A stop at Sunwapta Falls offers the traveler a view of a rushing waterfall in a scenic setting. A short path along the edge has plenty of viewpoints.

I’ve been having fun lately editing photos from my last trip to Jasper National Park.  One thing I’m experimenting with is converting color photos to black and white.  Then, adjusting the photos to try to capture the essence of the scene.

In this first photo, the fallen tree outline on the bottom gives a sense of the scale of the falls. Enlarge the photo and you can almost hear the falls.

Sunwapta Falls (black and white) - click image to enlarge. If you like it, feel free to make it a desktop wallpaper.

This second photo shows the river draining into the very start of the Sunwapta Falls.

Sunwapta Falls (black and white) - click image to enlarge

Try converting your travel photos to black and white. It can be addicting.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Day: Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park

While the Jasper Park Lodge gets props for being around since the early 1900s, the lodge benefits from the beauty of Lac Beauvert and the surrounding Canadian Rockies.

Lac Beauvert is a small lake at only 0.4km².  Even for Jasper visitors not staying at Jasper Park Lodge, a trip to the lodge for the scenery is worth it.  The lodge also has several dining options and the lake has a nice path along its edge. So, a dinner and a walk could make for a relaxing way to spend on evening after a day of Jasper National Park activities.

Lac Beauvert and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge are a short drive from Jasper townsite and it shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes from the townsite to the lodge’s parking lot.

Then the beauty of the lake awaits.

The resulting experience is splendid with many lovely views like these. Like any pictures of Jasper National Park, the camera can only tease you.

The real-life experience is so much better. A wonderful feeling exists when you are amongst Mt Edith Cavell and the many mountains of the Canadian Rockies.

Seeing one in person will take your Jasper National Park experience to the next level.

Let’s look at some photos from fellow Jasper National Park travelers who rejoiced at some extra-spectacular scenery.

Here a full rainbow appears alongside Connaught Drive, the main road in the Jasper village area of the park.

“So which end is the pot of gold?”

In this crafty photo, a rainbow appears to come out of the 6015 locomotive parked next to the Jasper Train Station.

A spectacular double rainbow scene highlights the Jasper Train Station.

Catch the lighting just right and see something like this at Athabasca Falls, one of the popular attractions on Jasper National Park’s Icefield Parkway.

This video shows the Athabasca waterfall in action.

Wouldn’t you like to be sitting in one of these chairs watching this spectacular scene right now?  This looks to be along the Athabasca River, one of the best places in the Canadian Rockies to go rafting.

This Jasper National Park traveler is having fun with the scenery.

Sometimes seeing just part of a rainbow is still very cool. This one hovers above the Athabasca River.  Look close.  You can see the blanket of mist that the sunlight uses to reflect colorful light for delighted observers.

Jasper’s southern neighbor, Banff National Park, is also home to many of these amazing Canadian Rockies scenes. If you go to Banff as part of your trip (recommended if you have time), then keep a look-out for amazing scenes like this:

Rainbows occur when sunlight is reflected by mist or rain.  As you can observe from the photos, some of the best places to see rainbows are along the Athabasca River, at lakes and at Jasper village.  These are places that have the right combination of conditions as well as being popular places to visit within Jasper.  Also look for them in any Jasper waterfall, such as the ones that occur in the Maligne Canyon.

Happy sightseeing!

Whether you plan to rent a canoe at Maligne Lake or Lac Beauvert in Jasper National Park or Lake Louise or Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, or elsewhere in the parks, there is one thing you can do today to prepare for the experience: learn to properly paddle a canoe.

This article will provide the resources you need to properly paddle a canoe.

I’ve rented canoes in many places – and even paddled amongst large, scary alligators in southern Florida. Before I learned how to properly paddle a canoe, I’d have trouble keeping the canoe straight. It would rock and was hard to keep steady. I’d also get tired and strain my muscles. I lacked knowledge of the proper canoe paddling form.

There is a better way. Learn simple and easy canoe paddling techniques. So, sit back, relax and let’s learn to paddle a canoe for your Canadian Rockies vacation.

If you are new to canoeing and plan to rent a canoe during your Canadian Rockies vacation, learning a little bit about how properly paddle a canoe will help you make the most of your experience and allow you to focus on the wonderful scenery.

These are some of these best instructional videos on how to paddle a canoe. Take a look at these videos to learn about how to paddle and steer a canoe.

This video goes into more detail about the J-stroke.

The following video really gets into some advanced canoe paddling theory – aimed at canoeing enthusiasts. It will make you think a lot about having the proper form and how to most efficiently paddle a canoe.

What happens if your canoe tips over? Since you are now a pro, you shouldn’t have to worry about tipping over your canoe. But if you do, here is a video that shows what to do.

Ok, now that you’ve watched some videos, you should be ready to go. If you’d like more details, read through these articles on other websites which go into more advanced aspects of canoeing:

• How to Paddle a Canoe: The J-Stroke
• Paddling stroke techniques
• Paddling technique
• Copng with wind
• Paddling strokes explained
• Paddling ina tandem canoe

Hope your Jasper National Park and/or Banff National Park canoeing experience is rewarding. Happy canoeing!

Simple.  Buy locally grown food on your way to Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

The region’s local farmers’ markets and many small farm stands offer green travelers and budget-conscious travelers a way to get locally grown produce at surprisingly low prices.  Buying locally grown produce reduces your travel carbon footprint because the foods were shipped less and have less packaging than foods typically found in a grocery store.

Buying local has added benefits.  For the traveler from lands faraway, visiting a market on the way to Jasper National Park is a way to experience the local food heritage.

For instance, have you ever tried saskatoons, a sweet fruit that looks like blueberries? Saskatoons grow in western Canada and northwest/central US.  Even if you buy saskatoons at local restaurants and ice cream shops, the saskatoon berries will have traveled less than, say, bananas shipped from South America.  Your travel carbon footprint will be reduced.

How to make the most of a trip to a farmers’ market in Alberta?

Make it easy to be a green traveler.  Make the habit of always bringing silverware in your suitcase when traveling.  Carry it in your backpack when out and about.  If you happen upon a farm stand and pick up an assortment of fruit, vegetables, bread, crackers and jam, you have a way to eat it.

The Alberta Farmers’ Market Association recommends buying what is seasonal, appealing and fresh.  They also recommend asking questions of the growers.   It is a great way to learn about local farming and meet new people.  The Association also suggests being selective as buying too much will result food can result in food going bad before it is eaten.

Farmers’ markets and farm stands can also be places to find unique locally made handicrafts and gifts.

The farmer’s markets in the region tend to be open seasonally (July and August, usually June and September, and sometimes beyond) and for only a day or two each week – and for limited hours. Be sure to know the hours before planning a trip to a farmer’s market.

Where are the farm stands and farmers’ markets in Alberta?

While a listing of farm stands is unavailable, farm stands tend to be open during the mornings and early afternoons.  If you are out driving in rural areas, keep a look out for the opportunity for a spontaneous stop at a farm stand.  Some farm stands even have DIY u-pick farms where you can pick your own fruits and vegetables.

Farmer’s markets are easier to find.  The following links will help you find farmer’s markets in the vicinity of Jasper and Banff National Parks.

Hinton, Alberta

Just minutes from the eastern entrance to Jasper National Park is the town of Hinton, Alberta.  The Hinton Farmer’s Market at the Hinton Centre, 965 Switzer Dr, is open Thursdays from 11AM to 2PM for most of the year.  The same organization comes to Jasper a few times a year, making use of the Jasper Activity Centre.

Edson, Alberta

The little town of Edson is midway between Edmonton and Jasper National Park.

The Edson Farmers’ Market is on Fridays from mid-April to min-December from 10:30am to 2pm. If you happen to be passing by Edson at this time, give the Edson Farmers’ Market a try. The market is held at the Edson Friendship Centre.

Keep an eye out for farm stands along the highway.

Edmonton, Alberta

The West Edmonton Mall is by no means the only place to shop in Edmonton.  Edmonton has plenty of farmers’ markets for shopping.  Farmer’s Market Online lists 8 different farmer’s markets in Edmonton.

Check out Edmonton’s Old Strathcona Farmers Market (website), open Saturdays from 8AM to 3PM, which has around 130 vendors and can sometimes see 10,000 visitors on a busy Saturday.  Be on the look-out for street performers as well.

Farm stands can be found in the Edmonton suburbs.

Calgary, Alberta

The Calgary Farmers’ Market (website) and the Millarville Farmer’s Market (website) are the big farmer’s markets in the Banff National Park area.  Stop by on the way to Banff and Jasper National Parks.

A nice photo album of the Calgary Farmers’ Market can be found here.

Besides being environmentally friendly, buying locally grown food can save on food costs, making for a cheaper Jasper National Park vacation.  It can also be a lot of fun!

Be sure to buy locally grown foods from farmers’ markets and farm stands on your Jasper National Park vacation so that you may be a green traveler.

The Maligne Canyon Ice Walk is one such winter adventure.  Offered by the Jasper Adventure Centre, the ice walk is a 3 hour, 4 kilometer hike through the Maligne Canyon.  The frozen top layers of the Maligne River provide part of the path for this truly “off the beaten path” winter Jasper hike.  You’ll be walking inside the canyon on an ice path, an ice path waiting to transform back into the raging Maligne River come spring.  You’ll see amazing frozen waterfalls from the bottom of the canyon.

This video produced by Travel Alberta features an interview with Murray Morgan, the owner of Jasper Adventure Centre, and one of the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk guides. A really great video, the video provides a lot of details of the Malign Canyon during winter.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Jasper Adventure Centre website for more information on the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk.

Want to know what Jasper Adventure Centre guides do for fun in the cold winter months of Jasper National Park?  They explore the Maligne Canyon even more, rappelling off the cliffs and into the ice filled canyons, walking amongst the Maligne River’s frozen ice waterfalls.  Read a story about it here on their blog.

If Jasper in winter is not your things, take a look at the Maligne Canyon in summer with these Maligne Canyon pictures. A big difference!

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Day: Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park

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).

In Jasper, rafting is actually slower paced and skill level doesn’t even matter. Rafting trips range from absolute beginner to intermediate, from slower paced guided raft trips to adventurous rides down splashing rapids.

Several outfitters can get would-be rafters on the water, giving travelers a unique perspective of nature. Rafting offers a full sensory experience: see the mountains, river and forest; smell the water and trees; hear the flowing rapids and splashing of oars; and feel the wetness of cold glacier water.

Easy, leisurely paced raft trips for novices are offered by several rafting outfitters (listed below). Maligne Lake Rafting Adventures Ltd, for example, has chosen a few segments of the Athabasca River for raft trips. These trips are considered family-friendly and ideal for beginners. Still, expect to get a little wet. One of the trips, called the Mile 5 Run, is a 2-hour round trip package. The second, the Heritage Run, is 3 hours round trip. Both are rated as Class II rapids.

The International Scale of River Difficulty defines Class II as:

• Class II: Novice. “Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels which are evident without scouting. Occasional maneuvering may be required, but rocks and medium sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers. Swimmers are seldom injured and group assistance, while helpful, is seldom needed.”

Jasper Raft Tours is an another outfitter with a raft trip geared to beginners. Their Athabasca River trip is on “specially designed rafts offer a safe, comfortable ride that any first time rafter will enjoy.” Don’t want to leave any family members back at the hotel? Jasper Raft Tours says their Athabasca River rafting trip is “for everyone from toddlers to seniors.”

A guide paddles and steers the boat. Passengers hold on and enjoy being on the water, watching the surrounding Canadian Rockies scenery.

This video by a Jasper traveler shows a guided raft going down the Athabasca River. It should put out any fears of big rocks, rapids and waterfalls.

Want a faster ride?

Maligne Lake Rafting Adventures also offers Class III white water rafting on either the Fraser or Sunwapta River- choosing the river offering the best conditions that day. Be prepared to get really wet on this trip. According to Maligne Lake Rafting Adventures, the Class III trips “do not require any previous experience and are suited for physically active individuals who weigh 90 lbs (41 kgs) or more and are looking for an exhilarating ride.” There will be plenty of paddling and the current is much stronger.

The International Scale of River Difficulty defines Class III as:

• Class III: Intermediate. “Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required; large waves or strainers may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large-volume rivers. Scouting is advisable for inexperienced parties. Injuries while swimming are rare; self-rescue is usually easy but group assistance may be required to avoid long swims.”

Some of the other outfitters also offer Class III trips.

Logistics

Expect all of the gear to be provided but wear clothes that can get wet. For the novice rides, bringing a disposable water-proof camera is usually allowed. Most of the outfitters provide transportation from their offices in Jasper village.

It is good to reserve ahead even if only the day before. All of the outfitters are located in Jasper townsite and you can stop in their offices to ask questions and make reservations during a walk around town.

List of Jasper National Park Rafting Outfitters

Jasper Raft Tours

Maligne Lake Rafting Adventures Ltd

Raven Adventures Ltd

Jasper’s White Water Rafting Ltd

The popular and well-worn trail runs alongside the Maligne River.  The Maligne Canyon hike is popular for both its beauty and its proximity to Jasper townsite.   From Jasper townsite to the Maligne Canyon hike parking lot will take 10-20 minutes.

Over thousands of years, the river has formed deep canyons in many places. In some points, hikers are looking down into the canyons and in other parts hikers will have descended to the water’s edge.

The glacier-fed water is a unique green color that few visitors have experienced elsewhere on the planet outside of the surrounding area.

Several bridges cross the river during the hike and allow hikers to look directly down into the gorges.

During the summer, you’ll hear the sounds of rushing water and waterfalls and smell that clean air smell.

When the river freezes over in winter, the experience is completely different.  If you are one of the brave venturing to Jasper National Park in winter, consider doing a guided ice walk in Maligne Canyon in winter. It is an out of this world experience.

Other Hikes in Jasper National Park

Don’t have much time but still want to do a good hike?  Try the Jasper Discovery Trail which loops around the outskirts of Jasper townsite.

For an even easier hike, try the Lake Annette Loop (Clifford E. Lee Wheelchair Trail), a 2.4 km trail that takes between 60 to 90 minutes to complete. The Lake Annette Loop trail is paved and wheelchair accessible and also great for pushing baby strollers.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Day: Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park