Visitor Guide 2013 - Jasper

Motoring Along
the Maligne Valley
Maligne Canyon Ice Walk
Maligne Lake
The drive through the
Maligne Valley starts as you
cross the Athabasca River,
on the Moberly Bridge, and it doesn’t
end until after you’ve snapped the
requisite photo of Curly Philips’
Maligne Lake Boathouse. While
it used to be a two day horseback
journey from the Fairmont Jasper
Park Lodge, then known as Tent
City, to Fred Brewster’s Maligne
Lake Chalet, it’s now possible in as
little as 45 minutes, but to explore it
thoroughly is at least a half-day tour.
The first stop is Maligne Canyon. Its
standing as the deepest canyon in
the Canadian Rockies and Canada’s
largest karst system are under debate,
but there’s no taking away from the
spectacular view from the canyon
rim that’s been carved out since the
glaciers receded millennia ago.
“The nice thing about the canyon,”
says Parks Canada interpreter
Brian Catto, “is it doesn’t need to
be a sunny day. Even if you can’t
see the mountains, the canyon
is right in front of your eyes.”
In the winter, the Maligne Canyon
Ice Walk gives visitors a different
perspective, from the bottom
up. The tour traces the canyon
floor beneath frozen waterfalls
and past prehistoric fossils and
cave entrances. It is such a unique
adventure that it’s considered one
of Canada’s signature experiences.
After the canyon, the road continues
to climb alongside the Maligne River,
but something unusual happens.
Just before the stunning view of the
Colin Range across Medicine Lake,
and only 15 kilometers above the
raging white-water of the canyon, the
river runs dry. Medicine Lake doesn’t
have an outflow river. Instead, it
drains through an underground
karst system – a series of connected
limestone caves - thought to be
one of the largest in Canada, and
the water eventually makes its way
back to the surface downstream.
The road clings to the edge of
Medicine Lake for over eight
kilometres and it’s common to
see bighorn sheep along the way.
Wildlife sightings continue all
the way to Maligne Lake, too,
as this stretch of forest is ideal
moose and black bear habitat.
As the road makes its final climb
towards Maligne Lake, it winds the
clock back through Jasper history.
The first buildings that come into
sight are the chalet and guesthouse
originally built by Fred Brewster
in 1927. Both are recognized
nationally as historic buildings
and, after renovations in 2011, are
once again open to the public. In
the past, afternoon tea was offered
as a warm welcome to horseback
guests after a hard day on the trail
from Medicine Lake. The tradition
has been renewed by Maligne
Tours and its down-to-earth style
now blends the tastes of afternoon
tea with its rustic surroundings.
Off to the left is the Curly Philips
boathouse. This red roofed
building is the focus point of the
iconic Jasper photo that includes
the view down Maligne Lake
towards the glaciated summits of
Mounts Charleton and Unwin.
Although the road ends at Maligne
Lake, the adventure need not.
Canoe, kayak and rowboat rentals
are available at the boathouse;
hiking trails, like the infamous
43-km Skyline trail or the much
shorter Bald Hills hike, offer
terrific views from the alpine;
and the Maligne Lake boat cruise
ferries visitors to Spirit Island.
These boats have changed since
Curly Philips’ hand built vessel,
Leah, first carried visitors to the
end of the lake. And while the Leah
still makes an annual appearance
in Jasper’s Canada Day Parade, the
new boats each have a glass-enclosed
heated cabin to keep visitors
comfortable no matter the weather.
Reader’s Digest subscribers have
voted the experience as Canada’s
Best Cruise, too, and it is easy to
understand why. The 90-minute
boat trip is the quintessential
Rocky Mountain experience that
gives everyone the opportunity
to unplug and explore the far
reaches of Jasper National Park’s
backcountry wilderness.
Jasper Visitor Guide 19