The Jasper Local June 1, 2018 by The Jasper Local

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tthejasperlocal.com h e ja s p e r l o ca l .c o m

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friday,1, may 15, 2015 // issue122 49 friday, june 2018 // ISSUE

Bear attacks dog, man attacks bear

A MAY 16 INCIDENT WHEREIN A DOG WAS KILLED BY A BLACK BEAR was also

LET THE LIGHT IN // JESSICA DANIELS, MYCHOL ORMANDY AND ERIN STAINTON ENJOY THE INAUGURAL COLOURFUL WALK ALONG JASPER’S NEW RAINBOW CROSSWALK. // BOB COVEY

the scene of a humanbear conflict in which the human is lucky to have escaped without serious injury. Multiple media outlets reported, and Parks Canada confirmed, that a dog did not survive an encounter with a bear after escaping from a car which had pulled over on the side of the road near Kerkeslin campground, 36 km south of the Jasper townsite. The driver of the car had pulled over to view the bear when the dog escaped through an open window. After escaping, the dog harassed the bear by approaching it and barking at it. “The bear responded defensively towards the dog as it would to any other predator and

unfortunately the dog did not survive the attack,” spokesperson Steve Young said on May 22 via email. What Young didn’t say, and what The Jasper Local has learned in the meantime, is that the dog’s owner, after seeing his pet being attacked by the bear, jumped on the bear’s back in an attempt to save the dog. Resource conservation staff conducted an interview with the man after they went back to locate the bear. They found the man looking for his dog. He told them he tried to save his dog by setting upon the bear. A Parks Canada employee who heard the report over the radio said in more than 15 years of working for the agency she had never heard of a visitor trying to wrestle a bear. “He’s lucky,” she said. “It sounded crazy.”

bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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editorial //

Local Vocal PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE ARE REPORTEDLY HONEYMOONING AT THE FAIRMONT JPL. Hmm, maybe?

Regardless if the rumours are true or not, we at The Jasper Local have to stand up to the egregious headline in the New York Post’s gossip rag, Page Six, which, upon learning of the Royal Couple’s post-nups destination, decreed Jasper as the “World’s most boring place.” Jasper boring? Oh no you didn’t! Just in case the Prince and Duchess were second guessing Jasper, here are five things to do here that are anything but boring (with apologies to Mack Lamoureux of Vice): Go clubbing: Sure, there’s probably a decent discotheque or two in London, but tell me there’s a more lit dance floor than at Sin Sunday at the AthaB. You can’t ‘cause there ain’t! Make it an authentic Jasper experience by burning your tongue on Northface pizza sauce before getting a cab back to staff accom. Jump in a lake: It’s excitement you want? Then why not climb to the top of a sketchy cliff while your pie-eyed mates egg you on to jump into the freezingass-cold water? Bonus excitement if you break a bone and have to be air-lifted out. Go “hiking”: Sure, many of the standard trails in Jasper can be considered a bit tame. So get off the beaten path! Morro Peak is particularly great for getting off-route early and often. If you’re not screaming “Where the hell are you taking us now?” to your loved one, it’s not really an adventure. Go paddling: Not outside your palatial cabin on bland old Lac Beauvert, mind you. If you want white knuckle canoeing, head straight to Maligne Lake. It’s best if you have no paddling experience whatsoever and head straight for the middle of the lake—sorry, “loch.” Do wear a life jacket though. The whitecaps from those tour boats are straight up terrifying. Troll local social media: Here’s a non-boring rainy day option. Sure you could visit the museum, but why look up from your phone when you can log onto Jasper Buy Sell and Trade and stir up “debate?” Local discussion points include: Who’s paying for my new apartment; why do rainbow crosswalks gotta be all up in my face; how come Parks is soooo stoopid; and can anyone tell me if the local drugstore has fire starter? So there you go, Page Six, there’s lots of excitement in Jasper, if you know where to look. Prince Harry and Duchess Markle, if you’re reading this, we can share a cab to the ‘B. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

So long and thanks for the news

It’s a tough row to hoe in the newspaper business sometimes. Just when you get a guy or gal you really like working with, life interrupts and they’ve gotta go. Such is the case with Evan Matthews, an intrepid journalist who has decided that he’s going to ship out to chase some dreams and maybe some waves on Canada’s east coast. Too bad, we were starting to gel and he had developed a good rapport with folks in the community. We liked his passion for the craft and he’s a heck of a nice guy. Jasper can be a tough place to

settle into. I always tell newcomers that the first year or two of living in Jasper is a test, of sorts. It takes perseverance and pluck to remind folks that you want to stick around but people do like helping and there is, I believe, a good job and a good home and a good life here for young people, if they can make it through that initial grind. That’s not to say Jasper is for everyone, all the time. We wish Evan and his girlfriend all the best in their future endeavours and will happily use this space to say there’s a freelance gig here at The Jasper Local, should he ever want it back. In the meantime: Now Hiring. - Bob Covey

The Jasper Local //

Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0

Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher

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friday, june 1, 2018 // issue 122 // the jasper local// page A3

WALK THIS WAY// BOB BUSH PUTS THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON JASPER’S RAINBOW CROSSWALK WHILE ONLOOKERS CELEBRATE OUTJASPER’S EMOTIONAL VICTORY. // BOB COVEY

Rainbow crosswalk brightens Connaught Mychol Ormandy never thought “It represents the belief that everyone has the right to love whomever them choose this day would come.

There was a time, after all, when Jasper municipal council voted no to the installation of a rainbow crosswalk. “I was heart broken,” the executive director of OUTJasper remembered of last July. “I thought that something we’d worked so hard for might possibly not happen.” As it turned out, council’s initial hesitation was tempered after it put in a “non-standard” crosswalk policy. Something about identity politics and safety. On Monday, May 28, any remaining fears of of extremist groups wanting their own crosswalk were painted over in electric purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and blue. Contractor Bob Bush put the final white stripes on either side of the rainbow connecting the 500 and 600 blocks of Connaught Drive. “I’m pleased,” Ormandy said. “The rainbow doesn’t just represent Pride, it means happy.” OUTJasper volunteer Jessica Daniels echoed those sentiments.

and feel supported,” she said. Visitors were intrigued by the colourful addition to the streetscape. One Kentucky man, upon learning the rainbow represents inclusivity and friendship, nodded his approval. “They should have those all over the world,” he said. Two years ago, volunteers at the Jasper Pride Festival helped raise close to $700 for the rainbow sidewalk by walking around with a donation hat. The project’s budget—covered by OUTJasper—is $5,000. The Municipality of Jasper’s Ross Derksen was on hand to see the crosswalk get painted. While conducting traffic control, Derksen said he was optimistic the colours would last and people would be respectful. Ormandy said it’s been an emotional ride. “This is for the public, to add a little colour to our streets,” he said. “But this is also to show our LGTBQA community that we’re here and you can feel welcome.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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KNOW THE RISKS. MAKE A PLAN. GET A KIT.

WILDFIRE SEASON IS HERE.

EVACUATION ALERTS AND ORDERS

Are you and your family ready? KNOW THE RISKS In recent years, mountain pine beetles have killed thousands of trees around Jasper, increasing the wildfire risk to our community.

In the event of a large wildfire, first responders will be busy fighting the fire. You should be ready to get out of Jasper and look after yourself and your family for at least 72 hours.

MAKE A PLAN Get together with your family, make an emergency plan and make sure everyone understands what would happen and what to do in the event of a major emergency. A basic emergency plan should include: • Safe exits from your home and neighbourhood; • A designated meeting location outside Jasper in case you get separated; • A designated person to pick up children at school or daycare if you’re not available; • An out-of-town contact person to act as a point of contact for your family – remember that cell phone and the internet access may be limited during an emergency; • Health insurance information; and • An evacuation plan for pets and large animals like horses. If you need help to get out of your home, work with family, friends or Community Outreach Services to make a plan. Call 780-852-2100 or drop by 627 Patricia Street, M-F, 9 to 4:30pm.

Know where to get accurate information Go to www.jasper-alberta.com and sign up to receive emergency alerts by text or email.

The Municipality of Jasper will issue two kinds of notices. Know the difference! EVACUATION ALERT An Evacuation Alert tells people to prepare for an evacuation. If you are ready to go and can evacuate early, please do so. EVACUATION ORDER An Evacuation Order tells people to evacuate immediately. This may happen in circumstances where there is little or no time to notify, or following an Evacuation Alert. If a wildfire is in progress but no evacuation is required, information updates will be provided.

GET A KIT Put together an emergency kit and keep it somewhere easy to get if you have to evacuate. GAS

Keep a full tank of gas in your vehicle at all times.

Items to take with you if you have to evacuate: Wallet: identification, credit cards and cash Cell phone and charger Glasses and contacts Medications A three-day supply of water and food per person Copy of your emergency plan, including emergency contact numbers Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, insurance and bank records) Pet food and water

Visit getprepared.ca and

Download the Alberta Emergency Alert app www.jasper-alberta.com on your phone and set your location to Jasper. for more information and Check the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park websites and social media feeds. If you don’t use the internet, turn on the radio or call 780-852-3311.

resources, or get a copy of the Municipality of Jasper Evacuation Guide at municipal facilities.

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Pine beetle impact is evident west of Jasper from the wildland trail known as The ganges. Jasperites are reminded to be wildfire ready this summer: know the risks; be prepared; and get a kit ready in case of an emergency evacuation. For more information go to jasper-alberta.com // bob covey

Motorists seeking damages for car carnage on Parkway Multiple reports of vehicle damage along the Icefields Parkway have left motorists with hefty mechanic bills and one woman is saying Parks Canada should foot the cost.

Brittany Aston, a Canmore resident, works as a sales rep for the Grizzly Paw Brewing Co. Her territory covers southwest Calgary to Jasper. Aston comes to Jasper once a month, though she says it has been a lot more, of late. On the morning of March 29, 2018, Aston was driving up to Jasper when she says she encountered two severely damaged sections of highway. One section was near the now-decommissioned Sunwapta Warden Station. At the other sections, located on the Jasper side of Saskatchewan Crossing, near the Rampart Creek Campground, Aston says the combination of severely deteriorated roadway and a lack of signage caused her to blow a tire. “I’m very familiar with the road. I was driving at (roughly) 100 km/hr, and all of a sudden it felt like I hit something,” Aston said. “Visually, you couldn’t tell there was anything wrong with the road, and there were no signs up to indicate the road had been damaged, not at that point.” The result, Aston says, was that she blew a tire on a portion of the parkway where she did not have cell service. “I was sitting there, and the car driving behind me blew his tire out, too, though he managed to drive a bit further,” says Aston, adding the car drove far enough that she wasn’t willing to walk for the help. “Then another car was passing, and I got him to stop to help me,” she says. Aston’s car, a Kia Soul, doesn’t have a spare tire attached to the vehicle. She didn’t know until the blow out occurred, however, as she had

never looked for the spare. With the help of the man who stopped, she found the vehicle had a patch kit. “But the tire had exploded. There was no salvaging that tire,” says Aston. “While we were standing there trying to figure out what to do, a third car went by and blew its tire, pulling over right in front of me.” The Good Samaritan The person who had originally stopped to help her had a full vehicle and could not accommodate Aston, but those suffering from the most recent blow out had a spare tire. As they were changing to the spare tire, Aston approached them to ask for a ride to Jasper. With not many options, they agreed, but also had a full vehicle. They emptied the contents of their vehicle into Aston’s to accommodate another passenger. Aston also left about $1,000 of Grizzly Paw Brewing product in her vehicle, which she was forced to abandon. She was concerned about the beer freezing and the containers exploding, but in this case Jasper’s Block Auto Towing retrieved the car in time, preventing the loss of product. “I was impressed with (Block Auto) for retrieving my vehicle the same night, especially after hearing there were upwards of 10 cars waiting to get towed by the time I had contacted them… the tow truck driver told me that over the two days prior to me calling, they had towed roughly 20 cars from the same spot,” she says. Block Auto Towing confirmed an influx of business during that period, but manager Dwayne Block said the vast majority of affected cars were actually being sent down to the Lake Louise and Banff Areas. He wouldn’t speculate as to how many cars had been damaged. Aston reported an $800 tow, and $450 for the tires, spending more than $1,300 in total for everything, including installation.

Though Aston initially thought the road had been ploughed and damaged due to avalanche debris, Parks Canada confirmed to The Jasper Local that the affected locations were undergoing culvert replacement and repair. The construction had started in Fall 2017, but work ceased at the onset of winter for the safety of construction crews due to increased avalanche risk, according to Lindsay McPherson, senior communications advisor for Parks Canada. “Work resumed in Spring 2018. Crews completed the work at the northernmost culvert, (along with) highway resurfacing at Poboktan Creek, with another near Coleman Creek,” McPherson told The Jasper Local, via email. “Further south near Saskatchewan Crossing — Mount Wilson — will be completed in 2018.” Parks Canada also said all sites with incomplete construction are being monitored and filled with gravel as needed. Remedial efforts While Parks Canada has since put up signs indicating motorists should slow to 60 km/ hr, those signs were not present at the time of Aston’s accident. Aston is asking Parks Canada to, at the very least, help her pay the bill, She says she’s sent letters and started the claim process, but says she hasn’t received any type of response. “It’s a shame. It could have so easily been avoided with any type of signage,” says Aston. Parks Canada said it couldn’t comment on the specific case. “It would be inappropriate to discuss details of active damage claims,” McPherson said, adding: “Parks Canada has a claims process.” For now, Aston says she continues to drive the road, though far more cautiously. Evan Matthews//evan@thejasperlocal.com

Local firefighters recognized for longstanding service Three Jasper firefighters have been honoured for their longstanding service.

JVFB members Travis Moorhouse, Don Smith and Hjalmar Tiesenhausen were recognized by the government for their service //supplied

Don Smith, Hjalmar Tiesenhausen and Travis Moorhouse were awarded the Lt. Governor’s Fire Service Exemplary Service Medal on May 26. Smith, who has been with the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade for 32 years, received his 30 year service distinction. A born-and-raised Jasperite, Smith was following in his father Lee’s footsteps when he joined the brigade at age 18. “He’s one of the leaders on our team,” said Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem, who attended the ceremony with his fellow firefighters. “Donny is very calm and collected. He’s very good at emergency scenes.” Tiesenhausen, who runs the Jasper Park Lodge fire fighting fleet, was also up for a 30 year award. He is another member whose outstanding leadership qualities help newer recruits learn, Van Tighem said. “Hjalmar is meticulous, he’s got a lot of common sense and he is able to look at problems from all angles,” the fire chief said. Moorhouse accepted a 20-year service medal. The brigade’s safety officer is personable and caring, Van Tighem said. “He takes a personal interest in not only members’ physical safety but their mental health too.” - Bob Covey

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local wildlife //

baby bear baby bear what do you see? Knowing just how much Jasper photographer Simone Heinrich anticipates this time of year, The Jasper Local wanted to get a sense of what it’s like to go out with her camera in pursuit of baby bears and finally spot her subjects. “The first time I saw them it was very exciting, they were crossing the road and then hanging out on a kind of sloped area with tall grass … you could hardly see the tiny cubs. I watched them playing together and rolling around in the grass, always staying close to mom. It was super cute. I was thinking how awesome it would be to be a bear cub for a day and play with my siblings! It’s always nice to see when there is more than one cub so they have someone to play with.” Heinrich knows it’s a waiting game. Often she’ll be in her car for hours on end, hoping for an encounter. The next time she spotted the cubs they were in a tree while mom was eating. “It’s a pretty good system of mama bear sending her cubs into the safety of a tree while she is busy. The little cubs were like monkeys – climbing up and down on branches and pushing each other around. There was a scary moment watching the cubs when all of a sudden one pushed the other and I saw the little cub falling down the tree about 15 to 20 metres. I was petrified for the little guy that fell and was so relieved that after a moment I could hear some noise in the bushes. The cub climbed back up the tree again to be with his siblings. Phew.”

Eating meat and skiing peaks

// Simone Heinrich photos //

Chasing winter in Patagonia Slideshow by Emma Freeman and Jesse Milner June 13th 7:30pm at the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion Fundraising for Huntington’s disease with a silent auction Sponsored by the Jasper/Hinton ACC section

local history //

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//Tim and Marion Timberg have bequeathed the compass of John McLaggan to the Jasper Museum and Archives. McLaggan was Jasper’s first superintendent. Besides purchasing the land from metis settlers to establish jasper park in the early 1900s, Mclaggan helped indigenous peoples in the upper athabasca by herding a group of caribou from Hudson’s bay to alberta. // bob covey // supplied

Family of first superintendent finding their bearings A COMPASS WHICH BELONGED TO JASPER PARK’S FIRST SUPERINTENDENT HAS FINALLY LED ITS BENEFICIARY TO THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY USED. When Vancouver’s Tim Timberg inherited an antique compass from his grandmother, he had scant idea the connection the artefact held to Jasper National Park. However, after a little family research, and with help from his mother, Marion, Timberg learned that the item belonged to Jasper Forest Park’s first Superintendent.

John William McLaggan, who Now, more than 110 years afwas born in 1860 and died fightter McLaggan helped establish ing a forest fire in 1930, was born Jasper National Park, his great in Nashwaak Bridge, New Brunsgrandson has come to Jasper wick. He was the eldest of 16 chil- to return an item which surely dren and helped work the family helped the former government farm until 1889, when he travelled official find his way through overland to Jasper’s vast Alberta. valleys. It was his short Timberg has but significant bequeathed “McLaggan was given stint with the the compass— a job and he did it.” Canadian govwhich still ernment which works peris McLaggan’s fectly—to the most conseJasper Yelquential—and perhaps controver- lowhead Museum and Archives. sial—contribution to this counArchives Manager Karen Byers try’s legacy. met with Timberg and his mother to accept the gift and learn more about McLaggan. “It’s important,” Byers said. “We knew a bit about the man but now we know more about his life.” McLaggan played a fairly prominent role in the creation of Jasper Forest Park. He was the man who, on behalf of the government of the day, bought up land from the park from the settlers. Depending on the version of history you read, McLaggan was either responsible for helping found the national park, or was the man who evicted the Metis and made false promises about helping them relocate. “Apparently, McLaggen had no authority to promise anything,” writes amateur historian Stuart Taylor in his essay Evicting the Metis. “He was simply using language to get these families to leave their homes [and] the Metis families agreed only because they’d been assured that they’d easily be able to maintain their preferred lifestyle at new locations.” For McLaggan’s granddaughter, Marion Timberg, she sees him as a man who had an unpleasant job to do, but a job all the same. “John McLaggan was given a job and he did it,” she said. “The Liberal government had asked him to buy and obtain the land for the park. He did not follow through in the results of this, not did the government ask him to. He obviously cared about Indigenous

people when he provided them with caribou.” Marion is referring to another point in her grandfather’s career, when McLaggan engaged in an empathic, if not audacious, mission to help Indigenous tribes in northern Alberta. After a reconnaissance in the upper Athabasca region wherein he discovered food-poor First Nations bands, McLaggan headed a party which barged a herd of caribou from Hudson’s Bay to Edmonton, along the North Saskatchewan River. The animals were then herded north from Edmonton, then ferried across the Athabasca River where they were turned loose. “I’ve been told that they thrived and that it was a good idea as it provided food and clothing for the northern tribes,” Marion writes in her forthcoming selfpublished book, Not a Schoolmarm, told in the voice of her mother, Mary Arneson. Marion didn’t know her grandfather—he died five years before she was born—but the stories she heard about him gives her the impression of a stern, serious man. An anecdote from his days as Jasper Park Superintendent lends credence to that picture: McLaggan, while riding through the park on horseback during the first winter of his post, came across a man with a team of horses, pulling a sleigh loaded with liquor. Liquor was not allowed in the park and the official very methodically broke every bottle and poured the liquor out onto the snow. “But one bystander couldn’t abide the waste,” Marion writes. “After Pa left, the man found a tin cup and scooped it full. He sold ‘scotch on the rocks’ at five cents a cup!” For Tim and Marion Timberg, these stories, and the artefacts, help bring a family member’s past to life. For Byers, it’s exactly the reason the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives exists. “The compass is one thing but the stories that go along with it are amazing.” Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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local landscape //

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Singing their hearts out: American robin// Mark Bradley// boreal nature photography

A bird was singing. A faraway song floating up from the big trees below our camp.

the hands on a clock. Up here in the alpine, the world wasn’t asleep, it was waiting. Waiting to dash from one bush to the next, waiting to eat, waiting for a mate, waiting for the snow to melt. Again, a bird was singing. A lilt that rose and fell like gentle gusts of wind. And again it was coming from the trees. I wasn’t dreaming, but for the life of me I couldn’t think what would be singing this time of night. Then I checked the watch: six o’clock. No wonder a bird was singing: the sun was coming. I wanted the singer of songs to be the mountain

“What is it?” Liam whispered. “I don’t know. I’m not very good at birds—Listen.” Our fire flickered, and flames danced on the polished walls of snow. The song of the troubadour rippled through the quite of dusk. We could have been listening to Orpheus on his lyre as he wandered the mountain solitudes of Thrace. In an empty vast sky the companionless moon rose like a “A pure, flute-like song child’s lost balloon above the that some consider mountain beyond the most beautiful and the pass. The compelling sound in bird kept singing. nature.” Liam wondered if it was singing at the moon. I wondered, too. bluebird, and when Liam All night our tent was woke I told him that that’s bathed in light. There were what I had heard. The few stars; with the moon bluebirds were back from casting silver over the winter holidays in Texas, snow and making shadows and they start singing as with the clumps of trees. I night turns to a daffodil heard the hoots of an owl coming from the woods. If I didn’t know the songbird earlier, I knew the WHOWHO WHO-WHO as the signature tune of the “tiger of the woods”, aka the great horned owl. The hoots cut the night to a shiver. What terror that sound must strike. No wonder the snowshoe hare crosses the midnight snow with such mighty bounds, jumping at its own shadow, fearful of the silent swoop of death from the skies. There were ears and eyes, listening, watching. No movement across the snow. The imperceptible turning of shadows like

sky, then stop the moment the sun clears the rim of the world. The Navajos called them “heralds of the rising sun.” So that was what we heard. And it stayed that way until we got back to town and I told the bird people. But they said No No No Definitely not. It couldn’t have been a mountain bluebird. Too high. Must have been a Townsend’s solitaire. All right. Knowledge kills imagination. The bird could have been anything we fancied, and we fancied a mountain bluebird. To hear a bluebird singing up the sun is like the sound of church bells peeling matins; to see a mountain bluebird take flight, its sky-blue plumage and gossamer wings turning the bird to a breath of blue mist, is a sight as startling as a parrot in a ploughed field. With its drab plumage the Townsend’s solitaire can’t compete for looks, but its song is magnificent for it belongs to one of the greatest of all singing troupes: the Thrush Family. In this family are the Carusos, the Pavarottis,

Mountain bluebird// Mark Bradley//boreal nature photo

local landscape//

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TIGERS, TROUBADOURS AND THE MUSIC OF LOVEMAKING Hermit Thrush// Mark Bradley// boreal nature photo

the Domingos, the Bocellis, the Patsy Clines, the Mariah Careys, the Ben Heppners, the Whitney Houstons, the Roy Orbisons, the Sohyangs and the Justin Timberlakes of the avian world. Among other talented musicians of the Thrush Family are the nightingale, the mountain bluebird, and the hermit thrush—the troubadour we must have heard (said the bird people) as the sun slipped away. In the book Birds Of The Northern Forest, the song of the hermit thrush is described as “a pure, flute-like song that some consider the most beautiful and compelling sound in nature.” Another writer described its singing as having “several phrases and sing[ing] in different keys . . . but never the exact same song that the bird sang before. There is

just enough variation to give the impression that it is all improvised, a bird pouring out its heart in melody.” That’s the thing about birds, they sing their hearts out, and you can tell. Oh, you might hear them say about Pavarotti’s performance as Rodolfo in La Boheme: “Bravo! Magnifico! What a tenor. What a voice!” But never, “Tonight he really sang his heart out.” That praise is reserved solely for birds. There is nothing contrived about the songs of birds, they possess a spontaneity that seems to be for the moment. I do believe a robin’s song, sung in the rain with lots of juicy worms floating to the surface of the lawn, sounds different than one sung on a hot evening in summer. But maybe the difference lies with us; it’s our emo-

Great horned owl// Mark Bradley//boreal nature photo

tional response, at the time and place that we hear, that forms our judgment of a bird’s singing. In the valley the crocus were blooming. Up here in Windy Wildlands, buds on trees and bushes were swelling, insects were stirring, and birds were singing their loudest and sweetest to find a mate. What we had listened to was the music of lovemaking as spring came up the mountains. And I’ll take those love songs with me—to the end of the line. Dave Harrap // info@thejasperlocal.com

Jasper’s David Harrap is the author of The Littlest Hiker in the Canadian Rockies. He might not be “very good at birds,” but when it comes to locating a spot to set up his tent in the wilderness, he is known to have perfect pitch.

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local fundraising //

Jasper soloist to complete healing journey DAVID HATTO ISN’T ONE TO CALL IT QUITS. THE 75-YEAR-OLD JASPER RESIDENT IS CURRENTLY IN ENGLAND PADDLING THE THAMES RIVER, A FEAT HE’D SET OUT TO COMPLETE LAST YEAR BUT INSTEAD GOT TURNED BACK BY RAIN, WIND AND TIME CONSTRAINTS. The motivation for his journey runs deeper than the famous river and drives harder than the fiercest gales, however: his solo expedition is in the name of his late granddaughter, Hazel Rose, who in 2014 passed away at three-months-old from Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome. “I needed to come to terms with Hazel’s death,” he said. “Even if that means coming to terms with the fact that I will never be able to come to terms with it.” Last year, Hatto hiked more than 600 kilometres along the United Kingdom’s Southwest Coast Path, raising money and awareness for Hazel’s Heroes, an organization dedicated to helping grieving parents heal by giving them the opportunity to take part in a wellness retreat. Hatto’s daughter-inlaw Gillian, the mother of Hazel Rose, started the organization to support families going through similar experiences as hers. “There’s a feeling of helplessness,” Hatto said. “You want to do something. When Gillian started the society I knew how I could fight.” The answer was a healing journey of his own, using the skills he’s developed during his decades in the Rocky Mountains. An avid paddler and hiker,

Jasper's Seniors

he chose a difficult journey to reflect the difficulties his son and daughter-in-law go through everyday. “There were times when I was on an isolated part of the trail, when it was raining heavily and the trail was covered in sea mist. There was no view and I was just slogging along, soaking wet,” he said. “I had to deal with it, just like our family had to deal with it when our granddaughter died.” Hazel’s Heroes is helping families deal with their loss. Since the society began it Jasper’s david hatto is paddling 135 miles (217 kms) on the River Thames in England as part 2 of his mission to raise awareness for has helped dozens of Sudden Unexplained infant death syndrome. Visit hazelsheroes.ca parents face their grief, to support bereaved parents. // bob Covey honour their children death—especially from the death of an infant. and engage in self-care. A big part of the healing “There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of journey is helping others cope. professional health services when a mother is “Grief is not something that is easily faced alone. going through this incredible grief,” he said. Often, by helping others, you end up helping your- “It’s very difficult for them.” self,” Gillian says about the society’s vision. As he paddles the mighty Thames—a logistiHatto believes the same philosophy will apply to cally difficult journey that involves considerhis own hurting heart: that by raising awareness of ation of flow levels, portages, navigating the Sudden Unexplained river’s many lochs and finding a place to camp Infant Death Synevery night—Hatto will be doing so in honour drome and Hazel’s of those mothers’ difficulties. And he’ll be doHeroes, he will be being it for Hazel. come more equipped Follow Hatto’s progress via his blog, www. to walk a personal hazels-helper.com and go to hazelsheroes.ca path of recovery. So to help support bereaved parents. often, he says, people turn away from bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

2018

ut o e y e n a p e e k rs e t s o p e s e h t for advertising

k e e w ' s r senio & nts u o c s i d , s l a e d events

VERBENONE POUCH PROGRAM Do you have a mature Pine on your property? Mature Pine trees are susceptible to colonization by Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB). Placing a Verbenone pouch on the tree tricks the MPB into thinking the tree is already colonized so adults looking for a host tree move on. Although MPB has killed many Pines in the Jasper area, a Verbenone pouch offers some protection to isolated mature Pines on leaseholds in the townsite, depending on their location. If you are interested in having a pouch placed on a Pine on your property contact: Janet Cooper, Environmental Stewardship Coordinator, at 780-852-1563 or email jcooper@town.jasper.ab.ca. Pouches should be on the tree by mid-June in advance of the beetle flight period.

page b8 // the jasper local // issue 122 // friday, june 1, 2018 friday, june 1, 2018 // issue 122 //

local fitness //

100 miles later, Jasper ultra runner still smiling mark, her head LIKE A HONDA CIVIC, WENDY COPP JUST KEEPS ON RUNNING. was still in it. The Jasper athlete recently chased down an elusive milestone when she ran for 100 miles (160 kms) at the Canada Goose Ultra Marathon, a 24hour race in Regina, Saskatchewan. “I wanted to prove to myself I could do it,” the 37-year-old said. Earlier this year, Copp had set out to complete the century mile mark at an event in Antelope Canyon, Arizona. She had been nervous that the heat of the desert would stymie her plans, but instead it was unseasonably cold. The frigid weather and gale force winds combined with stomach problems which started early and worsened throughout the race. All of the compounding factors meant it wasn’t her day to go the distance. “My body was depleted, my stomach was destroyed and it was just so cold,” she recalled. After grinding for more than 120 kilometres, Copp pulled out of the race. “I just wasn’t having fun anymore.” Ten weeks later, at the Regina race, even though she was suffering physically, Copp had a different state of mind as she started to close in on her goal. While the balls of her feet were brutally blistered (unlike the other marathons she’s participated in, and unlike almost all of her training, the Canada Goose Ultra took place entirely on pavement), at the 90 km

“Mentally I was in good spirits for the entire race,” she said. “Even when my feet hurt I was never at a point where I said ‘I’m going to stop.’” That probably surprised the folks at the aid station Wendy copp ran for 100 miles and a second place finish at a recent 24 hour ultra marathon in saskatchewan. Despite her hardcore pedigree, who helped Copp The Jasper athlete says she runs purely for the fun of it. // sean allen bandage up—and “It was colourful and fun,” she said. pop—her blisters. Some hours later, when she passed the volunteers Running should be fun, Copp believes. Whether she’s out for a 20 kilometre rip on the Pyramid again, she waved off their assistance. Bench by herself or pitting herself against a “They were like: ‘let’s have a look at your feet strong field of ultra athletes and 3,400 m of elevaagain,’” Copp said. “I was like: ‘let’s not!’” tion gain at the upcoming Squamish 50 miler, if The Regina event differed from other ultras in she doesn’t have a smile on her face, she doesn’t several ways. The pavement was one, and so was see the point. That attitude—and her impressive the fact that the marathon was staged on a four race results—have helped her become an ambaskilometre loop. The urban park setting meant sador for both Altra Running Shoes and Lole the runners were never alone—a big difference Sportswear, and it’s also helped grow a passionate from wilderness races where participants are women’s running group in Jasper, Girls Breaking often by themselves for long periods. Besides other joggers and park users, Copp said the scene Trails. For Copp, it’s about doing what comes naturally. included teenagers showing off their cars and a “It’s a beauty day for a run out there,” she says. Sikh festival taking place in front of the parliament buildings. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page B9 // the jasper local // issue 122 // june 1, 2018

local lens //

friday, june 1, 2018 // issue 122 //the jasper local// page B10

a Baby bighorn east of Jasper // evan Matthews

Summer Snapshots Newcomers to JAsper on their very first Whisters mountain adventure // supplied

//Tim Helwig of Edmonton was turning heads as he took his OneWheel to local trails. The battery-powered machine is designed to ride like a snowboard. It can go up to 30km/hour and its battery will last up for up to 16 kilometres on a single charge.

Peter scott scoops a brook trout at fifth lake// bc

A family of black bears scoot to safety// simone Heinrich

page B11 // the jasper local // issue 122 // june 1, 2018

local adventure //

Skiing peaks and eating meat: Chasing winter in Patagonia

Two of Jasper’s hardest chargers are set to share their ski mountaineering stories in the name of Huntington’s disease.

Last fall Jesse Milner and Emma Freeman were consuming a steady diet of Patagonian peaks and Argentinian beef. Now, the powerful pair will present the ups and downs of that meaty meal plan to a mob of mountain-philes. “We thought we were going to get gout,” Milner laughed. They didn’t get gout‚ but Freeman did suffer some epic blisters. She was, after all, setting a multi-day ski track up some of the tallest mountains

in the southern Andes—in new Canada were the real deal boots! Cerro Tronador is a 3,491 (Freeman hails from Pincher metre extinct volcano on the Creek, AB; Milner is originally border of Argentina and Chile. from outside of McBride, B.C.). When she and Milner skied off For a couple of skiers from the the summit via its south face, Rockies, it was a long way from the local Bariloche guiding the farm. community was in disbelief: “We just thought ‘this place is they hadn’t heard of anyone pretty rowdy,’” Milner said. doing that before. The next place they wanted “We didn’t know any better,” to corral was the mountains Freeman said. around El Chaltén, the skyline Conditions had been in their made famous by the Patagonia favour—it logo and was a big which includes snowpack, the peaks “We were getting Milner said— of Cerro but when they bitchslapped by Torre and checked off Mount Fitz bamboo for hours.” the massif’s Roy. During 3,700 metre their 10-day International ski traverse Summit a week or so later, the across the Southern Patagonian local guides got an inkling that Ice Cap, Freeman and Milner these kids from rural Western climbed and skied the highest peak in the area, the 3,623 metre, active, ice-covered stratovolcano called Lautaro. Their incredible, aesthetic alpine climbs on the region’s famous rime ice—formed by the coastal precipitation—were tempered by the insane jungle bushwhacking they were faced with on their way off the mountain. “We were getting bitchslapped by bamboo for hours,” Freeman said. The hardships pale in comparison, however, to those suffered by people afflicted with Huntington’s disease, a disorder that results in the death of nerve cells in

the brain. A degenerative condition which has a broad impact on a person’s functional abilities and which usually results in movement, cognitive and psychiatric disorders, Huntington’s is nevertheless one of the “most curable incurable diseases,” according to Freeman, whose mother was diagnosed with the condition. Freeman and Milner had Freeman’s mom in their thoughts constantly while on expedition in Patagonia. “She’s our number one fangirl,” Freeman said. “And as far as showing our photos and talking about our trip, it’s nice to have a fundraiser for Huntington’s as a reason.” The other reason will be simply to talk up South America as a place Jasperites should check out for themselves. “It’s like Jasper in the sense that it still feels wild,” Milner said. Freeman agreed. “As soon as you leave the main beaten track you can find some really remote wilderness, with no people.” But plenty of meat. Milner and Freeman will present Skiing Peaks and Eating Meat at the Jasper Legion on June 13 at 7:30 p.m. The presentation is in partnership with the JasperHinton section of the Alpine Club of Canada and will include a silent auction to raise money for Huntington’s Disease. Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

//Jesse Milner and Emma Freeman will share their stories from patagonia at the Jasper Legion on June 13, 7:30 p.m. // supplied

local conservation //

friday, june 1, 2018 // issue 122 // the jasper local// page B12

Jasper National Park is for the birds: Keep dogs on a leash Parks Canada is seeking the public’s help in conserving the habitat of our winged friends in Jasper National Park.

Bird nesting areas are especially busy in the spring as they begin preparing for the next generation. With your support, Parks Canada would like to give those birds the best possible chance at success and survival. Research has found that the presence of dogs has a significant impact on birds as they view them as a predator. To improve breeding success, giving birds some extra space—especially around beaches and adjacent to lakes, rivers and streams—can make a world of difference. This goes hand and hand with National Parks Act regulations that are in effect all year round in Jasper National Park which require dogs to be on-leash throughout the park. These regulations are designed to ensure dogs don’t disturb or harass // Parks canada is asking that the public respect bird nesting areas by keeping dogs on a leash. Research has found the presence of dogs has a significant impact on birds. // melody gaboury wildlife or other park visitors. It is also in the best interest of your pet, as dogs may attract attention out the park with special emphasis lations and keeping your dog on a from other wildlife like bears, wolves on bird nesting areas. leash at all times. and elk. This may result in a warning, charge or Let’s make sure Jasper National Park Parks Canada staff will be will be enfine. continues to be for the birds for generaforcing off-leash regulations throughYou can assist by following these regutions to come. - Parks Canada

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local wellness/

who did a study of the lake, and he informed me that the shrimp population was 2,000 shrimp per square foot. No wonder the trout could “lazily” swim with their mouths open and scoop up their food. In addition, there was no competition for the shrimp. There were no suckers or any other species of fish in the lake. After I moved to Edmonton in 1975, I continued to fish in Jasper every year. On one occasion, while fishing The Totem Esso was located at the corner of Hazel at the First Lake in the 1980’s, I heard from a local that Avenue and Hwy 16A, but no longer exists, having a friend who came up for a visit was the fisherman been demolished to make way for the building that who caught the 20 pound Alberta record rainbow now holds the A&W, among other businesses. trout. But, he said, that fisherman caught that record I worked there for five magical summers, from 1970 to rainbow trout from the First Lake in the Valley of the 1974, and it was in Jasper that I discovered the imFive, and not from Maligne Lake. He reported that he mense joy of fishing. A co-worker and friend at Totem caught it at Maligne Lake because he didn’t want to Esso, named Don, took me fishing (along with his girldivulge the secret of the First Lake producing giant friend) at Lake Annette, loaned me a fishing rod, and rainbow trout. when I got that first tug on I believed what that the line signalling a strike, gentleman said to me, I was captivated. The trout because Maligne Lake was so small that when we doesn’t have a long swooped it up in the fishing enough “growing seanet, it slipped through the son,” nor enough food mesh of the net. Never mind, supply to produce 20 I was hooked on fishing, and pound trout, and I have hooked solid. actually seen and held a Sandy’s Sports was owned 19 pound trout from the and operated back then by First Lake at the Valley two partners before they of the Five Lakes, having sold the operation to Lorne taken it to a taxidermist Currie. I would ply them to have it stuffed and with question after question mounted on behalf of about fishing gear, lures, the person who caught it which lakes to fish and where in Jasper. to fish in those lakes. There Alas, fishing for the was (and still is) a “bragThis photo of Fred Carter hangs on the trophy giants at the First Lake wall at online sport and tackle //supplied ging bench” outside the is no more. Some fisherstore where I would sit and man or fishermen must have thought exchange stories with other “He reported that he caught that fishing with live suckers was a anglers. In 1985, Sam Wei took this photo of Jasper it at Maligne Lake because he sure fire way to catch the big ones, or local Richard Rorke after Rorke landed an In those days, the park still didn’t want to divulge the secret enormous 19-pound rainbow trout on the that introducing suckers to the lake had a policy of stocking of the First Lake producing shores of the First Lake in the Valley of the as food for the trout (or that “dumping” lakes with fingerlings from a Five Lakes. Wei then took the fish to Edmongiant rainbow trout.” live suckers into the lake because ton to have it mounted for Rorke. // Supplied hatchery. Victoria Day would they didn’t want to haul the left over have a line up of anglers suckers back to the parking lot) sitting on lawn chairs on the friend caught a 19-pounder and entrusted it to me to wouldn’t affect the lake. shore of Patricia Lake trying to hook the big ones which take to a taxidermist in Edmonton. On opening day Sadly, the suckers introduced illegally into the lake were chasing down the newly introduced fingerlings. back then, the shoreline was lined with local anglers proliferated to such an extent that it disrupted the It was the golden age of fishing in Jasper National Park. trying for the big one. We would watch in awe as one ecological balance of the lake. The suckers hoovered Some of the very best fishing back then was at Celeshumongous fish after the other would slowly cruise up the shrimp supply and then ate all the trout eggs tine Lake, (you let out 150 feet of line with a flasher and the shallows, and with wide open mouths, lazily scoop which were hatched at the spring. The result: no a six foot leader, with a fly behind the flasher); Lake up the shrimp. food supply and no reproduction of the Gerrard rainAnnette (you fished just off the shallow beach area in Local knowledge at that time was that a park warden, bows and not a single rainbow trout left at the First the twilight); and Dorothy Lake (some monsters were while surveying the lake, had caught a 22 pound rainLake. The boats at the First Lake, which you could rent caught in the shallows just off the island and the fallen bow trout in a test net, but of course had to release it in the past, have been removed, since there’s no viable tree on the island). Patricia Lake had some “footballs” back into the lake. fishing there any more. All you can see are schools of but you had to go to the far end, opposite to the boat What made the First Lake in the Valley of Five Lakes suckers swimming around. launch, and go down 20 feet to the thermocline in the produce such massive rainbow trout? I did a bit of What a tragedy! I weep for the silent passing and summer. Early spring fishing off the island at Pyramid Lake yielded some big hits; Maligne Lake had some of research. The lake was originally stocked with a strain demise of the greatest ever rainbow trout fishery of rainbow trout from B.C. called Gerrard, a “genetiin Jasper. the biggest and most beautiful brook trout just off the cally gargantuan strain of rainbow trout that averages shoreline just past the Boathouse; shallow Beaver Lake 6.8 – 9.03 kilograms in weight, compared to the 1.3 – 1.8 Sam Wei // was a treasure for silvery rainbow trout; Moab Lake info@thejasperlocal.com yielded excellent rainbows off the point where the lake kilogram average for the standard Kamloops variety of rainbow trout found throughout interior British changed contours; and Fifth lake in the Valley of Five Columbia’s lakes and rivers.” Sam Wei is a former Jasper lakes yielded sleek rainbows. Secondly, the fish started reproducing naturally, beNational Park fish head who Amethyst Lake was, and still is, fabulous. cause there was a fresh water spring where the water is now a professional realtor Amethyst Lake is magical for its beauty, and for its entered the lake near the old boat dock. Plus, the lake in Edmonton. five and six-pound rainbow trout. The big lake (it’s has a very large shallow area where fresh water shrimp actually two lakes) has superb fishing along its shalcan reproduce in abundance. I asked a park biologist, low shores, and a local sparked my interest when

I was a student at McGill University in 1970 when I was very fortunate to find summer employment in Jasper at the Totem Esso, pumping gas, in the days when “pump jockeys” existed to pump gas and clean motorists’ windshields.

he showed up at the gas station with a couple of six pounders after a visit there. When I asked him where and how, he said excitedly “Right in the shallows, up against the mountain, using a fluorescent red flatfish, and rowing like crazy.” I also discovered, years later, that the lake has a massive weedbed off a point in the middle of the lake, and the hatches of mayflies there are incredible. Casting a Five of Diamonds from your boat there at sundown, across the weed bed, with the hatch rising, was lethal. You got stunning hits, acrobatic jumps and powerful runs 15 to 20 feet away from your boat. But the Grand Daddy of all the lakes was (past tense) the First lake in the Valley of the Five Lakes. That lake was special. Five pound rainbow trout there were commonplace. I’ve caught eight and 10 pounders there. A local

local health //

friday, june 1, 2018 // issue 122 // THe jasper local// page B14

WHAT KEEPS US STANDING TALL?

Calcium Our BONES! The skeletal system, [Goal: 1000that helps us stand upright, is one of 1300mg daily] the most predominate features that Calcium is the most abundant make us look and act human; well I in bone guess that and the frontal cortex, same mineral and therefore thing… But bones are also something an adequate intake of dietary we too often forget about until we calcium is crack or injure them, and ultimately imperative to succumb to immobility and low spirits. reach peak

What is bone? Bone is comprised of a collagen (protein) matrix upon which salts are deposited, mainly calcium phosphate. Although commonly thought of as static and stiff, bone is constantly being remodeled, where mature bone tissue is removed and new tissue is formed. The regulation of bone metabolism is quite complex and relies mainly on the effects of a variety of hormones - estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol, and insulin-like growth factor 1, to name a few - and the availability of skeletal building blocks. Other lifestyle factors such as regular engagement in weight-bearing activities, and the avoidance of smoking and excess alcohol/caffeine consumption can positively influence bone health. We reach our peak bone mass (the amount of bone mass attained at the end of the growth period) in early adulthood and then it’s all downhill from there - literally! Especially after menopause for women. So, it is extremely important to support our body as it grows during adolescence to reach maximum bone density, and that we do our best to limit bone loss during the aging process to prevent the loss of strength, mobility and quality in life in our later years.

How can I eat to take care of my bones?

bone mass and prevent premature bone loss. Dairy products, like yogourt, kefir, and milk are great sources of calcium, but other foods contain calcium as well. Try adding some sautéed greens to your meals, having a canned salmon sandwich for lunch, substituting meat for edamame beans, or sweetening your oatmeal with molasses!

Vitamin D [Goal: 600-1000 IU daily] regulates dietary calcium absorption in the intestines and prevents excessive calcium loss from bones, thereby helping them stay strong. We can make vitamin D in our skin from the sunshine (how cool is that?!), but up north in Jasper we can’t make enough, so most people need to take a vitamin D supplement in addition to eating foods high in vitamin D like fatty fish, egg yolks, shiitake/sundried mushrooms, and fortified milk or milkalternatives. Protein [~1-1.5g/kg body weight daily], in

the form of a collagen matrix, is the backbone (pun intended) upon which calcium salts are deposited to create dense, strong bones. There is no storage form of protein in the body so we need to eat protein-rich foods to ensure there are enough building blocks available to remodel bone.

Nutrition support for bone health focuses on ensuring that we eat enough of the building blocks for bones, like calcium and protein, and also takes into consideration a few big-picture concerns like preventing chronic under-eating, malabsorption, and inflammation.

Protein-rich foods include pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas), nuts/seeds, meat/fish, dairy products, eggs, and soybeans. Aim to fill a ¼ of your plate with a protein-rich food at every meal and add protein to your snacks.

Vitamin K [60-120mcg daily] deficiency is

associated with reduced bone mineralization and very weak bones, or osteoporosis. Vitamin K deficiency in adults is quite rare and usually limited to those with malabsorptive disorders, however just in case, these foods are high in vitamin K: green leafy vegetables, some fruits (especially prunes), vegetable oils (like olive or canola oil), and soybeans.

Under-eating/Malnutrition: Chronically eating less food than your body needs can result in osteoporosis, even at a young age. Even if you were only eating foods high in calcium, protein, vitamin D and K, but your total food intake provided you with less energy (calories) than you needed, brittle bones can ensue. At low energy intakes our bodies prioritize life-saving functions like heart beats and lung inspirations, over seemingly less important tasks like bone remodeling. Moral of the story? Eat enough, don’t do the restrictive weight loss program time after time again, and enjoy what you’re eating.

Kirsten Oilund is a registered dietitian and the owner of Jasper Nutrition Counselling. She is an avid runner, boot-camper and adventurer. She has been known to plan an elaborate campfire spread. Email her at kirsten@jasper-nutrition.com

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