Jasper, Maligne Canyon and Athabasca Falls

For the last few years, Tom and I have taken a short get-away trip after Christmas. Usually we don't stray far from the city and stay in Banff, but this year we decided to trek a little further and try Jasper. Ashley and Andrew were both back in town for the holidays, and they decided that they would join us.

Tom and I outside the Jasper Park Lodge.

We stayed at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. I really wanted to love this hotel, but if I were to review it, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Like all Fairmonts, the Jasper Park Lodge had friendly, helpful staff and impeccable service. However, the rooms (which were fairly expensive) left something to be desired. The walls were paper thin, and we could hear our neighbours (Ashley and Andrew) having conversations, as well as the shower running on the other side of us. Although there was a thermostat in our room, it did not work, and the room felt like a sweltering 24 degrees all the time! I've never been able to sleep well in a hot room.

However, the hotel offered a games room with a pool table, ping pong table, shuffleboard and foosball table. We also discovered an XBox Kinect that was plenty of fun. The pool and its facilities had been newly renovated, and although it was outdoors, it was heated!

We also took advantage of the skate rentals in the main lobby. It was my first time using men's skates. I have always used women's skates, and have taught myself to skate improperly using toe picks. I think I caught on pretty well with the hockey skates. I was still a bit slow and wobbly.

Ashley and Andrew on skates. Note their identical jackets!

Our main reason for going to Jasper was to check out the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk. During the winter, the Maligne River freezes over and tourists can walk down the canyon and explore the icefalls along the canyon walls. Much to our dismay, we were unable to walk up the canyon because the warm winter has not encouraged freezing! There was still plenty of running water throughout the canyon.

"The Queen" Icefall - Maligne Canyon.

An ice climber on "The Queen."

Running water in Maligne Canyon.

Despite the minimal ice, the canyon was still a beautiful walk. We went with a guide named Wes who said he'd spent over 30 years working as a park ranger. Wes seemed like a pretty stereotypical park ranger, but he was full of knowledge and interesting facts about the plant life and surrounding area.

On our way back to Calgary we took a quick side tour off the highway to check out Athabasca Falls. The falls are not completely frozen over and are still gushing frigid ice-blue water. Brrr!

Athabasca Falls, cold and partially frozen.

The weekend also included many wildlife sightings: coyotes, rabbits, deer and plenty of stupid, stupid elk wandering on the highway.

Now we're home, unpacked, and ready to ring in the New Year.

All the best for 2012!