The Columbia Icefield
In the Canadian Rockies, straddling the border of Banff and Jasper National Parks, lies a remnant of the Ice Age. The Columbia Icefield covers 325 square kilometers of permanent ice, up to 365 meters thick - the largest ice mass in the Rocky Mountains. Its meltwater is extraordinary: water from the Columbia Icefield reaches three oceans. Snow falling here today will eventually flow to the Pacific, Atlantic, or Arctic - the only place in North America where water drains to all three. Tourists experience the icefield via the Athabasca Glacier, where massive Ice Explorer vehicles carry visitors onto the ice. You can walk on ice that fell as snow during the Renaissance, see the recession lines marking decades of climate change, and contemplate a frozen landscape that's been here for 10,000 years and won't be here much longer.
The Ice
The Columbia Icefield formed during the last Ice Age and has persisted because of elevation (the icefield sits above 3,000 meters) and the heavy snowfall of the Canadian Rockies. The ice reaches 365 meters thick in places - over 1,000 feet of compressed snow. Six major glaciers flow from the icefield, including the Athabasca Glacier, which is visible from the Icefields Parkway and accessible by foot or vehicle. The ice appears blue because it's so compressed that air bubbles have been squeezed out, allowing the ice to absorb red light and reflect blue. The icefield is shrinking - the Athabasca Glacier has retreated over 1.5 kilometers since the 1840s.
The Triple Divide
Water from the Columbia Icefield reaches three oceans. The Columbia River, fed by the icefield's western drainage, flows to the Pacific. The North Saskatchewan River, flowing east, eventually reaches Hudson Bay and the Atlantic. The Athabasca River, flowing north, joins the Mackenzie system and reaches the Arctic Ocean. This hydrological triple point is unique in North America - no other location drains to all three oceans. Snow Crystal Peak, on the icefield's northern edge, is the precise triple divide point. A snowflake landing there could end up in any of three oceans.
The Experience
The Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre sits beside the Icefields Parkway, with views of the Athabasca Glacier. From there, Ice Explorers - massive all-terrain vehicles with wheels taller than a person - carry tourists onto the glacier. The ride descends the terminal moraine, crosses the glacier's snout, and stops on the ice for 20-30 minutes of walking. The experience is surreal: standing on ancient ice, drinking meltwater, seeing the crevasses and ice formations up close. The Glacier Skywalk, opened in 2014, offers a different perspective - a glass-floored platform extending over the Sunwapta Valley.
The Decline
The Columbia Icefield is shrinking. The Athabasca Glacier has retreated 1.5 kilometers since measurements began in the 1840s; markers along the access road show where the glacier reached in each decade. The ice is thinner, the melt faster each year. Scientists estimate the icefield could lose 80% of its mass by 2100. The Ice Explorer tours, which once drove directly onto the glacier, now require a longer drive as the ice recedes. The icefield that seemed permanent is disappearing within human lifetimes. Visiting now means seeing something your grandchildren may not be able to see.
Visiting the Columbia Icefield
The Columbia Icefield is located along the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) in Jasper National Park, Alberta, about 100 kilometers south of Jasper and 130 kilometers north of Lake Louise. The Glacier Discovery Centre is open May through October. Ice Explorer tours and Skywalk tickets should be booked in advance, especially in July and August. National park entry fees apply. The Icefields Parkway is one of the world's most scenic drives; plan time for stops. Edmonton International Airport and Calgary International Airport are each about 300 kilometers away. Weather can change rapidly; bring layers. The ice is cold regardless of air temperature.
From the Air
Located at 52.22°N, 117.23°W in the Canadian Rockies, straddling the Banff-Jasper park boundary. From altitude, the Columbia Icefield is unmistakable - a vast expanse of white ice surrounded by mountain peaks. The Athabasca Glacier flows visibly down from the icefield toward the Icefields Parkway. The Icefields Parkway itself is visible as a ribbon of road through the mountain valley. Jasper is 100 kilometers north; Lake Louise is 130 kilometers south. The terrain is classic Canadian Rockies - jagged peaks, alpine valleys, and ice. Edmonton and Calgary are each about 300 kilometers east.