Jaunt in Jasper

So I have now made it to the mountain town of Jasper and here is how I got here:

Valemount to Jasper (30/04/2017)

Leaving Valemount I re-joined Route 5 heading generally north, I felt sluggish as I hadn’t been sleeping particularly well for a couple of days. You would think with all the exercise I would be sleeping like a baby but hey ho.

The conditions didn’t really change much, some proper white topped mountains peaking above tree line. This was pretty much the same for the first 20km (12miles) where I joined Route 16 heading East, at this point the road also started to ascend as I approached Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies… I stopped at Rearguard Falls (still on the Fraser River, boy that’s a long river!) The falls are renowned for being the farthest point that salmon migrate up the Fraser River to spawn, about 1,260 km (783 mi) from the ocean. I had a couple of stops before this but I thought a quick walk to the falls may help. On the way back the skies opened and this time it was hail instead of rain, waterproofs were on again and a couple of mins later it had stopped but I was already moving an in no position to strip off, I really dislike riding in waterproof trousers.

Rearguard Falls

A few kilometres after leaving the waterfalls the road straightens out and I got a view of what I think was Mount Robson and boy is she beautiful! Sheer faces with ledges coated in snow… man, I want to climb her one day!

The day wore on and the trees started to thin out and suddenly I discovered I was no longer next to the river but a giant great big lake, Moose Lake to be precise. The lake is stunning and with the mountains in the background I couldn’t help but stop (and not just because the legs being tired) the lake is 11.7 km long and 1.9 km wide at its widest point.

Eve at Moose Lake

Leaving the lake I began to notice that the mountains starting to look jagged and fun and I couldn’t take my eyes off Mount Fitzwilliam, a mass of ridges and the nodulous extension to the north-east, I will really have to come pack with my mountaineering gear at some point! Not long after I was into the national park and heading into Jasper. Just on the way in to town I think I saw some elk, maybe :s

Once in town I headed to the hotel, showered, then headed out for a wander around town and check out what there was to see. The town is more touristy than those I have been in since Whistler but that was expected and its actually quite nicely done with buildings in a semi traditional style, also I am out of season so its quite quiet. I have a couple of days here to explore so quite looking forward to that, although unfortunately I don’t think I will be able to get into the hills as my gear isn’t up to 2500m mountains in potential winter conditions.

Jasper

O and I forgot to mention I have now crossed a time zone, so only seven hours behind UK time!

Crossing lines

Jasper (01/05/2017)

Most of today I have been wandering around town looking at the sights and eating… lots, but here is what I know about Jasper (thanks google):

“Jasper is an alpine town in Canada’s Alberta province, is the commercial centre of Jasper National Park. Amid the snow-capped Canadian Rockies, the park has glacier-fed lakes, forests and rivers. The Jasper SkyTram climbs to the summit of Whistlers Mountain, with views of downtown. The Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives presents exhibits on the fur trade, railway and early exploration of the park.

Elevation: 1,062 m

Area: 925.5 km²

Population: 4,590 (2016)”

Jasper from the air… well mountain…

Jasper and Whistlers Peak (02/05/2017)

To day I had a trip up Whistlers Mountain (not the ski resort, this is a different one!) by the Sky Tram, which is effectively a gondola, but nice all the same! I decided to walk the 7km to the Sky Tram and I am glad I did the scenery is great round here!

River walk

From the station at the top I was a bit naughty and continued to the summit in trainers and jeans, the snow is still thick up there with me sometimes going knee deep in it but the views were worth it. I met a nice couple of Canadians up there who I chatted to for a while  and took some photo’s for, they also offered to drive me back to town when we got back down which I took them up on. All in all a very pleasant day!

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