Getting to Jasper

Jasper National Park

June 18, 2010

Getting There

As I sit at Barnes and Nobles my road trip already seems so far away, like something that occurred in a dream years ago. I try to feel what I felt while visiting all those places and the rush of being somewhere new each night, but its a bit gone. Which only makes it harder to write because I do not feel it as much, but I will.

Jasper National Park of Canada is located in Alberta in the Canadian Rockies. I left my campsite around 12:00pm, no I am not the bird that caught the worm. I got on the road and enjoyed the view as always. I arrived at the gate of Jasper National Park around 4:00pm and I was already getting tired of driving. I looked at the map and realized that Jasper National Park bordered with Baniff National Park so decided to pay for a two day pass.

First Sight

Its hard to say that Jasper National Park was a sight to see because honestly almost all of the Alaska Highway had had the same look of beauty and splendor, but for very good reasons was this a protected area. 20 minutes into my drive into the National Park I found a glistening lake and pulled over. I got off, took off my shoes and enjoyed the touch of the sand on my feet. Other people were actually getting into the lake because it is very shallow. You can walk pretty far into it and not be but a couple feet deep in water.

Camping Entertainment

A couple hours into Jasper I decided to make camp. I pulled into one of their rather more well developed campsites and paid about 30 bucks for the night. I didn’t really enjoy that price, but I didn’t want to keep driving. When I paid they told me about a group of Natives who would be doing a performance in a couple of hours. I was super excited to see them. I drove into my site and realized that I was right off this very cute creek and it totally made the 3o dollars worth it. Just the sound of running water was worth it all. I set up my tent super close to the creek, made myself some dinner, and sat right by the creek as I ate. As the responsible camper that I am I cleaned up all my trash and placed all food related materials in my car, last thing I needed was a wild animal visit.

Oh! Almost forgot. I camped really close to the tram that I wanted to get on to get to the top of a mountain. So, as soon as I ate and set up camp I drove over to a phone and called the tram people to see at what time they closed, 6:30 was the last trip up. Well, my phone said 6:00pm, so I thought “sweet!” I drove up the mountain, my Carlitos Jr. pushing up the steep mountain. I park, walk, climb the steps, pretty empty place, but I just think its because its the last trip up. I go in and let the woman know I want to get on the tram and she just gives me this confused look. So I of course go into detail of it and how I called, etc. Then her face shows understanding and explains to me that crossing from British Columbia to Alberta I lost an hour. So its not 6:15, but 7:15. *Sigh* Back down the stairs, walk to my car, and drive Carlitos back to our campsite.

I parked Carlitos Jr. and made my way to the campsite’s theater center. Now, I probably should have looked at the map of the campsite before making my way there, but I remember seeing signs for it when I was driving, so I thought it wouldn’t be too bad, since I also remember seeing the center close to my camp when I was looking at the map earlier that day. I needed the walk and this would be a good 15 minute walk. Well I take the path designed for cars and after much mini sweats, I get to the theater area 30 minutes later. I wasn’t too upset about it, but was cursing the fact that they made it seem so close, but was farther.

I get to the theater around 8:00pm, just in time for the performance. I take a sit and wait, wait, wait, wait. The rangers at the park locked themselves out of the building and now all chairs and such were locked up inside, so the audience and performers were waiting for them. After a few minutes they just bring chairs from another place and the dancers and drummers perform on the grass.

(My view on the road!!)

Now, the group of Natives were actually made of youth. This time was the same time that the Summer Solstice was happening, so their elders were performing ceremonies and rituals with other tribes in their own gatherings. It was very sweet and amazing to see these young children, teens, and young adults performing their dances, drumming their drums, and chanting. They danced a variety of dances, but the show stealer, I’m sure that is not how you say it, was that of the 5-7 year old who danced the “Man Dance”. In this dance the man goes hunting, goes to war, and becomes a man. This little boy went on for a good five minutes, without stopping, showing his skills. He was just adorable! I loved it.

Overall it was a good hour, but cursed myself for forgetting my camera. I was only able to take one picture, since it seemed that my brain was also left behind, because I didn’t remember that I had my iPhone until the last dance.

So, right before the group began their dancing a few people came from out of the woods behind the theater center and I realized that that might be a shorter way to my campsite. I thought I would be able to take off at least 10 minutes just crossing over campsites. Well I decide to go that way. I crossed a bridge, crossed a couple of campsites, and there was Carlitos Jr. I was just a couple minutes away! I got even more upset because if I would have looked at the map I would have seen that and gotten my camera. Oh wells :( .

I uploaded pictures, blogged a bit, and watched a bit of TV before closing my eyes and letting my fifth day disappear.