Jasper/Marmoth Basin

Despite all recommendations, I was now in Jasper, described as a "mellower Fernie" by the back countriers from Rogers Pass.

It's a rather large ski area too, with a "detachable quad" (a chair lift that sits four people, and the chairs are detached at bottom and top to make it easier for the riders to get on and off), and a few smaller chair lifts to the top of the mountain. At first it seemed like a good place to get some nice untouched snow, but I soon realized that the snow was untouched due to the entire area being closed off with angry signs saying extreme avalanche danger, and revoke skiing privileges and trespassers would be prosecuted and other terms I did not understand the meaning of, other than that I was not supposed to cross those red ropes. I found it rather hard to believe that it was an avalanche danger in the area, since there was hardly no snow on the mountain at all, with rocks damaging my skis and edges both in the groomed runs and outside. A local I shared a lift with, confirm that it had been the winter with the least snow in 13 years, and he seemed to be the age that could remember at least 13 years back. But he told me to come back in March or April. Then they would normally have at least two meters more snow, and about every 2nd day it would be fresh snow at least up to the knees, and sometimes up to your waist. Well - too bad for me I won't be around in March. So I stayed on the grooms trying to keep away from the rocks.

Overall rating. Not too bad, and it surely has potential when there's more snow.


They made a snow sculpture giving the impression of a lot of snow. (I did not really realize what it was supposed to be until I saw the picture)


A piece of the mountain


Apparently they use explosives for avalanche control here too.


Jup. Here is the fire tower, see that nice cannon on the roof? Explosives inside. Stay off!


Is snow coming?

The dark skies made me a bit worried. Was the big snow storm moving in, that they had forcasted? Would it be impossible to drive back through the park on my summer tires? Would I be stranded in Jasper? If yes, for how long? Would I have to make a 4 1/2 hours extra detour around Edmonton?