The Outdoor Aura
Two Lakes In One Day or Two
If my friends ask me what did I do during spring and summertime, I would typically reply, "Just on my
computer and working." Funny enough, they brought the idea of going to Jasper one day and they asked
me if I'm down to go with them. In short, they want to go mountain hiking. So I passed the
opportunity, but that was a lie. While they were busy
discussing where in Jasper should they go, I did my own research and found Patricia and
Pyramid Lakes. To settle this, I shared my findings to them and the rest is history.
It's Kayaking Time
Both lakes are perfect for kayaking, especially it's my first time. If you didn't have time
to buy a kayak for yourself you can rent one from the town and have it delivered to the
lake. Unfortunately, you can't do loop kayaking around the Pyramid Island while kayaking,
due to the
level of the bridge. And no, I did not do loop kayaking. Wanna more about kayaking? I got
you: Check Out
Athabasca River!
The perfect time to do kayaking is between the months of July to September and if you're a
first-timer, you can get a 50% discount.
Lastly, you don't need to be super fit to enjoy kayaking as the water is calm.
It's Walking Time
If you prefer walking instead, then worry no more! Both Patricia and Pyramid Lakes are 45
minutes apart of each
other. I will recommend that you do lake walking during the golden hour, especially if you
are a
photographer. Trust me, it's worth it.
Accomodation
What I loved about the bungalow that I rented is the great view of the lake. But then again, it
doesn't really matter which one you rent. All bungalows have fully equipped kitchen, a TV, good
internet, and environmental friendly fireplace. So if you chose to go to do loop kayaking or lake
walking, the bungalows is 20 minutes away from each lake.
Historical Fact
To counter Germany's U-boat during the Second World War, former British prime minister, Winston
Churchill approved a project to create aircraft carriers out of giant icebergs. Where did it took
place? In the Patricia Lake, of course. In 1942, Geoffrey
Pyke was looking for a solution how to protect Allied ships from U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean.
The lake was chosen as the test site because due to laborers being available from a nearby camp.
By 1943, the project was scrapped due to increase high demand of steel, new airfields being built,
and high cost. The carrier melted three summers later.
New public transport system
In summer of 2021, Jasper launched a pilot program for opening public transit for its attractions.
Despite Jasper having over 4700 residents, the visitor count tends to surge as Jasper being a
popular destination during the summer. Due to the heavy flow of extra people, this creates a parking
or vehicular congestion within the townsite and within the national park. With the overcrowding of
people and vehicles taken to consideration, the Jasper Municipal council voted unanimously in favor
of launching a fixed-route transit service in the summer of 2021. The fixed-route for buses runs 10
times a day during the summer which stops on Jasper Park Lodge, the Wapiti and Whistler campgrounds,
and Pyramid Lake. Each round trip is estimated to take approximately 75 minutes. However in the
winter, Whistlers and Waititi Campgrounds will be omitted for the travel route. The launch of the
public transit program also aims to mitigate environmental impact as some areas start to become
dangerously overcrowded, therefore the municipality also plans to use zero-emission buses. Taking
emergency vehicles into consideration, parking on the shoulder of a narrow road can lead to
difficulties for emergency vehicles enroute to a call. The municipality expects residents and
tourists to utilize the service. According to Ireland (The mayor of Jasper); “managing traffic
becomes overwhelming for small mountain communities, so we have to look at the options such as
public transit and opportunities for active transportation.” If you need more information about the
new transit system, click
here.
What's New and Exciting
