Snowy rugged peaks, dense white forests and frozen lakes. That’s winter sports in the Canadian Rocky Mountains where there are plenty of snow-sure ski resorts. By invitation I combine Edmonton with a visit to Jasper and experience a phenomenal winter sports adventure.
Winter wonderland
I have a direct flight to Edmonton. On arrival in Edmonton I immediately travel to Jasper. KLM has a winter shuttle service that takes you from Edmonton to Jasper and fits perfectly with the KLM flight. It’s about a four-hour drive from Edmonton to Jasper. During the ride, a beautiful winter wonderland unfolds. They say that a city trip Edmonton is perfectly compatible with a few days of nature and winter sports in Jasper. I’m curious what the next few days are going to bring.
In the dark we arrive at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a beautiful resort located on the banks of the Lac Beauvert in Jasper National Park. The Fairmont is by far the most luxurious hotel in Jasper and has particularly attractively decorated cabins. I sleep in a spacious newly renovated premium cabin near the main house.
Long descents & Canadian dishes
The next morning, after being woken up early by the jetleg, we are taken by shuttle to the Marmot Basin. The first morning in
Canada
and we start right away, we’re going to ski one morning, something I’ve been looking forward to. After renting skis we meet our guide with whom we will explore the ski area. After two hours of skiing I have seen a lot of the area, fresh dry powder snow, nice long runs, quiet slopes, it’s fantastic!
It’s not for nothing that the mighty
Rocky Mountain
s with 100% snow security are on the list of most beautiful winter sports destinations in the world! Both beginners and experienced skiers sit here well on more than 100 kilometers of slopes for each level. There are also areas where you can ski but which are not prepared and marked.
That same afternoon there is a Food Tour Downtown Jasper on the program. A very nice tour where you walk from one restaurant to another and typically get canadian dishes and drinks served. That’s how I try Poutine, discover Sortilege and have a beer at Jasper Brewing Company. My first full day in Canada was promising and I finish in the hot tub, around me everything covered with snow and a beautiful starry sky. What’s going to bring me tomorrow?
A lifelike painting
Today we start with a Wildlife Tour where we look for a. Elk, the Wapiti, mountain goats and the bighorn sheep. We have really just left the fairmont site and the first moose are already crossing the road. Here in Jasper a very normal phenomenon. We drive a beautiful route towards Maligne Lake, where there is plenty of time to take pictures along the way. Especially the huge frozen lakes impress, it’s like a lifelike painting!
For lunch we make a stop at Wilderness Kitchen. Highly recommended for those on their way to Maligne Lake. Inspired by the surroundings with a rich history, this restaurant serves smokehouse-flavored menu in a particularly atmospheric setting!
After this delicious lunch, our afternoon activity starts. We’re going to make a 3-hour descent into the Maligne Canyon. From our guide we receive waterproof boots and crampons. A short instruction and we’ll be on our way. It is the deepest accessible gorge in Jasper National Park with winter-frozen waterfalls, ice caves and incredible ice formations. It’s beautiful! Through a path with six bridges you have a different view of the gorge.
With this I end my adventure in Jasper and the next day I travel back to Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta.
Let’s go Oilers!
I stay at the newly opened JW Marriott in the upcoming ICE District. This hotel is connected to the Rogers Place Stadium. Here’s a sports spectacle waiting for me, because whoever’s in Edmonton is going to an ice hockey game, that’s what the locals tell us. I don’t know much about ice hockey but what a show! Because the show is at least as important in ice hockey as the sport itself; the live band, the mascot, even the mop break is made a spectacle.
In Edmonton I also visit the historic district of Old Strathcona, where a Bakery Food Tour is planned. I eat the tastiest Eggs Benedict ever and visit nice hip coffee shops. Make sure you haven’t had breakfast yet, because one sweet is even tastier than the other.
This brings my winter adventure to an end. For my flight I make a short visit to West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping mall in North America. Bizarrely so big!
I can say that the Canadian Rockies is perfect for a complete winter sports holiday and that a city break in Edmonton can be combined with a few days of nature and winter sports in Jasper!
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