopping at a sophisticated chunk of limestone, Corin shared how the motion of the glacier impacts the encircling rock. Layers revealing centuries of change are evident, and as I wrote earlier, it’s made all the higher to have somebody share the scientific and geological details about what you’re seeing.
Onward, we cross a meltwater stream and inside minutes are on the ice. Regardless of ‘glacial blue’ being probably the most related color of glaciers, they surprisingly function a spectrum of hues, starting from deep white, brown, and black to an array of icy blues, gentle to deep. A mix of mud, ash, sedimentary rocks and minerals are layered inside the ice, then as in pictures, gentle performs a key function in what we see on the ice. One very seen means of how gentle, rock and ice work collectively is seen in tiny pockets and holes throughout the glacier. As a result of darker hue of the rock, typically as small as a pebble, the warmth of the solar warms the rock, in flip melting the ice round it. Â
One other attention-grabbing color truth is how rock flour creates the colourful blue color we see and are drawn to {photograph} in glacial lakes. Rock flour is created when the glacier advances throughout the bedrock, dragging rocks and boulders, grinding them down right into a wonderful flour substance. The flour then will get into the water system and when hit with daylight, absorbs all the colors of the rainbow and solely displays the blues and the greens.
Photographing on the Ice –
I’m a powerful believer in having fun with any out of doors expertise earlier than making an attempt to take photographs. Soak all of it in, go searching, after which contemplate the way you need to seize the scene. Now, I say that, but when anybody noticed me in motion, I used to be one snap-happy photographer up on the Athabasca Glacier, though I had spent a number of hours the day prior simply staring and conjuring up picture concepts.
To seize nice photos on the ice, it’s vital to think about your composition, the weatherproofing of your gear, and lens selections to make sure you’re able to have some enjoyable. You’ll additionally need to be aware to not lag behind an excessive amount of whereas on the glacier, primarily resulting from security causes and following the trail your information makes. It’s probably not the place to arrange your tripod and take your time, it’s a snap-on-the-go sort of exercise, however there are breaks which let you decelerate slightly.
Composition Suggestions when capturing the Athabasca Glacier/Glacial Landscapes:
- Search for components like ice and water to incorporate inside your picture, rise up shut (if secure to take action) to the glacial meltwater streams and incorporate them in your shot.
- Main traces are an important function when capturing glaciers, use them to compose your picture and have the traces of the glacier lead the viewers eye into the body.
- Hold an eye fixed out for particulars, glowing ice, tiny holes, patterns, colors and the distinction between rock and ice.
- Together with individuals in your shot is an effective way to showcase perspective and visually characterize simply how huge a glacial panorama is. On the day of my hike, we might see a distant group of mountaineers, apparently, they have been a number of hours’ stroll forward of us, kilometers away actually, which gave additional proof of simply how immense the Athabasca Glacier is.
- In case your digicam has the flexibility, swap over to the hand-held high-resolution mode (each my OM-1 and E-M1 MKIII have this) to make sure you’re creating picture information crammed with the intricate particulars of the glacier.
What Gear I Photographed With –
I took two cameras and three lenses with me on the half-day ice stroll. When mountain climbing, I choose to make use of two our bodies and pop on versatile lenses so I can simply shoot all through the day with out altering lenses or fiddling an excessive amount of, particularly if there’s no the place to actually cease.
Physique 1: The OM SYSTEM OM-1 with the 40-150mm f2.8 professional lens.
Physique 2: The OM SYSTEM/Olympus OM-D E-M1 MKIII with the 12-40mm f2.8 professional lens.
As soon as I’d captured quite a lot of photos, for the stroll again down the glacier, I switched out the 12-40mm lens and relaced it with the 7-14mm f2.8 professional lens to seize some wider photographs of the panorama. This labored rather well to rise up near the meltwater streams and since the digicam has unbelievable weatherproofing, I knew a number of splashes wouldn’t do any hurt.
You possibly can see under what a distinction in focal lengths make.
Picture taken with the 12-40mm f2.8 lens at a focal size of 40mm. Notice the highway within the background and examine it with the subsequent picture.
Picture captured with the 7-14mm f2.8 huge angle lens, providing a a lot wider view of the panorama and making individuals seem far smaller.
Who can do that hike?
Should you’re able to strolling round 5km on typically uneven terrain with a slight incline, you are able to do this hike. I’m not an excellent match explorer, only a common gal who loves photographing outdoor and tries to remain match (by strolling/swimming, ain’t no working/fitness center classes right here). All up, the half-day hike was round 3 hours and also you’re out on the ice for many of this.
Ought to I be anxious about security on the glacier?
As with all out of doors adventures, the situations play a component and typically nature could be unpredictable, however I promise the second you meet your information, you’ll be put comfortable by their professionalism and data. The group at IceWalks are educated in all features of mountain operations from avalanche threat evaluation and rescue to crevasses rescue, with the experience to know the place to stroll, and naturally, the place to not stroll! You possibly can examine their story and see information profiles right here.
What about different tour operators on the Columbia Icefields?
When visiting the Columbia Icefields heart, you’ll see a number of tour choices accessible. I opted to hike with IceWalks (solely bookable on-line) as a result of they’re a small, family-run enterprise who give attention to group excursions with a restricted capability, making certain you’re getting a extra in-depth and personalised expertise.
I did see giant buses driving alongside the glacier close by, and whereas they do additionally stroll on the glacier and can be very best for anybody who can’t handle the longer stroll resulting from well being issues, it solely seems to offer entry in a small space and also you’re alongside loads of different guests.
The best way to e-book your tour with IceWalks –
Leap on to their web site and browse the choices to pick an acceptable date and time to your journey, as I famous earlier, I used to be on the half-day traditional tour. They’re additionally providing an ‘Ice and Water’ mixture when you’re eager to mix slightly glacier stroll with a rafting journey the next day, or vice versa.
The excursions are supplied within the spring/summer time months as soon as it’s secure to entry the glacier on foot. This yr the season kicked off on Could 20th, nonetheless resulting from seasonal climate patterns, it’s at all times value checking their web site to see which date the season will begin in 2024.
One factor to notice – I can’t think about anybody leaving this expertise and never contemplating it considered one of their favorite days outdoor. Whereas I’ve been fascinated with glaciers since my time in Greenland, my sister was additionally with me on this hike and famous it was presumably the perfect expertise she’s ever had within the mountains.
Lastly, an enormous thanks to Corin and the IceWalks group for internet hosting us on this half-day tour. It was so insightful, inspiring and enjoyable. You made our time within the Canadian Rockies so memorable and we’ll completely be again once more to step it up a notch and do the full-day journey.
Earlier than you go, when you’re thinking about associated content material, click on on via to those guides –
Glacier Lodge Eqi – Sleep Beside a Calving Glacier in Greenland
Photographing Inside an Ice Cave, Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland
Panorama Images – Capturing Particulars inside a Scene
Alternatively, study with The Wandering Lens by way of the gathering of eBooks, inventive pictures workbooks and on-line programs.
*Please word, this text does embrace 1 x affiliate hyperlink for the Glacier View Lodge. I used to be a paying visitor of this lodge and am merely recommending it as a result of it was a good looking room, ideally situated for entry to the glacier and exploring with IceWalks! Any affiliate fee goes towards making this website and all free content material shared doable!