Other activities

Visitors come to Jasper National Park to ski but also to enjoy the pristine wilderness and wildlife. There are a variety of ways to do the latter. Here are just a few:

Jasper in January is the area's annual winter festival. Lift tickets drop considerably, as do lodging rates. Activities include demo days, a mountain-to-valley relay race, ice and snow sculpting, canyon crawls, snowshoeing, tobogganing, chili cook-off, taste of the town food sampler, ice rescue demonstrations and more.

The Maligne Canyon Icewalk is a guided tour through the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. It's a mile hike through a 6- to 20-foot-wide gorge on the frozen river floor past ice caves, frozen waterfalls, towering canyon walls, fossils locked in time, and colors frozen into the ice. You'll need to be in reasonably good physical shape to crawl up some head-high waterfalls and squeeze through narrow spots. Take the crawl during the day or at night. Guides share a wealth of information about the geological and ice formations as well as the region's wildlife and history. Tours last two to three hours and are usually available from December through March. Winter boots and crampon soles are provided. Call Overlander Trekking & Tours, 852-4056. Cost is about $50 per person. Tours also provided by Beyond the Beaten Path, 852-5650, or Jasper Adventure Center at 852-5595.

Ice skating on a lake and sleigh rides are available at Jasper Park Lodge. Go dogsledding with Overlander Trekking & Tours, 852-4056. Heliskiing in Valemount, British Columbia, 56 miles away along a scenic drive, is available mid-February to mid-April, Overlander Trekking & Tours, 852-4056. Also Robson HeliMagic, 566-4700. Snowfarmers (250-566-9161) in Valemont has snowmobile-serviced skiing and riding. Maximum six guests, $250 Cdn$ per person. Snowfarmers also provides snowmobile touring.

Jasper Activity Centre (852-3381) on Pyramid Lake Road has swimming, curling, squash, racquetball, a weight room and indoor skating. Minor league hockey games are held on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sightseeing companies run bus tours to the more scenic vistas, including the Icefields Parkway, which has ragged peaks, frozen waterfalls and glaciers as attractions. Call Brewster Transportation, 852-3332, Columbia Icefield Tours, 852-5650, or Jasper Adventure Center, 852-5595. Plan to take one day to drive along the Icefields Parkway (Hwy. 93).

Wildlife spotters are likely to see mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, caribou, wolves and coyotes. The best places to see herds of bighorn sheep and mountain goats are on Highway 16, on the mountainside just out of town headed toward Edmonton and on Tangle Ridge near the Columbia Icefield. Elk wander into Jasper proper, so they're visible everywhere. The other animals tend to avoid the populated areas, staying instead in areas along Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake Road, Medicine Lake Road and the Icefields Parkway. Please remember: These are wild animals and visitors should be careful not to threaten their space by keeping at a distance and not making loud noises.

The exhibits at Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives (852-3013) highlight Jasper's history and human heritage such as the early explorers, the fur trade, the railway and skiing.

The Outer Limits retail shop at Marmot Basin has the newest gear and clothing as well as a good selection of outerwear, hats, gloves and the usual snowsports-related necessities. Downtown Jasper has some great specialty shops like Freewheel, Gravity Gear and Jungle Wear, along with a variety of souvenir shops. A good selection of merchandise can also be found at the stores at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Arts Jasper (852-3964) presents films, arts performances, dance, theatre and music. Pick up a free winter guide for a complete overview of activities and attractions in Jasper.