They start across the icefield before dawn, carrying candle lanterns. Low cloud banks become visible after an hour. The greater expanse of the field is shrouded from them.
Thomas Wharton, Icefields, 1995

Image credit: Matt Garnett. Left to right: Jacob Wakefield, Lou Morin, Thomas Wharton, Steve MacLen, Mike Eder

ON THE ROCKS: ICEFIELDS IN JASPER

During the first week of June 2008, the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada hosted NeWest author Thomas Wharton, astronaut Dr. Steve MacLean, and glaciologist Dr. Shawn Murphy as participants in a public panel discussion entitled: "On the Rocks: A panel discussion on climate change and glaciers", as part of Jasper Environment Week 2008. The discussion was inspired by two similar events that were organized by the CBC this past February as part of the Canada Reads 2008 promotional campaign, and served as an epilogue to the recent literary competition that stirred up national interest in Wharton's first novel.

The Jasper event was well-attended, with over 100 people filling the town hall to listen to the author, astronaut, and glaciologist, see exclusive recent radar images of the Columbia Icefields taken from space, and voice their personal concerns about the changing environment. Our hope is that this dialogue will continue among the Jasper townspeople well beyond Friday night's event.

Also on the week's agenda was a reading given by Wharton, attended by about 50 people, and an Environment Fair held on Saturday, June 7th, where the author signed copies of his books and caught up on friendships made while living in Jasper as a youth. And, last but not in any way least, was a guided walk on the Columbia Icefields for the author and astronaut, at Steve MacLean's request — this was his first visit to Jasper in 30 years!

Please visit Thomas Wharton's blog to glean a writer's perspective on this epic journey: http://logogryph.blogspot.com/

It should be noted that glacier-sized THANKS go to:

- Dr. Shawn Marshall for driving 12 hours to and from Calgary to participate in the panel discussion
- the Municipality of Jasper for organizing and hosting the panel discussion
- Parks Canada for the arranging the tour of the glacier
- Park Wardens Mike Eder and Matt Garnett for guiding the glacier tour, and making sure noone fell into a crevasse
- the Canadian Space Agency for covering Dr. MacLean's flight to and from Edmonton
- The Jasper Inn Alpine Hotel for providing accommodations for the Wharton family for 2 nights, and a banquet room for the reading
- the Morin Family for providing accommodations in Jasper for Steve MacLean and Shawn Marshall
- Allan Boss of CBC Calgary for providing background material and guidance for the panel discussion
- and, especially, to Steve MacLean for championing this well-loved Alberta book!

Image Credit: Lou Morin. Caption: Thomas Wharton in his element.