We had planned a trip to Jasper back in October and luckily the weather cooperated with us. Trips out to Jasper in the winter time can be unpredictable. There can be too much snow or portions of the highway can be closed due to avalanche. We couldn’t ask for a better weekend to go… except for the -26 degree Celsius we had on Saturday.
Along the way to Jasper, by the Columbia Icefields, we stopped at Wilcox Pass for a short snowshoe. We quickly came out of the woods. The views were phenomenal, given the short hike and relatively minimal elevation gain. At the pass, it was windy, cold and breathtaking. The snowy landscape seemed so otherworldly.
In two hours, we had ascended and descended. We returned to the car and continued towards Jasper. I had never been to Jasper in the winter. The route seemed familiar, yet so different. I had participated in the Banff-Jasper Relay in 2011 and intend to run again this year. As we headed towards Jasper, I kept looking for the leg of the race I had ran three years ago. At one point, I nodded off and suddenly awoke. And there it was, completely recognizable- the stretch of road that my runners had hit the pavement, moving forward, striving to reach my goal, while taking in the scenery around me. Running through the Rockies was an exhilarating experience. I recommend it to everyone.
The Continental Divine 