My watch claimed it was morning, but as I walked towards my snowmobile it was still dark. The snow crunched loudly beneath my boots, as it does when the thermometer dips below -30℃, and when I drew breath, I could feel the crispness of the frigid air as it entered my lungs. I swung my arms in a vain...

Simone Heinrich is always excited when she has a chance encounter with a pine marten.  Pine martens—or American martens, as they’re officially known—are members of the weasel family. They’re known for their quickness and agility, which, as Simone will testify, makes them hard to photograph. “I’ve sp...

Three backcountry users in Jasper National Park were given hefty fines for entering areas closed for caribou conservation. On November 24 Jasper Provincial Court heard that last spring, three individuals were charged by Parks Canada law enforcement officers for trespassing in delayed-access areas. A...

After a brief respite, the two warriors faced off once again. It was early winter, and the rut (mating season) was in full swing. Nearby, a large group of female caribou were the motivation for the epic bout. I had been watching the bulls fight for more than half an hour. These were two battle-scarr...

Rising freestyle skiing star, Gage LeBlanc, is used to giving 100 per cent, but even he can’t believe his fundraising goal is at 105 per cent. Thanks to a big push at an October 21 silent auction and lobster dinner hosted by Earls in the Rockies, Gage is now headed to Sweden to train. “We did it! I ...

Skiers, horseback riders and hikers lose out; backcountry lodges forced into disrepair Riding across Maccarib Pass into the Tonquin Valley feels like passing through a mist-filled portal into Narnia, a magical place populated by mythical creatures, including grizzly bears, wolverines and endangered ...

This story originally appeared in the March 1, 2020 edition of The Jasper Local . Author’s note: If any names have been changed, it’s to spare the blushes of Jasper’s stolid citizens. Those who dream by night . . . wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous...

At least 10 bears using townsite to feed on ornamental fruit and berry trees Jasper National Park is planning to remove several bears from the townsite. For weeks, multiple black bears, including two sets of female bears with cubs, have been feeding on the abundant fruit in a variety of non-native f...

Andrew Bovard is back on top of the 24 hour solo mountain biking podium. The 45-year-old Jasperite took home first place in the Masters category at the recent Canadian Rockies 24 , held at Canmore’s nordic centre. “That course is the hardest 2-4 course,” Bovard said. “It’s rooty, rutty and rocky.” B...

There’s a cute book in the Jasper Museum called Bears in the Alley . It’s a compilation of stories, mostly by Jasper old timers, who regale readers with recollections of life living with black bears. Back in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, not only were there plenty of bears in Jasper’s alleys, but there we...