Ice cold Icefields

We got up early on Tuesday, August 23rd, for we had a 2 and a half hour drive before we would reach the Columbia Icefields Centre. And no, I did NOT mis-spell center. I guess this is either the way the British or the French spell it, so that is what I'm sticking with. It started out as windy, rainy and cold. Here you can see the low hanging clouds enveloping the mountainside, blocking our view of the top of the mountains.

As we pushed further north along the Icefields Parkway, we were greeted with many different rainbows along each turn and twist of the road. This was not a day for wearing shorts and a tank top!
From the visitor centre, passenger buses took us to a transfer station where we then would disembark and then transfer to a snowcoach. The snowcoaches were built by a Canadian company specifically for use on the glacier. You can see it was still raining, as evidenced by the drops of rain on the windshield of our bus. Don & I were lucky enough to get a front seat!As we headed out down the very steep path towards the icefield, I was glad that the top speed on the snowcoach was only 12 mph! We were greeted by another snowcoach that had just taken it's dip into the water. This keeps the vehicles from tracking mud onto the surface.
I'm glad we dressed with lots of layers of warm clothes. Yep, that is Gary and Sherry in the black coats, Sandy, Jerry and Don with his beanie under his hat. Gotta keep the ears warm!
Take a gander at the lady in the brown shirt in this picture. What was she thinking? Good grief! The wind that came across at us from the glacier was freezing! Lady...this is not downtown Banff! Our driver told us that it had snowed the night before here. I rest my case.
Sandy, Don, Sherry and Gary head back to the warmth of the bus while Jerry and I stay out here in the cold to take some pictures. At least I have gloves on, even though they are made for Arizona winters, not here!
This employee is getting someone a drink of glacier water. The last thing I want to do right now is drink ice cold water! I want hot chocolate!
Here is a view looking at the glacier from the parking area. Moisture was being whipped from the ice and snow along with the wind, making water spots on the camera lens.
I enticed Sandy to come outside and take one more picture. Don took this one from the bus window. Walking here was tricky. The ice was slushy in places and very slippery in others.
Our adventure done, we paused at visitor center to look back at the mountains overlooking the parking lot. It was an experience that none of us will forget!
P.S. I did get my hot chocolate. Don had a small coffee and I had a small hot chocolate to warm up. Total cost approximately $9.00! Oh well, it was worth it.