Jasper... The Trip

“Well... I've seen my share of wild weather, this season..... and our trip to the Tonquin Valley, in Jasper, was no exception!

Have a look....

Trip Report & Photos”

“Looks like another awesome trip! I enjoyed reading your journal and viewing the pics. Hey, the snow keeps things interesting..remember our August Yoho trip - who would of thought snow?”

“Excellent trip report and pics. Thanks for sharing.”

“Hodge, the photo of the frozen tent sent shivers through me. D@mn, I hate to see winter come. Yesterday when I hiked to Grass Mtn. it was 29 degrees when I went through Red Lodge. Last Thursday there was several inches of snow above 9000'. When it arrives in earnest our hiking will be all but over until next April.

The photos were spectacular and I'm glad you didn't let the weather put a damper on the trip.”

“Thanks for lookin' in....

I don't mind getting the cold and snow, but not usually in August and September. On the up side, it sure did away with the bugs, in a hurry ;-)”

“Great trip report and pictures. I want to see that part of the world so badly.”

“Beautiful! Can't wait for the snow to hit CA!

Looking forward to BC next year!
Thanks for the photos. Guess we should start looking thru those books. Thanks, Hodge!”

“Wonderful reading, Hodge. A such character of the land and weather.

Also, really enjoyed the part where you woke up to that blanket of snow in all directions. A memorable experience.

If I may ask, what tent were you in? Were you confident of it while in those strong winds?”

“Very nice trip report and pictures. You page is nicely arranged. Thanks for the trip report.”

“SN - Hope you found some good reading material

Tekdude - I wasn't very confident, in my Walrus, this season, since I shrunk the fly, so I took my spare tent. It's the Coleman Peak 1 Aries, that you saw in the photo. It's the first time that I've used it myself, and it actually performed quite well, under the conditions. However, it's not quite long enough, for me.... I just haven't figured out what my new one's going to be, yet.... still shopping”

“I have just discovered Jasper National Park and want to visit. Are you pics up someplace else.”

“Jasper is awesome! We used to go there a lot when I was a kid. So pretty.”

“Didja go to www.hodgeman.ca Ewk?”

“Bowlderman, didn't know about it..thanks”

“Hey Ewker - Ya, I finally got around to switching to the domain. There's a couple of trips to the Tonquin Valley on there.

A couple of others within Jasper, that would be worth a look, are the Skyline Trail and the Brazeau Loop. And of course Mt Robson is less than an hour west of the Jasper townsite, on the B.C. side.

Any idea when you might be coming up this way?”

“not sure yet. Just trying to get info on the park right now. Any good books/links you can recommend.”

“Mt Robson Provincial Park is a trip of a lifetime in my opinion.”

“Aw, it's all just a bunch of mountains and trees and lakes and stuff....”

“The two main books that I use for the Cdn Rockies are 'Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies' by Kathy & Craig Copeland and 'Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies' by Graeme Pole. Another good book for Jasper is 'Jasper-Robson: A Taste of Heaven' by Don Beers

Here's the Parks Canada site for Jasper
Link
And the CanadianRockies.net site
Link
Also ExploreJasper.com
Link”

“Hodge, thanks for the links. I have ordered some of the guides from those links as a start. Now to look for those books you mentioned.”

“On top Twin Falls

last edited: 5/18/05 9:48:00 AM”

“Oops... just got drool all over my desk.

Nice pic!”

“There's a familiar sight from Yoho :-))

Nice shot Ewker”

“Hodge, I ordered the book Don't waste your time in the Candian Rockies. The price of that book is all over the place. As low as $25.00 up to $65.00. The $65.00 one had less pages and no mention of maps.

The one I got is 540 pages with 138 dayhikes and overnight trips including maps. Can't wait to get it.”

“Hodgeman, this picture is awesome

”

“Thanks Ewker - That shot of Mt Robson and Rearguard was taken from Mumm Basin. Berg Glacier is the one coming down the north face, and one of a very few not in retreat. It was quite busy calving chunks into the lake when I was last there. Sounds like a train wreck from camp on the lake. You can barely see the Robson Glacier now, on the left in that shot. It's rolling back about fifty feet per year.

Unfortunately, Parks had just lit up a controlled burn to the east the day before and it was beginning to get pretty hazy.

I heard there is a new edition of DWYT which includes route maps etc. Mine was from 1998 and has 113 hikes, with no maps or colour photos. It was about 350 pages and I paid $18 Cdn for it. I'll have to keep an eye out for the new one. Mostly I like that one for their opinions of the trips, which is something that you just don't get in most guides”

“I got the book Don't Waste Your Time on The Canadian Rockies today. I just scanned the book. I like how they break down the backpacking and day hiking trips from to die for to don't waste your time...lol”

“I'd say I agree with their opinions for the most part. The trips listed as Premier or Outstanding definitely are that. There are some that might not be considered worthwhile however, that would be just fine in the shoulder season, or during poor weather.

For the Don't Do trips, they clearly say why they think that. There's a few trails that don't get you anywhere fast, and some that just aren't worth the effort when you could be spending your time somewhere spectacular”

“Hodgeman of BC,

I'm considering using my two weeks of vacation in mid-September this year to drive up to Banff, Jasper, Yoho, & Mt. Robson. What's the chances of fair weather around that time? What do you consider the best dayhikes?”

“Ahhh... my favourite time to be in the Rockies !!

In fact, I'll be driving up on the 16th to spend a week in Mt Assiniboine Provincial Park on the BC side of Banff. We will likely be making an overnight stop in Field (Yoho) that night if you happen to be in the area

So... on to your question. The weather can be just about anything in September, so be prepared. If you're going to be lodging it and not camping, you won't have to worry too much about freezing temperatures, but maybe some chilly mornings. Overnight temps in the teens are possible, particularly up around Jasper, and so is snow. But the days can still warm up to summer temps in the 70s

Fall in the Rockies can be very brief, but the colours are fantastic in the meadows, and in the southern areas (Banff / Assiniboine) the larch trees will be turning brilliant gold and yellow.

The best place to start for trails is with two books that I highly recommend and consider indispensable. "Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies by Graeme Pole" and "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies by Kathy & Craig Copeland" which provides personal opinions and ratings. These will easily provide two weeks worth of assorted hikes at any level.

Most of the time I spend up there is for longer backcountry trips.”

“Oh... and look for the 'Gem Trek' series of maps. The Trails Illustrated ones aren't too bad either if you're not metric-friendly but they're not as detailed”

“That's probably when I'll be there. Will drive from Seattle to Kamloops, then take Highway 1 to Banff, then up to Mt Robson, come down the Yellowhead Highway back to Kamloops. Would there be any difficulty driving from Kamloops to Vancouver via Whistler? I know with the winter Olympics coming to Whistler there might be a lot of construction around there and better to stay away?”

“Ohhhh...Mt Assiniboine Provincial Park!

Can't wait to see your pics when you come back Hodge!”

“Well there will definitely be major construction all over Vancouver and the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler this year. Much of what has been done on the #99 so far has not been terribly disruptive to the existing lanes, since they've been adding galleries and bridges where there had previously been nothing, and cutting into rock to widen on the inside.

I'll give you a couple of websites... First is the BC Gov't Highways site
http://www.drivebc.ca
And here's one for the Sea-to-Sky Project
http://www.seatoskyimprovements.ca

From Seattle to Kamloops via the Pacific or Sumas border crossings and the Coquihalla #5 would take you about 5-6 hours and you're about 4 hours from Seattle to Whistler and another 4 at least to go Whistler to Kamloops (not counting possible delays). Hopefully September wouldn't be as bad as July and August probably will be with all of the other tourists.

I would make the next stop in Yoho (Field). You could then have a fresh start to look around Yoho before heading on toward Lake Louise and Banff. There is outstanding day-hiking in Yoho, especially the Iceline trail to Yoho Valley.

You could even make a stopover in Mt Revelstoke & Glacier Park at Rogers Pass before you get to Yoho. Your National Park visitors pass will be available at the information centre there

Do allow lots of time for the drive from Banff to Jasper. The Icefields Parkway is one of the most scenic routes you will ever see
last edited: 4/05/06 10:06:24 AM”

“I drove the Icefields Parkway once back in '86 from Lake Louise to the Athabasca Glacier. It is indeed awesome.

Is this picture of Rogers Pass in Glacier Park? It was taken in 86 also.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/pic/zlggxvtb7lz04n.php”

“Yes, that's the place. The Visitor Center is a little further along, beside the BW Glacier Park Lodge (which is a pretty good hotel). I've yet to stop long enough to explore that area, but there is a lot of day hiking in that area. Many of the trails probably gain elevation quite quickly (read steep) up out of the pass. At least one of the campgrounds would likely still be open in September, and the Alpine Club has drive-in accommodation there as well”

“Yo Hodgey!”

“Hey Rockdude... how are ya ?”

“Isn't it just cute how Hodgey spells "favourite?"”

“LOL Lizs!

After every Sierrapalooza my wife says "been hiking with that Canadian again eh?" I guess I pick up a few different terms and a couple of eh?s along the way. LOL!

Then again Hodge says his friends tell him he sounds like a Yank after hiking in the Sierra with us every summer.”

“Hey lizs thinks I'm cute! ;-)

Actually I only spell it that way on TT just to bug y'all .... hehehe”

“Pass the McCain's fries. : p

Ahhh Jasper. I love love that area. My cat got lost in Jasper Park and walked all the way to town and ended up on the back step of a park ranger, ironically.

Ok, yes, what was my cat doing there? Well my parents never had cats and were dumb and we took him (trailer)camping. I know. I know. *shaking head* But I got him back!”

“I regretfully threw my Columbia Glacier hat away this year but I kept the patch and sewed it on my pack. Hi Hodge!!! Lots a snow this year eh?”

“Pixie - Can't see how there would be a problem finding your cat in Jasper.... there's only about 4200 square miles of park to wander around in
;-)

JVZ - Better come up next summer and get yourself a new hat
:-)”

“Ah jeez, is JVZ going to Abbsinoineieienneie?”

“Rockman....you going to Abbsinoineieienneie?”

“I have it on my "agenda". Should be able to make it. :)”

“Cool ! You driving up or figure on flying'?

This thread kind of took a turn south from Jasper
;-)”

“"Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies" by Graeme Pole is at the public library so I have reserved it.


"Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies" by isn't at either the Seattle Public Library or King County Library System so will have to search some more.”