#25 – Canadian Rockies Day Hikes: Path of the Glacier Trail
- Location: Jasper National Park
- Trailhead: Mount Edith Cavell Parking Lot
- Type: Out-n-Back
- Rating: Moderately-Easy
- Total Distance: 1-mile
- Trailhead Elevation: 5,840′
- Total Elevation Gain: 222′
- Recommended Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour
- Recommended Season: Mid June – Late September
An Ever-Changing Landscape
The Google Map above is a little misleading as the Path of the Glacier Trail has changed in recent years and it is no longer a loop but an out-n-back trail. It is a great example of how quickly the landscape in the Canadian Rockies can change and the risk that accompanies traipsing through these gorgeous mountain environments. In 2012, a huge chunk of ice, estimated by the park service as 50-60%, of the Ghost Glacier broke away from the cliffside of Mount Edith Cavell and smashed into the Cavell Pond below. According to reports by the Spokesman-Review, this enormous impact sent a tsunami through the valley that wiped portions of the Cavell Parking Lot off the landscape. Luckily, this catastrophic event took place in the early morning hours and no one was hurt.
The New Path of the Glacier Trail
The Path of the Glacier Trail has been substantially changed since the 2012 event. While the trail previously traversed through the valley, it now climbs the adjacent moraine and arrives at an overlook of the Cavell Pond and the remaining glaciers that cling to the cliffs of Mount Edith Cavell.
Mount Edith Cavell
While Mount Edith Cavell isn’t the highest peak in the province of Alberta, Canada, it is one of the most beautiful mountains in the Canadian Rockies. It is an iconic peak on the Jasper landscape and a must-see when visiting the National Park. If you are looking for a longer and more challenging hike then leave the asphalt behind, pass over the moraine and into the mountainous terrain on the Edith Cavell Meadows Trail. (Listed as #31 on our Best of the Canadian Rockies Day Hikes).
Cavell Road
The 9-mile Cavell Road, while paved, isn’t for the faint of heart. It is very narrow and curvy with tree limbs hugging the road. While we found it to be a bit of a nerving drive as our camper scrapped against the tree limbs, some Europeans that we later hitchhiked with commented that the narrow road felt very much like home but much more scenic.
Fascinating journey. Not surprised by the glacier calving producing such results. In Lituga Bay, Alaska in 1958 just such an event produced the largest recorded tsunami ever. Beautiful country y’all have enjoyed.
Nature is incredible but innately dangerous. Beauty is often found in the most dangerous places.