I first heard of the Top Secret ice boat from a tour guide as I rode up the Jasper Tramway. He explained about how an aircraft carrier made of ice was being developed during World War II. The beautiful and innocent Patricia Lake was home to this experimental ice boat project.

The Jasper Booster (Jasper’s excellent town newspaper) reports of a new fame for the secret ice boat. Pictures of the ice boat will appear on 1,500 U-Haul trucks as a way to commemorate this unique part of 1940s Alberta, Canada history. Read the article online on JasperBooster.com here.

Jasper Booster also provides a more detailed history of the ice boat project here.

Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful National Parks in Canada. Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains the park is home to more than 1300 plant species, 20,000 types of insects and spiders, 40 kinds of fish, 16 types of amphibians and reptiles, 277 bird species and 68 types of mammals. The climate and geography offer a very diverse habitat for many different species. The delicate ecosystems are kept in check by strictly enforcing the rules and regulations so that many people may enjoy the park.

One of the ways that some people like to enjoy the park is through camping. There are various campgrounds throughout the park that are affordable places for anyone to stay. There are camp rules that must be followed including quiet hours during the overnight hours. Camping is very popular at the park with many types of sites available. There are a total of 1772 sites that are available in peak season. The winter campground is called Wapiti. Many of the campgrounds accept reservations and some have hook up sites. It is best to get to your site as early as possible to ensure that you get the site you prefer.

For those who prefer traditional accommodations there are various places to choose from in Jasper National Park. You can find deluxe accommodations or you can choose standard rooms. Stay at the deluxe Mountain Park Lodges. There are several located in the park. They cater to those who prefer plenty of amenities. They offer heated pools, hot tubs, cable television, restaurants and beverage bars and of course spectacular mountain views. Some of the hotels are family friendly offering kitchenettes with microwaves and large rooms.

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is a lakefront resort with scenic views and unique rooms. Choose from cedar chalets or log cabins set amongst more than 900 acres of Canadian wilderness. There is an 18-hole golf course, a fitness facility, 5 dining rooms and 3 lounges and a deli. There’s an outdoor heated pool and indoor shopping area.

The Jasper Inn Alpine Resort & Inn has luxury accommodations including some suites and chalets, some with bedrooms, kitchens and fireplaces. The rooms offer balconies or patios to take in the spectacular views. There is a restaurant and lounge as well as a swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool and steam room.

When choosing accommodations you can easily find many hotels to choose from at the best prices by visiting HotelsCombined.com. The site offers an easy way to locate guest rooms using a combination of the top hotel locator sites.

I admit it. I drive fast. I’m in a hurry to get there.

But when I’m in Jasper National Park, I’m “there”.  The need to hurry is gone.  I’m driving slow, enjoying at the mountain scenery, and keeping an eye out for wildlife.

Not so for some other Canadian Rockies visitors this past weekend.

The Canadian Press reports that 115 people were caught speeding on the stretch of the Highway 93 (Icefield Parkway) connecting Banff National Park and Jasper National Park.

Some speeders were reportedly going 60km/h (37mph) OVER the posted speed limit.  The posted speed limit is typically 70km/h (44mph) on park main roads and highways.

Yes, the Canadian National Park speed limits may seem slower in the parks than normal roads. But the authorities urge motorists to obey posted speed limits.

Besides the scenery, there are good reasons to drive slower in the Canadian Rockies parks.

Both Banff and Jasper National Park focus a lot of effort on environment and wildlife preservation. They also put a lot of effort in accommodating visitors and making it safe for everyone. Going fast in areas with frequent wildlife crossings is very hazardous to both yourself, fellow travelers and wildlife. So, the speed limits have been adjusted.

Tragically, vehicle collisions are one of the biggest causes of death for some wildlife species in Banff and Jasper National Parks. And too many travelers have made this vacation a permanent one due to careless driving. Don’t be that person.

US visitors should pay extra attention to the bighorn sheep.

Visitors to Canada from the United States need to be careful, especially those with cars purchased in the US. Throughout Canada, speed limit signs are posted in kilometers per hour (KPH). Car purchased in the US use miles per hour (MPH) on the speedometer and usually have KPH in small numbers below. I rented a car in Edmonton and it had the opposite: KPH in big numbers and MPH in small numbers.

That bighorn sheep speed limit sign that says “Maximum 70″ is referring to KPH. Remember, 70KPH is about 44 MPH.

Listen to the bighorn sheep.

Here’s a round-up of some recent trip reports from travelers like you and me who are visiting Jasper National Park.

Gary and Jo are blogging about their trip across the United States and Canada with recent reports from Banff and Jasper National Park:

• Cavell and Angel Glacier with photos. >>View post
• Wildlife sightings including a bear in a tree and a mountain goat. >>View post
• The Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake area. >>View post
• Going from Banff to Jasper. >>View post
• Staying in Banff. >>View post

Kaili blogged about a trip with time in both Banff and Jasper:

• Trip report and photos of Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. >>View post

Phil and Steve are riding motorcycles across part of the states and Canada and blogging about it:

• Riding through the Canadian Rockies and Jasper. >>View post

Kris is blogging about traveling in Jasper and has some great pictures.

• Squirrels in Jasper. >>View post
• Nice pics of the Icefields Parkway. >>View post
  

This 1960s era postcard of the Athabasca Glacier comes from my collection of Jasper National Park stuff. But this is no ordinary souvenir postcard. There is a story to it that should be told.

This postcard reveals a different Jasper National Park era and a time when Mountain Men still wandered the area. The front reads “Athabaska Glacier, Alberta, Canada - Photo: Bruno Engler”.

It turns out that Bruno Engler (1915-2001) was an accomplished, award-winning photographer who had come to Canada in 1939 and then spent 60 years photographing and enjoying the delights of the Canadian Rockies. The Town of Banff (just south of Jasper National Park) considers Bruno Engler as a local legend and has a web page about him here. Bruno is described as “ski instructor and coach, climber, mountain guide, actor, cameraman, photographer, as well as one of the Canadian Rockies’ great story-tellers and enduring characters.” He was a Mountain Man.

Bruno Engler received the inaugural Summit of Excellence Award in 1986 “representing the highest of honours from his peers in the mountain community for his contributions to Canadian Rockies culture and for his enthusiasm and dedication to photography, guiding, and skiing.”

Bruno’s unique abilities are why photos like these are so unique. I imagine Bruno hanging in the air alongside the pictured adventurer while trying to frame the perfect shot.

The back of the postcard reads “Rappeling High Over the Athabaska Glacier: The great ice tongue of this glacier issues from the Columbia Icefield in three great icefalls. On the right is Dome Glacier which is formed by ice that tumbles over the cliff to be reconstituted as a solid ice mass below. This is on the Icefield Highway, in the south end of Jasper Nation Park, Alberta, Canada.” The red stamp depicting a big horn sheep reads “From the Roof of the Canadian Rockies.”

The postcard photo reveals a time when fashions were different. Look close. The man rappelling wears checkered knee socks. He hangs from a mountain with only a rope holding him in the air.

Down below is the Icefield Center building. I looked really close at the postcard and could only count about 20 cars at the visitor center on this beautiful blue sky day. The parking lot has since been expanded and on a typical summer day is full of cars, RVs and a handful of tour buses.

The biggest difference in this photo from the 1960s in contrast with 2008 is the Athabasca Glacier itself. The photo shows the Athabasca Glacier protruding much further from the Columbia Icefield than it protrudes today. The glacier has been receding each year as summer melting exceeds the rate of winter snow accumulation. What will be of the Athabasca Glacier in 100 years from now? Will it still exist?

Interesting postcard.  One can imagine a 1960s Jasper National Park traveler purchased it while inside the Icefield Center gift shop.  Then it sat in storage for many years until I acquired it.  And now, here it is on Jasper National Park Journal for the whole world to see.

Found: 9 Cool Traveler’s photos of the Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefield

At the south end of Jasper National Park, bordering Banff National Park, lies one of the most visited destinations with the park: The Columbia Icefield. Undoubtedly, the Columbia Icefield is one cool place.

Visitors can tour the Athabasca Glacier - a portion of the Columbia Icefield - by doing a Snocoach tour. I highly recommend doing at least the basic tour. You’ll learn a lot.

“You Gotta See This Place! It’s so cool I’m wearing gloves!”

Yin and Yang at the base of the Columbia Icefield

Walking on cracked ice - crevasses across the Columbia Icefield

Surrounded by ice and snow

Inside the Snowcoach

Looking out the window of the Snowcoach

Inukshuk rock sculptures

The retreating Athabasca Glacier from 1992 to 2006. The last Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago and the glaciers have usually been retreating since then - increasingly in recent years. Whenever more snow melts in the summer than is added in the winter, the glacier retreats.

Sunset at the Athabasca Glacier - It looks so small from far away.

This year, the Friends of Jasper have organized new hiking opportunities for travelers and locals alike. If you’d like to hike with other people, have either beginner or intermediate hiking skills, or just want to get out and experience nature in Jasper National Park, read on.

The Friends of Jasper is an organization that serves the role of “independent stewards and advocates by providing opportunities for people to interact and connect to our National Park.”

If you are a beginner hiker, Friends of Jasper have put together something just for you. The non-profit organization has planned new “Discover More Hikes”. These hikes run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June through September. Friends of Jasper provides these guidelines:

• “Hikers can meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays outside the Nature Calls building at 9am (June through September). To ensure your spot (group size is limited) pick up a FREE ticket at the Friends’ shop in the Information Centre. Donations appreciated.” (Friends of Jasper)

The Jasper Information Center is the distinctive looking building pictured below, right in the heart of Jasper townsite on Connaught Drive. Inside you’ll also find a gift shop, trail maps and plenty of tourist brochures. This is where to sign up for the hikes.

The “Discover More” hike is good for travelers new to Jasper and for travelers and residents new to hiking or anyone just looking for an easy, fun hike. Even for a more experienced hiker, this is a fun first-day-in-Jasper hike.

The Friends of Jasper will teach the basics of responsible trail use through a guided tour of the Jasper Discovery Trail, an easy trail that follows the perimeter of Jasper townsite. The Discovery Trail is very new, well-planned and was actually created by the Friends of Jasper and several other organizations, largely through volunteer efforts.

The “Discover More” hike provides a more complete learning experience though. A Friends of Jasper guide will provide an overview of trail map reading, discuss packing techniques, and provide tips on clothing. At the same time, you can ask questions about the park. The “Discover More” hike aims to help prepare the beginner for more advanced hikes.

For a link to a map and more information about the Discovery Trail, click here. If you are unable to make it to a Friends of Jasper hike, the Discovery Trail is still worth doing on your own.

After doing the Discover More hike, be sure to consider the Friends of Jasper Hiking Club’s hikes.

The Friends of Jasper Hiking Club is a new club for more experienced hikers. The Hiking Club will be doing an early morning hike every Thursday during July and August 2008. Hikers meet up promptly at 8:30 AM.

The hike is free (donations accepted) but hikers must sign up at the Jasper Information Center at the posting just outside the Friends of Jasper gift shop. Since the group size is limited, be sure to sign up ahead of time.

The hike is said to be moderately difficult and is not guided/interpretive. It’s just good plain hiking fun.

Friends of Jasper hike organizers recommend dressing appropriately and bringing the necessary water and snacks for both hikes.

The Treeline Restaurant provides a good, quick meal and a great view. The Treeline Restaurant is the only place to eat at the upper terminal of the Jasper Tramway. And being the only restaurant on the side of Whistler’s Mountain, or any Jasper National Park mountain for that matter, makes it one-of-a-kind.

The Treeline Restaurant sits 7,500 feet above sea level on the side of Whistler’s Mountain. The Jasper Tramway gondola is the easiest way to get to the restaurant. The only other way up the mountain is to hike, a two or three hour endeavor.

The Treeline Restaurant’s large windows give patrons a great view of Jasper National Park and the surrounding Canadian Rockies. Looking down, you can see even Jasper townsite.

But enough about the view. Restaurants are for dining, right? The Treeline Restaurant is designed for the food needs of travelers. Instead of being a fancy restaurant, Treeline Restaurant is a self-service, cafeteria-style restaurant. The food is regionally themed but nothing fancy.

In the morning, the breakfast buffet serves eggs and bacon and basic breakfast foods. Remember though, the Jasper Tramway doesn’t open till 9AM during peak months and later during the off-season.

During lunch and dinner, sandwiches and burgers are the norm, but foods like caribou and salmon are known to come out during the more formal dinner-time.

While reviews by culinary connoisseurs will be less than favorable, the Treeline Restaurant scored points with weary travelers, especially mountain hikers, for being a place to get a good meal fast - as long as a table is free. Gear your expectations to this being a seasonally operated tourist restaurant with a great location.

My best advice is to avoid arriving at the Jasper Tramway hungry at lunch time expecting to get into the Treeline Restaurant quickly. Pack some energy bars. At peak hours, the Jasper Tramway will have a wait, maybe 15 minutes, maybe more. Then, since the seating in the main area of the Treeline Restaurant is limited to 50 at a time, there could be a wait to get into the restaurant. Though there may be a wait at peak lunch hours, I wouldn’t worry about it. And if it is too busy, eat an energy bar and take a hike to the peak of Whistler’s Mountain and then try the restaurant again on the way down.

The restaurant is a hidden Jasper National Park gem that few travelers plan into their itinerary. Amongst the choices for dining in Jasper National Park, it ranks high for its atmosphere.

The Jasper Tramway is still a great time even if the restaurant is skipped. The Jasper Tramway Experience (tramway and hike) is a must-do but the restaurant is likely to make good sense for most travelers who can be flexible about when they eat. If you are already paying for tickets to ride the Jasper Tramway, eating at the restaurant is a good way to get more out of the experience.

Parks Canada has recently started publishing a weekly bear activity report online. This is a nice way to get a sense about where the bears are.

The latest report is for June 04, 2008 to June 10, 2008 reveals that most of the reported sightings for black bears have been on Highway 93 - then again, Highway 93 has a lot more traffic than the side roads. There were only a handful of grizzly sightings.

The report breaks down sightings into 4 categories:

• Single Black Bears
• Black Bear Females with Cubs
• Single Grizzly Bears
• Grizzly Bear Females with Cubs

If pairs of mating bears are together, the report indicated this as well.

View the weekly report.

If you see a bear while in the park, you can help improve the list by reporting your sighting to the Jasper Park Warden’s Office at (780) 852-6155.

For your safety and for the safety of others, Parcs Canada makes the following request: “If you see or find a carcass, stay clear, inform other users in the area and report the location immediately to the Jasper Resource Conservation Office (780) 852-6155.”

Remember, bears can be found anywhere throughout the park at any time and bears move about quickly. The report only represents reported sightings not the actual locations of all bears.

What do you do if you see a bear? Being prepared is your best defense. Hundreds of people hike and bike every day in Jasper National Park and do so without any problems with bears. Learn more about avoiding bear attacks in Jasper National Park.

Congratulations to wildlife and nature photographer John E Marriott who had his photo of Jasper National Park make the cover of the June 2008 edition of EXPLORE, Canada’s outdoor magazine.

The photo depicts Canadian Rockies mountain reflections on Amethyst Lake in the Tonquin Valley, Jasper National Park. The Canadian Rockies are one of his frequent subjects and he has many great landscape and wildlife photos of Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, western Canada and Alaska.

Learn more about the magazine cover photo in a post on John E Marriott’s photography website.

You can also see some of his excellent Jasper National Park black bear pictures here and other pictures around Jasper National Park here. John captured grizzly bear photos in Banff National Park recently too (view here).