From the parking area for the glacier tours, head up the Athabasca Glacier to the Columbia Icefields.

Most parties try to thread the needle between the yawning crevasses in the center of the glacier and the frequent serac fall coming off Snowdome on the climber's right / skier's left side of the glacier.

Most parties camp overnight near the middle of the icefield, before approaching the East Face of Mount Columbia.

The East Face eventually becomes too steep for skis, and most parties will bootpack the last few hundred feet to the summit.

The views from the top of Columbia are spectacular.

Most parties prefer to ski most of the route in the spring time.

Start at the parking area for the glacier tours on the Athabasca Glacier. If you are on the Icefields Parkway, you cannot miss it.

Bring a map with compass or GPS, as trying to navigate on the Columbia Icefields in a whiteout will not be fun, otherwise.

Standard glacier travel / crevasse rescue kit.