Marmot Basin: An Insider Guide
We like Marmot for its lack of pretension and crowds (you seldom wait for a lift), and the fact that the ski experience rivals its Banff neighbours.

Located 20-minutes south of Jasper townsite, Marmot Basin’s 1675-acres includes massive high alpine bowls framed by rugged pinnacles and ridges. Their recent Eagle Ridge expansion yielded a new quad chairlift, 22 new runs and awesome glades. The Knob chair is entirely above treeline—it’s the place to be after a big snowfall. Tree-lined runs, a ‘sick’ terrain park and $2 million snowmaking system are features of the lower mountain. You can enjoy a hundred peak and valley views anywhere at the ski area.

Insider tips:
• Avoid morning waits: Buy lift passes (plus lessons and ski rental vouchers) at the downtown ski desk in the Wild Mountain store, and park in the 4th lot to access uncrowded Caribou Chair.
• Ditch the car: Shuttles depart Jasper hotels three times each morning from 8 am to 12:10 pm, and return 2:30, 3:45 and 5 pm. It’s $6 one way; phone 852-3816.
• Get gear at their $1 million rental shop: They move people in and out quickly, and offer Head high-performance skis.
• Hire an all-day private guide/instructor (to 5 people, $520): Get lift line priority, lunch and access to the best pistes.
• Don’t stress if you lose your trail map: Open terrain allows you to pick your run while riding the lift. Plus, there’s an easy run off every chair.
• Eat poutine: Fries with cheese curds and gravy is a perennial favourite (salads are also served).
• Park your butt during lunch: Eagle’s Nest (upstairs, Eagle Mid-mountain Chalet) and Caribou Lounge at the base offer service.
• Tan all-day: Sunshine saturates new Kokanee Glacier Deck off Caribou Lounge. Ski Canada calls the vista ‘Canada’s best new view’.
• Go for it: Intermediates can ski the black Showoff and Highway 16 runs off Paradise chair if they’ve been recently groomed—check the grooming report at the bottom of the lift.
• Big powder: Hike skier’s left 10-min from the Eagle Ridge chair to Cornice run. Or, cross fence gates to ski open slopes and glades of Eagle East.

Telemark skiing at Bow Summit overlooking Peyto Lake (shaped like wolf's head)

Image © Travel Alberta

Access to Jasper: A Road Less Travelled
Stretching from Lake Louise to Jasper, the 230-km (143-mi) Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) is called “one of the most spectacular drives in the world.” Lined by towering peaks of the Continental Divide, 100 glaciers flank its western side. In winter, sightings of elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and coyotes are common—if you’re lucky you’ll spot a moose, woodland caribou, cougar or wolf. Highlights en route (south to north) include:
• Bow Lake for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (403-522-2167).
• Bow Summit for telemark skiing.
• Weeping Wall where ice climbers tackle cliffs.
• Columbia Icefield for a walk to the Athabasca Glacier toe. Ice Explorer glacier trips open Apr 15.
• Tangle Falls that can be admired from the road.

Drive the Icefields Parkway with plenty of gas (there’s none en route during winter), and take water, food and warm clothes. Road condition hotlines are 403-762-1450 in Banff and 780-852-3311 in Jasper. Sightseeing trips are offered by Jasper tour operators.

Jasper can also be accessed via Hwy 16; Edmonton is 360-km (224-mi) to the east. Mountain Connector (1-888-786-3641) offers daily shuttles from Calgary, Banff and Edmonton to Jasper to April 29, and co-ordinates multi-day packages.