The Great Canadian Epic, Part 6: In and Around Jasper

So I stepped off the train from Vancouver into the sunshine of Jasper – but the sun was looking pretty weak and sickly.  Since I passed through westbound last Friday, the winds have shifted and started blowing in the smoke from numerous wildfires in southern British Columbia and Washington State.

I’m staying at the Best Western mainly to collect some points.  It’s actually a pretty decent hotel for Jasper, and my room is quite comfortable.  It’s a 2-level loft suite which isn’t nearly as grand or spacious as it sounds, but does have the advantage that the main floor holds a pleasant temperature while the upstairs bedroom area in the loft stays nice and toasty warm, just the way I like it.

The hotel also has a better-than-average restaurant for a hotel in this league, and the chef has come up with some interesting and unusual dishes rather than the usual round of boring standards.  So I had a very enjoyable dinner to unwind after a long day, and a much needed good night’s sleep.

To make the most of your time in Jasper, I recommend having a car.  The main rental companies are all represented here.  There are so many fascinating byways to visit, and the tour companies just don't cover all the possibilities.

Jasper sits in a mountain valley, with imposing peaks rising on every side.  Although they all appear about the same height, one stands out quite noticeably by virtue of its snowcap and glacier -- which prove that it is actually much higher (mountain country is full of optical illusions like this).  This is Mount Edith Cavell, and the glacier -- known as the "Glacier of the Angel" due to its unique shape -- is one of the sightseeing highlights of the region.  I'm resorting to an internet photo simply because the air wouldn't clear enough for me to get a really good picture of the mountain from close up.  This picture also gives you a good idea of the reason for the glacier's evocative name -- look at its shape. like an angel with outstretched wings.

Here's my own picture of the mountain seen from the main street of Jasper town:

One of the tourist highlights of the Jasper region, ever since the 1960s, has been the Skytram which climbs the mountain called "The Whistlers" just south of town.  One morning, the smoke cleared enough to make it worthwhile to go up, even though many clouds were still about.  Here's a view of the town from the summit:

Here's a view of the Arctic tundra which surrounds you at the top of this (or any) mountain:

And here's a view to the southeast over the Athabasca River valley, with the sun highlighting the light smoke haze that still hung in the air.

I was startled again and again during my visit to the tramway by the fact that every staff member I heard open his/her mouth was Australian.  When did Jasper start to become Australia North?

By the way, the mountain gets its name from the distinctive whistling call of the hoary marmot, a sizable (average 6 kilograms) rodent which lives on this and other mountains.

Westwards from town lies the Yellowhead Pass, of which I have said so much already.  I haven't explained that it was named after a Metis fur trader, Pierre Bostonais, who was active in the region and who thus became perhaps the first memorable blond in Canadian history.  I simply couldn't resist the urge to drive back westwards through the Pass to see Mount Robson again (about 70 minutes west) and so, quite by accident, discovered the tiny gem that is Portal Lake -- right on the Alberta-B.C. border,

And, of course, the inevitable shot of Mt. Robson itself, where I finally got a chance to pose with my towering mountain idol!  (pity the smoke haze hadn't entirely cleared!)

In three days, you just can not cover everything there is to see and do in the Jasper region.  I have been here before, and certainly expect to return.  For today, I chose two of my favourite spots in the area -- favourites because there is a power and music in rushing, falling water that truly speaks to some elemental place deep inside me.  Sorry if that sounds pompous, but that's my reality.  So here are a couple of pictures of Sunwapta Falls, about 50 minutes' drive south of town.

And here's the grandest of all the region's waterfalls: Athabasca Falls, only about 15 minutes out of town. These are glacial rivers, pouring down steep grades and fed by the many tributary streams flowing into each one (with the Sunwapta flowing into the Athabasca) so the power of the water is tremendous indeed, and would be overwhelming during the spring run-off.

There's so much more that I could still say about Jasper. But what draws me back here is the quiet, relaxed tone of this place -- especially as compared to the restless, relentless hustle-bustle which has overwhelmed Banff (to the south). It probably has a lot to do with the fact that you have to drive 5 hours from the nearest major airport to Jasper, as opposed to 75 minutes to Banff. Whatever the reasons, Jasper has a more friendly, down-to-earth feel to it, which I really appreciate. There are no hyper-expensive designer boutiques here, no 5-star celebrity-chef-branded restaurants, and I don't miss them one bit.