Jasper, the less touristy national park

Top of the opal hills
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Jasper,(once again the major town in a national park that has its name) as a town is not a touristy as Banff, which makes a welcome change for the Rockies, and gives the town that frontier edge. Once again i had to stay in a hostel that was a out of the town(7km). Which didn't give much of an opportunity to check out the nightlife. If fact both my nights here were used writing up this and planning my next few days trip onto Vancouver. As i didn't get here till late evening the first night, all i really got to do was to suss out the town for a bit a stock up on some food. The hostel was friendly but on the downside the dorm contained about 60 beds. Too top it all off some guy was snoring the whole night and as good as i am at sleeping i did wake up a few times. As i was only having one day here i had to make a choice on what hike i wanted to do. I followed the recommendation of my guide book on the best day hike in what they said was a moderate level. Personally i would have not have wanted to do the one they had classified as strenuous. The hike (Opal hills Circuit) was about 50km out of jasper at a place called Maligne lake. Once again it was a great drive there. The hike itself gets off to a backbreaker of a start with a sharp assent up to a junction where you can continue the pain if you go right or suffer a little less pain if you go left. I went left. Then it flattens out above where the trees grow and you are hiking trough almost what is like the west of Ireland except bigger. It was also pretty cold up there with snow still on the ground and even having a light snow fall while i was walking about. It was almost like l was walking in the clouds as some points as the cloud cover was so low during the day but i think that added to the wilderness of it all, and since i didn't meet anyone else on the trail i was feeling very much like the adventurer. As for the way down, i have too say that going down such a steep hill is nearly as tough a going up except without the gasping for air. You're constantly trying to keep yourself from breaking into a run, so its pretty tough on the calfs.

Maligne Canyon
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After a little time to recover i headed back towards jasper, and stopped off at the Maligne canyon. This was only a short 40 minute walk up and down the canyon edge, which in its own way is impressive. At points it is really narrow. An Olympic long jumper could definability get over it. It is also pretty deep at up to 50 meters down. The usual cut during the last ice age stuff but fairly impressive all the same.