Go to Jasper and see the famous Japanese ice axe from Mt.Alberta or the only quicksand in Alberta!

Jasper Museum

Raining in Jasper? Go on over to the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum which is found at 400 Bonhomme St – near the RCMP station – and costs about $6 per adult. Here you will finally have the opprtunity to see for yourself the great ice axe left by the Japanese team atop Mt.Alberta in the early part of Canadian mountainerring. A wonderful, relaxing, informative and modern musuem, this one in Jasper is not to be missed by any new-age adventurer wanting to see the past exploits. An original Jasper the Bear statue will greet you at the door, however, if you want a photo of Jasper the Bear outside, you can find one on Patricia Street on the north end of the main town park across from the fire hall.

In the 2015 season, Jasper hosted a tribute to Frank Smythe, famous climber and the first ascentionist of local peak Mt.Colin.

Quicksand, Lake Annette and Jasper Lake

Other rest day sights may include checking out the quicksand and the only good sunbathing beach in Jasper, Lake Annette, located about 10km north of town. This is the place to hang out in the summer to take in some rays, play frisbee, baseball all under the comanding views of Mount Edith Cavell.

Driving north of town about 30km is Jasper Lake on the north side of Highway 16. Park carefully along the highway near small hills with sand dunes and walk down to the lake. In the summer months this is agreat place to stretch and walk out, very very far across the lake without the water level hardly going above your knees. Very strange, very pleasant way to kill an hour and enjoy the mountains from the middle of a lake. Always take care venturing out into bodies of water you are not familiar with.

 

Horseshoe Lake

The rain is gone, the days are heating up, Horseshoe Lake 25km south of town has been a cliff jumpers paradise for decades. A lake shaped like a horseshoe with cliffs starting at only a few feet to upwards of 80ft! Be extremly cautious if attempting this activity. Even if jumping into cold water is not your thing, walking about the beautiful Caribean blue waters is worth the short hike from the parking lot.

Evening is approaching now, your day is winding down, drive, walk or bike 3km from town east to Old Fort Point, a short yet magnificant hike to start your Jasper panorama photography. Take Highway 93A from Connaught Street ,cross Highway 16 and head south turning left to Old Fort Point road that crosses the bridge. Park in the lot. Walk up the wooden stairs and follow obvious trail to the top of two distinct bald humps. Moonlight fun!

Roche Bonhomme

From town the peak seen north, Roche Bonhomme, has a infamous profile- the indian lying down. Like many mountain ‘facial’ features, this one is actually very easy to spot and kids will ‘get it’ as the nose, chin, forehead, head plume and upper body very noticable. Start the trail across from Maligne Canyon Hostel finding the trail close to the drainage. Expect to be in the trees most of the way. Some minor scrambling above treeline will take you to the summit. Return the same way. Info found locally should give a better idea as to the most recent updates on accessing this interesting large hill.

Marilyn Monroe’s Cabin #33

While Marilyn Monroe was filming the 1953 flick River of No Return with co-star Robert Mitchum, she stayed at one point in Cabin #33 at Becker’s Chalets about 7km south of town. I lived across the street from #33 for a number of summers in the early 1990s while working in the kitchen here which in itself was a wonderful memory as the owners are fabulous folk. Cabin #33 faces the bend in the river and if you watch this great old flick you can spot areas around Jasper Park where it was filmed.

Jasper Totems

Jasper has had a long history with totem poles in the Park. The famous Raven Totem Pole was erected in Jasper near the train station in 1915 and was removed in 2009 so it could be returned to its home in Haida Gwaii. In 2011 it was replaced with the Two Brothers Totem Pole also from Haida Gwaii. Many animals adorn this new pole which can be seen across from the main park in the center of town.

The Sidar Boulders

About 2km before Medicine Lake is a forested hillside on the left and a cairn sitting on a white boulder. This is the trail for Sidar Canyon and Big Slab. Follow the trail and soon come to a scrappy slide but the boulders are much better about 5 minutes further when the trail starts to go uphill. There are a number of wild faces in this jumble would be cool to hear if any got done decades ago. Some plums look loose in spots so assuming maybe not. Anyone?

Where the trail steepens turn back and find:

Fancy Gym Class(V0) start low off the right end and go left to high hold. Fun but watch flake stability.(2006)

Maligne River Wall 

Park for Sidar Canyon, cross the road and walk back towards Medicine Lake. Pop down into a dry creek bed which is easily seen from the road. The unclimbed steep north wall may be some time before an ascent.

Old Fort Point East Face

The hike up Old Fort Point is easy but gives a great view of Jasper. If you take the main trail and avoid walking up the pretty grass slopes, you’ll pass this slab before topping out onto the summit. From a stump, climb the crack or try a full smear on either side. If you descend down the main trail #7 east into the woods a wall was climbed just off the trail in 1992, but may be hard to find in the trees. Obscurity at its true barebones finest!

Another way to hike up Old Fort Point can be seen in the photo with the train car in the foreground. Has this wall ever seen a route?! You can still get up Old Fort Point by hiking up this very different and recommended version on the north side. There is a route line partly up the tower on Mt.Tekarra because my friend Arnold and I tried to climb it in 1993 but bailed.

Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake is apparently the lake referred to in the great Blue Rodeo song “Cynthia”; I have many personal fond memories of my late teens at this lake.