Our team at the Columbia Icefield are the experts on what you should bring and how to best arrive prepared.
Visiting a glacier is more than just a 'walk in the park'. If you're venturing out on to the Athabasca Glacier, as part of an Ice Explorer tour, it's important to be prepared. Bring the right stuff!
Our team at the Columbia Icefield are the experts on what you should bring and how to best arrive prepared. We asked them for a list of "What Not to Bring" essentials. We've condensed it down for you.
Flipflops: It may be summer in the city, but you are about to walk on a thousand-year-old ice structure. It’s going to be slippery and quite likely cold. Winter could blow through in an instant and no one likes having numb feet! Our team recommends socks and a good pair of shoes.
Heels: This includes boots with any form of extra elevation. If you think walking in gravel is challenging, we challenge you to catwalk on a glacier. Bring a pair a of shoes with good tread. A pair of hiking boots or strong runners are perfect for these conditions.
Limited batteries or full memory cards: You will probably have taken a substantial amount of photos even before reaching the glacier. Don’t waste precious time on the glacier frantically deleting photos to create more room for storage! Save space and edit as you go!
A phone that's full: Same rules apply from above if you are using your phone for images. Make sure you have enough space in your phone for at least 200 photos and videos. Don’t resort to using Snapchat memories as a backup storage device!
Lunch: Or dinner. From snacks to unforgettable meals, we've got the food covered! Locally-sourced bison burgers in Chalet, roasted beet and chevre salad at Altitude Restaurant with wine—this is what you want to eat while visiting the glacier. Plus, it’s one less thing to carry. Just focus on taking beautiful photos and not slipping!
Bottled water: You can drink right from the glacier! Why drink bottled water when you could drink fresh and pure glacier water?
Your worries: This is a place to relax. Let go of stress and forget about your inbox. There is minimal service so it gives you the perfect chance to contemplate the more important things in life.
See you this summer at the Columbia Icefield!
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