There we were, face to face with an elk. It stood, stately and dignified, as I slowly approached it, armed with a bright yellow throwaway camera.
The elk, obviously, had seen this all too many times before. And it seemed to be enjoying the grounds of the Jasper Park Lodge as much as we were, for soon it and its companions simply sat, watching the passing parade of vehicles or lodge guests heading to and from their accommodations.
Jasper in winter is a different experience-one that we found far more pleasurable than expected and filled with the surprise events that can make travel an adventure and an experience to remember.
We were in what has been described as one of the most beautiful parts of the world, yet winter`s spell of avalanches and heavy snow prevented us from seeing much of this beauty. Were we disappointed? No. Do we have memories?
Yes-far more, perhaps, than if we had seen the majestic mountains and scenery of Banff and Lake Louise, just two to three hours from Jasper.
Jasper, fortunately, was bright and sunny, surrounded by mountains in every direction-the 18-hole course at Jasper Park Lodge is sited so each hole faces a different mountain and in winter is turned into a cross-country skier`s paradise. We were at the lodge for a conference, which blessedly offered plenty of time to explore the outdoors: The park encompasses 4,200 square miles and joins Banff National Park to the south for an even greater expanse of wilderness.
Chill? What chill?
Arriving in Edmonton the night before, we were greeted by a Fahrenheit temperature of 16 degrees below zero-this for a Bostonian who earlier in the day had been working in the yard in shirtsleeves in milder-than-usual winter weather. But we did not feel the chill. It was cold but not uncomfortable; in boots and jackets, we found the outdoors quite pleasant.
The Jasper Park Lodge, which has attracted such luminaries as King George and Queen Elizabeth II, politicians and movie stars (Hollywood used it as a backdrop for films in the `40s and `50s) has been open year-round for two years.
Now others are discovering its winter pleasures. Midweek we found the resort pleasantly quiet but were told that on weekends it is drawing large crowds from Edmonton and Calgary, both a four- or five-hour drive away.
One reason for the lodge`s winter popularity is cost: Our room had a posted price of $450 a night in season, $137 in winter and even less as part of a package plan.
Set 3,500 feet above sea level and surrounded by mountains, the area offers sweeping beauty. The lodge, or at least Tent City, as its predecessor was called, has been here since the land was included in Canada`s national park system.
We had a large bedroom/living room area with a fireplace and, good in summertime, a glass sliding doorway to a patio overlooking Lac Beauvert and the mountains. From our room we could see a speck on top of Whistler`s Mountain that is, in summer, a teahouse reached by tramway.
The park also has helicopter service to the top of the mountains, where hikers are dropped off to wander from peak to peak, are then picked up and returned.
Some spectacular snow
Winter has its joys, too. A short shuttle bus ride from the lodge is Marmot Basin, with 51 trails and a 2,300-foot vertical drop, but no crowds. The view from the 7,930-foot top alone is worth the ride up the new, speedy quad lift.
But the real draw is the snow-glorious, powdery-soft stuff that makes a rank beginner like me actually enjoy falling into it. Marmot, we were told, also has the best glade skiing in the Rockies. During our visit in mid-December, the region already had had midwinter snow conditions.
Our ride to the ski area brought additional thrills. Two bighorn sheep appeared along the road. Suddenly they leaped at each other, locking horns, then turned and walked away.
They were not the only animals we saw during our stay. Along the roadways were more elk and other creatures. The park is also home to 280 species of birds.
We took a short hike in the snow along Maligne Canyon. Even in its frozen condition we could hear the roar of water beneath the ice in this deep crevasse.
Unfortunately, the ice in the narrow canyon 100 feet or more beneath us was not hard enough yet to take in a ”canyon crawl,” a guided walk along the ice at the base of the canyon through passageways, created from thousands of years of erosion and covered with ice sculptures created by the frozen water and snow.
The gorge has been called the most spectacular in the Canadian Rockies. Maligne Lake, which helps feed this waterway, is not only one of the most beautiful in the area, but also the 2nd-largest glacial lake in the world.
Jasper attractions
The town of Jasper is not glitzy, certainly not the place for the Jet Set, but it does have an apres-ski life and, while small, is attractive and offers a good variety of shops and dining.
There are also ice skating, sleigh rides and, my joy, swimming in an outdoor pool with a beautiful view. The water in the pool was 92 degrees.
Winter took on a new meaning amid such beauty and luxury. We enjoyed sitting by the roaring fireplace in the morning, taking in the view of Whistler`s Mountain. We called for room service, and breakfast was delivered from the main lodge, a 10-minute walk away, quickly and hot. (Our meal came via van; in summer, the lodge is famed for deliveries by bicycle. Our waiter assured us that carrying a tray with one hand on a bike is a trick that can be learned easily.)
Jasper Park Lodge offers a variety of accommodations in large and small log cabins, in the main lodge and in more modern, two-level chalets such as the one we were in.
The main lodge has a variety of dining choices, from a coffee shop to a huge dining room overlooking the mountains and lake. There are a health club, the outdoor pool, and shops.
We were surprised at night to find Tent City, the lodge`s nightclub, packed with young people. By day, everything was so peaceful that we wondered where the night crowd came from. The answer: Some came from town, but most were lodge workers who live on the grounds.
The lodge owes its life to the railroad that passes nearby, as do the better-known resorts at nearby Banff and Lake Louise: In 1886 the Canadian Pacific Railroad, one year after the last spike was pounded into the transcontinental rail line, began building hotels to generate business for the railroad by serving the needs of rail passengers.
William Cornelius Van Horne, then vice president of the railroad, recognizing the beauty of the area, said, ”If we can`t export the scenery, we`ll import the tourists.”
