Parks Canada is posting notice that a section of the Wabasso Road (93A) is closed as of 6 p.m., April 4, 2026.

The closure is due to falling debris and mud on the road, posing a hazard to drivers.

As Jasper welcomes Easter long weekend guests, the road closure means that skiers, snowboarders and ski hill staff wanting to access the snowy slopes of Marmot Basin will have to take the long way around.

The detour, which takes motorists to the south end of Wabasso Road (93A) via the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93N), adds about 30 minutes of “scenic travel time” to the trip, according to Marmot Basin.

“Our partners at Parks Canada have made the decision to temporarily close the first 2 km stretch between Highway 93 and the Marmot Basin Road due to increased mud and debris along the roadway under current weather conditions,” the company said in a statement.

The decision by Parks Canada to close the road is being made “out of an abundance of caution,” said Marmot Basin’s vice president, Brian Rode.

The Mile 5 hill, as it’s known locally, has for years been vulnerable to shedding rocks, particularly in the spring. The July 2024 Jasper Wildfire exacerbated the issue, as the area above the road has been experiencing increased runoff. 

Burned areas often experience reduced infiltration, according to wildfire literature, causing more water to run off the landscape onto road surfaces. This runoff captures large amounts of sediment, increasing erosion.

In the past few weeks, Parks Canada has conducted increased  maintenance on the road, and has reduced the two-way traffic flow to alternating, one-way. Marmot Basin guests have been understanding, Rode said—a general attitude surely helped along by the superb quality of Marmot’s spring skiing.

“Conditions are exceptionally good throughout the entire mountain,” Rode said. “The 55 centimetres we’ve received over the past 10 or 11 days has just added to the already solid conditions that we’ve had at the mountain this season. We’ve still got almost a month left in the season and April can often bring some good snowfalls.”

In other words: enjoy the scenic route to the snow. Parks Canada has said access to the closed section of Wabasso Road will be restored as soon as conditions allow.

Marmot Basin’s closing day of the 2025/26 season is May 3.

Jasper Local staff // bob@thejasperlocal.com