A great thing about living in Alberta: on one side of the province you have the rolling grasslands and the amazing to look at badlands; on the other side you have huge mountains with glaciers that feed the drinking water of Calgary and Edmonton, much of which is protected by Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Jasper National Park stands out as the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, protecting an area of close to 11,000km2. Its protected status means the natural environment will win over development of the town of Jasper, which sits in the center of all the beauty. So unlike Whistler, BC, which is built as a resort village, the town of Jasper keeps buildings no more than 4 stories tall and the amount of big businesses are kept at a minimum in favor of smaller local businesses.
There is no airport in Jasper, so travel is done either by car or bus. The drive takes 3.5h drive from Edmonton, 5h from Calgary or Red Deer, and 8.5h from Vancouver. Because Banff and Jasper are National Parks, you will need to pay for a park pass if driving. If you are flying in from outside of Alberta, the shortest route would be to fly to Edmonton and then travel by via the Yellowhead, also known as Trans-Canada highway 16. The other option is to take the train using Via Rail or Rocky Mountaineer; or a bus/shuttle service like Greyhound or SunDog Tours.
Since Jasper Pride happens in winter, be prepared for winter driving conditions. Coming from Edmonton, the roads are typically not too bad, but the journey from Calgary takes you through the Columbia Icefields, so ice, cold, snow and avalanches are a possibility, and so highway 93 can sometimes be closed. Before you head out, check the road conditions online. As long as the roads are not closed, poor conditions are still traversable with ample caution.
When we do the drive to Jasper, I get time behind the wheel. My first time driving highway 93 was under poor road conditions, with ice and snow across most of the road. Driving a bit below the speed limit made for a safe trip, but a few others pushed their luck by driving an unsafe speed and got stuck in snow banks on the side of the road. Even though it might sound scary, it is amazing to see this world of snow and ice on the way to the town of Jasper.
Skiing and Snowboarding at Marmot Basin
Just a short 20 minute drive from the town of Jasper are the slopes of Marmot Basin: an impressive 6.8km2 of terrain on which to ski and snowboard. The longest run on the mountain is 5.6km. Marmot Basin has a long ski season that usually spans from November to May every year, with an average snowfall of over 400cm (160in) per year. The base is at 1,698m (5,570ft) above sea level - the highest base in Canada – and the top elevation is 2,612m (8,570ft).
Since Marmot Basin is not as close to major cities as other ski resorts, the slopes are not usually as crowded, so a skiers and snowboarders can enjoy the additional room. There are no gondolas on Marmot Basin, so if you just wants to check out the site, you can visit the base lodge which does contain stores, a restaurant and a sun deck. There are two lodges mid base, which also have restaurants and lounges - but are only accessible if you are skiing or snowboarding.
Due to its distance from the town, there is are many on-site amenities, including a rental and repair shop. Lessons for beginners are available, as well as high performance clinics and private lessons. If you have kids in tow, a Day Care is available too.
Sight Seeing
As you drive through the south entrance of Jasper National Park, you pass by the Bow Glacier, which provides the drinking water for Calgary and towns along the Bow River. The roads twist and turn as you pass through the mountain range, and when you start getting close to the Columbia Icefield which has the Athabasca Glacier, expect the temperature to drop. There is a visitor center that is closed during the winter months, however you are free to stop and check out the glacier any time of year. In summer months you can even take special bus tours of it. Though the ice mass has been slowly shrinking over time, it is still the largest glacier south of the Arctic Circle.
During summer months, another attraction along route 93 on your way to town of Jasper is the Glacier Skywalk. This attraction allows you to walk on a glass walkway which sticks out of the side of a cliff. It is hovers 980 metres over the glacier formed valleys and waterfalls. There is also an interpretive centre showing information about the area for those who are a little terrified walking along the glass floor of the walkway.
A quick 15 minute drive from downtown Jasper, is the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, it is still a great place to visit for its historical value. The hotel started as a tent city in 1915 but bungalows were added in 1920 and then the hotel in 1922 which grew from there becoming an icon of Jasper. The hotel overlooks the stunning Beauvert Lake and the bungalows, on each side of the hotel, have a gorgeous view of the lake as well. The hotel hosts several restaurants, shops and services so you don’t have to worry about driving back downtown if you want to stay indoors. During Pride, you will find a series of large chairs by the lake, each baring a color of the rainbow. Jasper Park Lodge is proud to host the big Saturday night dance for Jasper Pride, as well as the dinner and a movie event earlier that day.
If you’re interested in being a little more active, you can walk through the hotel and see the amazing architecture, or walk the trails around the lake. Also they have a top rated golf course which is open in the summer time. The hotel is proud to have hosted a number of celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, King George VI and more.
Just about every year we have been to Jasper Pride has included some wildlife sightings. With the town of Jasper right alongside the Athabasca River, animals will stop by either in small groups or entire herds to follow the river and drink from it. We still haven’t had a bear encounter yet, other than with the gay type, but seeing that it is still pretty cold out when we visit, I’d guess they are hibernating.
Shops, Restaurants, Services and More
Jasper was founded in 1907, so many of the buildings still being used today have a history. Most of the hotels, retail stores and restaurants are on Connaught Drive, which is the main road, or Patricia Street which is just one block over. It is a little surreal to be surrounded by the spectacular sight of the mountains, while walking past buildings dating back 100 years. Whistler’s Inn, another big supporter of Jasper Pride, is centrally located in the town.
Jasper Pride occurs during the off season, making it much easier to find parking so you can get out and enjoy walking around the town, visiting the many locally owned and operated shops and restaurants.
You’ll still see familiar names like Subway, Robinson’s IGA, KFC/Pizza Hut, A&W, Tim Hortons and an Earl’s around, but there are also local non-franchised places to eat at. Whistle Stop Pub (105 Miette Ave), Jasper Brewing Co. (624 Connaught Dr) and Coco’s Café (608 Patricia St) are staple locations to visit any time of year – all major supporters of Jasper Pride, and the places to be when you are between events or not on the slopes. During Pride, close to half of the businesses in town do murals in their windows to celebrate the occasion, which shows tremendous support.
Other Activities
If skiing or snowboarding are not your thing, Jasper has a number of other activities available, summer and winter. In the winter, you can try ice climbing on the frozen waterfalls in Maligne Canyon, or you can rent a pair of snowshoes and go on some designated snowshoe trails. If you like cross-country skiing, there are trails to do that as well. If you bring your skates, you can go pond ice skating on Mildred and Pyramid lakes. They also have rentals of fat bikes for winter biking experiences. Depending on the weather, you can also try dog sledding. Last year, the weather was too warm during Jasper Pride for us to try it so hopefully we get a chance to try it another time.
In the summer time, you can reach the nearly 1000km of hiking trails or go on the 300km of multi-use trails which are for also biking, horseback riding and road cycling. There are also campsites for RV and tenting available if you like to get away. Or you can feel like you are on the top of the world by going on the Jasper Tramway. The base of the tram is about 8km from the town of Jasper, and the ride takes about 7 minutes to get to the top, 2277m (7472ft) from sea level. From there you can see six mountain ranges, rivers and lakes fed by the glaciers, and even the town of Jasper. Just north of Jasper are the Miette Hot Springs, which are natural hot springs that come out the mountain at 54oC before cooling down to a more comfortable 40o in the pool.
For those who enjoy stargazing, Jasper National Park has 11,000 km2 dark sky preserve. During the winter, it is available on Friday and Saturday nights, but in the summer it is open daily. With the purchased experience, you get a nationally-renowned astronomer or astronomy journalist/author guiding you through an amazing 360 degree views of the stars, planets, auroras and more.
It doesn’t matter what time of year you go, Jasper shows its natural beauty. It is definitely work the trip!
