The Jasper Local October 1, 2018 by The Jasper Local

a lt e r n at i v e +

LOCAL + independent

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thejasperlocal.com

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monday, october 1, 2018 // ISSUE 130

JASPER PHOTOGRAPHER AND MIND MELTER MIKE GERE USED A LONG EXPOSURE AND LIGHT PAINTING TOOLS TO CREATE THIS UNIQUE IMAGE SNAPPED AT HORSESHOE LAKE. MODEL JEN FLYNN HELPED GERE CAPTURE THE KALEIDOSCOPIC COLOURS// MIKE GERE

Council approves free fitness passes for youth and teens Jasper municipal council is supporting healthy and active lifestyles of Jasper youth and teens.

Starting October 1, students in Grades 7 to 12 will be eligible for a free membership to the Aquatic Centre, Fitness Centre and bouldering wall. Following a request from the Collaborative Action Team for school-aged children—a Community Outreach Services-led initiative which creates conversations about social issues in the community—council approved the pilot project. A letter addressed to council from the CAT suggested teens and youth are experiencing an increase in anxiety and depression. “Since September 2017, the CAT has identified an increase in

youth and teens participating in activities including…drinking, sneaking into hotel pools, vaping and spending long periods of time in front of screens,” the letter said. Fitness and Aquatic Centre Manager Jeremy Todgham said free pool memberships for children in pre-school to Grade six has been well received and he hopes this program will be, too. “We’re looking forward to welcoming new and existing users,” Todgham said. In order to take part in the free pass program, students and their parents must complete a membership agreement at the Fitness and Aquatic Centre. Only Jasper residents are eligible. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 130 // monday, october 1, 2018

editorial //

Local Vocal I’m always impressed by the folks who, when confronted with the first spat of bitter weather offered up by the fall season, are able to squeeze the sweetness out of the situation.

“Isn’t this snow beautiful?” they’ll suggest. “Can’t wait to ski!” Personally, I can’t quite patronize that lemonade stand quite yet. No matter how refreshing a swig of that stuff seems, for the first few weeks of impending freeze up, the notes I tend to pick out are mostly sour and saccharine. It might have something to do with the idea that time is running out on all the things that the summer season represents: long nights, short sleeves, camp fires and road trips, to name a few. I’m hard pressed to say goodbye when I feel there are many things I didn’t get around to doing—the trails I didn’t hike, the streams I didn’t fish, the lakes I didn’t swim and the books I didn’t read. And as a newspaper guy, there are definitely seasonal stories I didn’t get to. Those will have to wait til next year, but darn it if I can’t take one last stab at an itch that I’ve been meaning to scratch for a while now. I’m talking about the way our town is promoted at the Information Centre. Picture this: you’re a first-time visitor to Jasper who wants to get the lay of the land: things to do, where to sleep and what to eat—you know, the travel basics. Parks Canada staff can help you with the first one—they’re a fount of knowledge on trails, sunset spots and wildlife warnings. The second item—accommodations—are a little harder to come by in the summer, but be assured you can find a fair appraisal of the park’s many campgrounds and get directed to the list of approved accommodations when the hotels are all full. The last request— where to find some grub—is the one that gets my goat. What should normally be a perfectly natural transition in the conversation is instead an awkward about-face as Parks staffers are required to refer the inquiry to the adjacent desk, the one operated by Tourism Jasper. Because of the funding structure of Tourism Jasper, our destination marketing organization (DMO), local businesses which do not contribute to the pie do not get so much as a sliver of recognition by the visitor experience staff occupying the front line of the guest experience. Out of more than 70 restaurants in town, less than 10 pay into Tourism Jasper. That means, for all a visitor knows after asking at the Info Centre, there are less than 10 places to eat in this town. This isn’t about excellent restaurants getting short shrift. This isn’t even about the funding structure—again, I see Tourism Jasper working here. It makes sense to limit your promotions to those shareholders which float the boat. Rather, this is about fairness to the guest. The idea that a visitor

entering the Information Centre— an historic building, totemic of wilderness protection for all Canadians and necessarily neutral when it comes to representing local business interests—should be able to distinguish why certain businesses are being recommended, and why others are not, is too much to ask of our guests. And if we’re not answering them straight, we should be upfront about it. After all, it’s not called the Misinformation Centre. Again, it’s not like I don’t see the rationale: those who buy in to the DMO should get first mention by the DMO. I get it. But as long as DMO staff are housed in the national park office, and as long as the DMO staff aren’t explicitly

telling the guest the reason for the shortlist, we’re not putting our best foot forward. Maybe I’m just bitter from the recent snowfall. Maybe guests are doing just fine sussing out local businesses with other tools available to them. But maybe there’s something to this. Maybe Tourism Jasper can consider how to suggest more dining options to the uninitiated visitor, or at least tell them why they’re only putting forward a small fraction. Because there’s nothing that can pucker the puss faster than being fed a glass of something sour when you were told it was sweet. If we can avoid it, let’s not let our guests leave with a bitter taste in their mouths. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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//environment

monday, october 1, 2018 // issue 130 // the jasper local// page A3

Bench logging won't affect trails Jasper’s Pyramid Bench will be the site of an unprecedented timber harvesting operation this winter, but the network of multi-use trails in the area will remain intact. Hikers and mountain bikers have voiced their concern that the major logging operation could have major consequences for their beloved trails. “It’s making my blood boil a bit to think all those trails could be ruined,” Jasperite Elizabeth Prinz wrote to The Jasper Local recently. However, Parks Canada says the trails will be unaffected—outside of temporary area closures while the logging takes place. Resource conservation manager Dave Argument says that while the area will look markedly different in years to come—500 hectares of forest will be cleared of mountain pine beetleaffected timber—the longterm changes to the landscape will be minimal. “We don’t expect to have long term signs that logging ever happened there,” Argument said. “[And] part of the harvesting agreement requires that the existing network of trails remains as it was.” The logging operation, which was originally scheduled to take place last spring, is highly unusual in a protected area. An operation of this scale in a national park hasn’t taken place in recent memory, Argument said. However, the 2016 Mountain Pine Beetle Management Plan included a number of different measures— including mechanical logging—to mitigate the risk to public safety and the community of Jasper posed by the pine beetle-impacted, wildfire-susceptible forest. “We know we’re not able to stop the pine beetle. What we’re managing for is the elevated fire risk as a result of the pine beetle,” Argument said. Make no mistake, it will be a large-scale project. Heavy equipment will be felling large stands of pine and spruce trees, from Patricia Lake to the CN right-of-way near the Miette River. Spur roads will be built to facilitate the movement of large trucks and the Cabin Lake Fire Road will act as the main haul road. To minimize environmental impact, the contractor will use soft-tired equipment;

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forwarders, rather than skidders, will carry logs from their stumps to a roadside landing; and special considerations for hibernating bears, migrating birds and other wildlife movement will be adhered to, Argument said. Furthermore, the work will be performed while the ground is frozen so as to minimize impact on wet and low-lying areas and setbacks will be observed around creeks and water courses. “You can’t have this type of equipment on the ground when there is a risk of permanent disturbance,” Argument said. “It results in more costly restoration work.” Revenues from the harvested timber will help fund the logging operation, as well as pay for future wildfire mitigation work and fuel reduction. Since Beetle-affected pine retains value until it gets too dry, the wood that will come off the Pyramid Bench will still fetch good value. “By removing it now and taking it to the mill we can still process it,” Argument said. On October 2, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Lobstick Lodge’s Skyline Room (94 Geikie St.), Parks Canada is hosting an open house to promote information on the planned fire hazard reduction on the Pyramid Bench. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to share information with interested residents and encouraging everybody to come out,” Argument said. bc // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page B1 // the jasper local // issue 130 // monday, october 1, 2018

Local mountaineering //

An avalanche of snow, ice and luck

LOCAL CLIMBER RECALLS NEAR-FATAL FALL ON MT. ATHABASCA On Wednesday, September 19, while climbing the Silverhorn Route on Mount Athabasca, two Jasper climbers were caught in an avalanche. Less than 200 metres from the summit ridge when the avalanche happened, the climbers were dragged more than 600 metres by the mass of snow and ice. It happened fast. We fell fast. It was over fast. Things happen in an instant. I can relive the scene in my head, I can recall some of my thoughts from the fall, but I have no real account of how long the entire event may have lasted.

angle eased off slightly and we heard a WHUMPH that reverberated across the face. I had a chance to say “Woah!” and stopped moving, looking up at my partner. The small pocket of snow between us had turned into a roiling sea of snow and I was swept off of my feet, her down with me.

We fell for a long time. A really long time. I can’t I guess that’s the feeling of surviving really recall much other something like that. than it was like being We were aware that there was a potential for in a washing machine windslabs; that is why we took avalanche with enough snow to gear. Maybe that was the sign we should have momentarily crush the breath out of you. I can remember dropping my ice tools because I was worried about catching “We fell for a long time. A really myself with one of the long time. I can’t really recall much picks. I also remember other than it was like being in a being worried about washing machine with enough catching a crampon point snow to momentarily crush the and snapping my leg AN AVALANCHE ON MOUNT ATHABASCA RESULTED IN A CLOSE CALL FOR again (in 2008 I slipped JASPERITE GRANT SIKKES AND HIS CLIMBING PARTNER. // PARKS CANADA breath out of you.” on a snow slope and broke Canada that we were okay. That was huge. my fibula and ruptured the The avalanche had been reported, so we knew MCL in my ankle that way). We caught air a number of times during the fall. We tumbled rescue technicians were preparing for the turned around at some point, or maybe we worst. We tried to keep moving but we were and slid more vertical than the height of the were just being overcautious in September. pretty banged up. It it got to a point where CN Tower. After all, given the right conditions, making it back to the car seemed like it was When we came to a stop, I was on the surface avalanches happen at every time of year. going to be more risky than simply asking for of a class 2.5 avalanche, almost at the bottom Nothing on the approach or leading up to help. of the run out. I quickly grabbed the rope the slide made us suspect that there was Asking for help is never done without a lot of between my legs, hoping that it hadn’t a weakness in what little snowpack there thought put into the decision. It requires a ton snapped during the fall and knowing that it was. Certainly, had we known the entire of resources and it requires people to risk their would lead to my partner who, in my daze, I face was one giant windslab, we would own lives to come and save yours. I think most could neither see nor hear. have reconsidered. We mostly encountered climbers feel similarly about how sombre a Fortunately, she was only partially buried and powder snow—from boot top to knee deep in rescue is. We called for help. My partner could only a few feet away. The snow had already a few places. Generally, we could feel the ice not walk without excruciating pain due to a underneath the snow and get purchase for our begun to set and I needed to use a shovel broken bone in her foot and my chest felt like blade to dig her out. Freeing her from her crampons. it had been run over by a dump truck. Due to backpack, I saw she had bloody nose. She was My partner was a few metres of rope ahead of good weather and more good fortune I can wide eyed. me, just enough to protect from the numerous account for, the helicopter only took an hour crevasses on the North Glacier of Athabasca. “Holy f***, we were in a f***ing avalanche,” and a half to come and pluck us up off the she said. Even the Silverhorn Ridge, with its 40-45 mountain. degree slopes, has enough crevasse hazard I replied with, “are we okay?” I have always made a point not to judge to warrant being roped up for. We had just Thankful that we hadn’t been swept into the accidents in the mountains from the comfort taken a short break, to get some water and bergschrund or any number of crevasses of my laptop. This is one accident that I should for me to eat a Kit Kat. We had only been during our ride, we took a few minutes to have greater insight into and yet I find myself moving for a short while when the slope sort our gear and failing to find the right words and emotions to take stock of the situation, the gravity of it having not fully dawned on us. Sometimes when you are in shock, the best thing you can do is keep moving. It uses the adrenaline constructively. It also helps get you out of further danger.

After a few minutes walking, we met a guide and his party hurrying up to us. He had a radio and was able to relay to Parks

explain exactly what happened up there or why I am still here telling the story. I am grateful to be alive and I am grateful for Parks Canada’s public safety team for coming to get our sorry asses.

We all make choices. Some have disastrous consequences while others pass without notice. I almost lost two very close friends within a year of each other in similar circumstances. Now I have been added to the list. They say bad luck comes in threes, but what of the good fortune all of us had to survive? Luck is a strange thing. Depending on the outcome, we make a narrative that fits the situation. I was lucky to survive my accident. Both of my friends were lucky to survive their respective accidents. Or were we all just unlucky for finding ourselves in those situations to begin with? Grant Sikkes // info@thejasperlocal.com

monday, october 1, 2018 // issue 130 // the jasper local// page B2

Local cannabis //

The Jasper High School class of 1968 celebrated a 50 year reunion September 21. Attendees included (Back Row): Gordon Ruddy, Dwain Wacko, Jim Gross, Keith Froland, Heather Wilson, Gordon Jeffrey, Frank Wells, Tom Kofin, and Don Guild (Front Row): Sandra Key, Linda Coumont, Jennifer Yarwood, Marg Yarwood, Carolyn Tweedle, June Baker, Susan Ross, and Brenda Guild. // photo courtesy Tom Kofin

Five misconceptions about buying cannabis in Jasper In a little more than two weeks from this writing, recreational cannabis is going to be legal in Canada.

Myth

In Jasper, depending on how retail licenses are doled out, there may be as many as six cannabis stores setting up shop (although at this time, only two are comfortable going on the record as “ganja-preneuers”).

Reality

The sudden transition is likely to be a bit of a sticky wicket for residents, visitors, law enforcement officials and local politicians. Even Mayor Richard Ireland, who, together with council has been trying to get ahead of the October 17 legalization date by putting in place legislation that will help guide the safe and legal use of cannabis in Jasper, has admitted come October 17, “it’s going to be a mess.” But besides making sense of the rules Besides making sense of the rules regarding the actual regarding cannabis consumption, consumption of cannabis knowing what to expect out in public places—many of a retail experience isn’t of which will evolve as straightforward, either. Jasper figures out how comfortable it is in this new pot paradigm— knowing what to expect out of a retail experience isn’t straightforward, either. Leanne Stanko, who plans to open Harvest Moon, a cannabis shop on Patricia Street, says there are plenty of misconceptions about what buying marijuana will be like when she and other Jasper hemporiums hang an ‘open’ shingle on their storefronts October 17.

You can get a job as a cannabis retailer. Not without certification. Prospective budtenders must take the the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission’s SellSafe Cannabis Staff Training and qualify as a Qualified Cannabis Worker. Similar to how servers and bartenders must pass a standardized course before they can sell liquor, the training ensures employees understand their responsibilities to the public for the safe sale and distribution of cannabis, the liabilities involved, and the law. Stay tuned as we continue to drill down into the cans and cannots of cannabis in future issues. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Myth: Retailers will have a wide variety of cannabis products to sell. Reality: Not really—at least not compared to what the black market currently offers. Cannabis retailers will only be able to offer what the government’s licensed producers provide them. When the doors first open, that product line will be relatively small. Stanko says Harvest Moon will have a small variety of dried flowers (the smokeable buds), some cannabidiol products (CBD), pre-rolled joints and cannabis seeds. “Right now the black market is doing a very good job of offering a great variety of product,” Stanko says. “People might be expecting to see that same variety in stores.” Myth: Shoppers will be able to buy cannabis edibles. Reality: Nope. Edibles won’t be legal October 17, although the government has shown signs they may relax those rules at some point. Regardless, shoppers expecting to see weed-spiked gummies, cookies or chocolate bars best temper their expectations. Myth: Retail outlets will be able to deliver your pot to your home. Reality: Nothing doing. Pot shops won’t be able to deliver you your cannabis, nor will they be able to take your order over the phone for a pre-planned pickup. Sorry, couch surfers. You’re going to have to go downtown. Myth: You’ll be able to sample the goods in-store. Reality: No, no you won’t. Who told you that?

bob covey // bob@thejaspterlocal.com

page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 130 // monday, october 1, 2018

FEATURE // STORY AND PHOTOS BY FRED NODDIN

THE BRAZEAU LO IF, FOR NOTHING MORE THAN TO SEE THE SPECTACULAR MOUNTAINSCAPES THAT CONVERGE AT NIGEL PASS AND THE BRAZEAU RIVER TUMBLING SWIFTLY ALONG AT ITS CENTER, THE DECISION TO HIKE THE BRAZEAU LAKE LOOP IS EXTRAORDINARY. The loop is a snapshot of everything that is the Canadian Rockies. As I stand at the pass, towering mountain peaks extend in every direction. Below me, a boulder and rock-lined canyon mark the passage of time at the scale of natural processes. The river within, glacial in origin, races down a steep chute, where at its base it fans out into a bridal veil falls. Beyond the falls the water slows and settles into mountain-sized reflecting pools, bordered by grass and sedge, encompassing the entire valley to the north. This is my view, from one position, from one spot on a trail that has 81 km worth of views and spots. It is dramatic, alive, and inspiring. It is why I came to the Brazeau. I continue on, planting one pole in front of the other, soft rock crushing underfoot. I descend to the valley below, a valley that will take me to camp, were a warm meal is made and where sleep will come fast.

The morning sunshine awakens me and it is welcomed. Its warm rays are put to work, drying the dew and condensation from our tents. Our group makes a hearty breakfast and we’re on the trail in good time. The trail here is forested. There is beauty within the trees. There is the freshness of the air after the evening’s rain, there is quietness of the woods, the gentleness of footfalls and the occasional glimpse of the world around. We follow the river, downhill, gentle, but always downhill. The chatter of squirrels break the morning silence and in the skies, there are birds; nutcrackers, ravens, and eagles. They are always nearby and keep us company. On the ground, towering larkspur

decorate the understory and the sign of moose is everywhere. Deep into the evergreens a movement catches my attention. “Get your bear spray out!” I say. Angela, Leonie, and Chris, my hiking companions, respond immediately. “What did you see?” Chris asks. “A cougar, about hip high at the shoulders and 40 yards away,” I respond. “It took one look and us and booted it down the trail.” We slow our pace and keep our bear spray out. After we pass over several track traps—where if a cougar were still using the trail in front of us he would have left sign—I suspect the big cat has moved off trail and hit the higher ground. A big cat is to be respected, and while we are excited with the encounter, we are also appropriately cautious. We continue on and hike into the heart of a valley where a big grassy point extends out to meet the

river. It is a beautiful place, so it is here we have lunch. The rest of the day is peaceful, interrupted by a frog, found in a place we felt a frog had no business being. We found him high up on a trail, no where near water. These are the sorts of things that make me scratch my head and wonder. A few kilometers further, we reach home for the next couple days. Our camp: Brazeau Lake. That evening, a stunning sunset highlights what was already an incredible day. Tomorrow I will fish for the lake’s rainbow trout, but today, I take the time to stand along the lakeshore, to marvel at the surrounding mountains, to witness their reflections in the lake’s flat,

OOP EXPERIENCE calm surface. I also watch an osprey catch a fish. The skies boldly transform before my eyes into hues of orange and red as the last rays of the day send us on our way. It is a good night where, around the warmth of a brightly burning campfire, conversation is struck

in hand, as do Angela and Leo, and there are trout in the lake worth catching. We walk the shorelines, casting as we go, exploring the water. No fish are biting, but I’ve had an amazing time exploring this stunning and beautiful parcel of the Rockies. We head to camp, and later that evening while enjoying a lakeshore dinner, trout begin to rise. They’re jumping in the lake right near us, so we quickly grab our fishing gear. Leonie is first to the lakeshore and immediately has a sizeable trout strike her fly. She plays the fish and delightedly reels it to shore where Chris provides an assist in landing it. I then catch a big trout, and another. Chris does to. Angela opts to be the photographer while we catch fish. In no time we have landed several sizeable trout, three of which we keep. We cook them up for a delicious after-dinner meal, shared with the entire camp. Everyone loves having freshly-caught mountain trout and we make an entire campground of friends that night. While the hike could be considered perfect right then and there, we spend four more amazing days on the trail, hiking through Poboktan Pass, the Jonas Shoulder and Jonas Pass. There are more ground squirrels “There is the freshness than we can count, of the air after the shed caribou antlers, evening’s rain, there glaciers, glacial lakes, and even a roaming is quietness of the grizzly bear. Wild woods, the gentleness animals and wild of footfalls, and the places. occasional glimpse of

the world around.”

with fellow backpackers. Some are from Vancouver, others, the Ukraine, and one girl, Alice, came all the way from Hong Kong. This international flavour, common in the backcountry, never ceases to amaze me. We trade tips, friends are made, and plans are set into motion for future adventures. This is just the way it is, and it is truly amazing to be a part of such a terrific community. I go to sleep with a smile in my heart and the thoughts of the day ahead. When I wake, I take my time before crawling out of the warmth of my sleeping bag. The sun is out and I am eager to explore Brazeau Lake. This is a built-in down day for our trip, and it is one of the best decisions I made while booking. Chris decides that his hammock and book is where he will spend a good amount of his time. Me, I have a fishing rod

It is something truly special to spend time in the backcountry with friends, relying only on your fitness and what you carry on your back to see you through. To backpack is deeply personal and there are as many reasons to do it as there are ideas and people. The commonality for our group was our need for wild spaces, to engage the terrain, footstep by footstep, and to experience. Richness in life comes from the sum of our experiences, and the quality of time we invest in ourselves. To this I hold myself accountable, and setting myself to do the Brazeau Lake Loop, to spend an entire week in our Canadian Rockies with people I care a ton for, it is moment that I will forever reflect on as an extraordinary decision. fred noddin // info@thejasperlocal.com

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page B5 // the jasper local // issue 130 // monday, october 1, 2018

local jobs //

BAPTISM BY FIRE: One Jasper local’s summer spent on the fire line The wildfire season in western Canada has been extinguished, but for one Jasperite who was on the front line of the flames all summer, a new career path has been sparked. In May, after completing prerequisite courses and 10 days of training in Hinton, Sebastien Cholette went to work for the Alberta Government’s fire management program. The crew he joined was based in Grande Prairie, but the group was exported all across western Canada, and at one point, even got sent to Quebec. To get a sense of the job, The Jasper Local tracked down Cholette after the 32-year-old spent fourand-a-half months in the bush. The Jasper Local: What made you want to go fight fires in the first place? Sebastien Cholette: I had been working in the bar and restaurant industry for almost 10 years. I was doing a little soul searching and wanted

to get into something where I was a little more passionate about it. JL: What was the first fire you experienced? What was the scene like? SC: It was definitely intense. It was in our district, off Highway 40. It was only an eight to 10 hectare fire but there were trees crowning and large flames everywhere. I thought ‘this is crazy,’ the adrenaline was

“When we got it under control there was definitely a sense of pride, knowing that the work we put in may have helped save someone’s home.” pumping. We came on scene in a helicopter and there were multiple crews on the ground, with dozers, skidders, excavators and aircraft all buzzing around. JL: As a “red helmet” rookie, what were some of your regular jobs? SC: Main duties for red helmets

included digging handlines, cutting trail, bucking and limbing trees, laying hose and nozzling— spraying water at a fire. We’d be setting up pumps in creeks and laying down kilometres of hose. It’s pretty impressive how much water we can actually move. JL: At what point did you realize that this is an occupation which carries a lot of responsibility? SC: At one point we were on a fire outside of Castlegar, B.C. We put a lot of work into this fire. There was a sense of urgency coming down from our bosses. Houses were visible, there was structural protection involved, residents were on evacuation notice. It was a high-priority fire. When we got it under control there was definitely a sense of pride, knowing that the work we put in may have helped save someone’s home. JL: What were some unexpected aspects of the job that you experienced? SC: It was pretty cool to see a lot of the countryside, places you would never be able to get to, let alone plan to visit. Learning about forest fuel, topography and

some of the science behind fire behaviour was really cool. JL: What sort of things do your friends and family who aren’t familiar with fighting fires assume you do? SC: I think there is a certain image that people have, but for us, as a unit crew, we don’t go in guns a-blazing. There is a lot of observing fire behaviour and conditions and then going forward. JL: Did fighting fires check all the boxes for you? Was it the change in career you’d been looking for? SC: I absolutely loved it. I was looking for something outdoors and physical, and team-oriented. I definitely plan on doing it for an extended time. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

monday, october 1, 2018 // issue 130 // the jasper local// page B6

local lifestyle //

Diving for pearls at Maligne Canyon Money pops up in the strangest places. Like Maligne Canyon.

We had gone to the canyon for a walkabout. That’s when we noticed the three-coins-in-afountain phenomenon: tourists throwing cold hard cash, along with wishes, into bubbling waters. “Well,” I said to Liam when we saw all the glittering coins, “there are prospects here all right or my name ain’t Honest John” (the foxy hustler in Pinocchio). We were saving for a trip to Australia, and building our poke would come in handy. Many of the coins had landed on ledges or in pools beside the boiling river as it raced through the canyon. With care, and a rope, we could climb down to the oyster beds and pluck the pearls. We got a big Ziploc bag-full the first time we went. We took the coins to the bank and exchanged them for notes. The teller was upset because of the grit. “It’s good clean dirt,” I assured her. “River washed like placer gold.” But she shot me a glower and said nothing. Obviously she had never heard of filthy lucre. But we didn’t care, we had enough for a blow-out at Tokyo Tom’s, a book apiece, and a bit for the Oz kitty. We went back three weeks later. Liam waded into a pool beside the river and sifted through the mud and came up with a bagful, while I picked plums from the ledges. Then we went farther down the trail, and I climbed down a steep section with the rope and picked up the coins that hadn’t made it into the river. Liam stayed on the bridge, watching.

What beauty (and riches!) lies beneath? // Photo: Andrew Hempstead, Images of Jasper

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DAD? I said LEFT.” “That’s where I’m going.” “No you’re not, Dad. You’ve got to go LEFT.” I tugged on the steering mechanism and took the pole as far left as I could “THERE!” “DAD! You’re going in the wrong direction— What’s wrong with you!” “What the hell are you talking about, Liam? I’m going left. The other direction is RIGHT.” “You’ve got to go right, then.”

A man was angry when he saw what I was doing. “My God! There’s a guy down there on a rope and he’s picking up all the money!” Liam never let on, “That’s my Dad.”

The pole was terribly heavy, my arms were stretching like a monkey’s. “So is it left or do you really mean right?”

We went a third time with Liam’s invention, a magnet glued on the end of a pole, to recover coins from ledges below one of the bridges. The pole had two ropes attached, one at the end, the other towards the front. The front rope was looped over the branch of a tree for horizontal reach. It was a two-man operation.

Almost 12 and the kid doesn’t know his left from his right. How have I messed up so bad?

“Left, Dad.” Liam was coin spotter, giving directions from the other side of the bridge. I leaned over the bridge and maneuvered the pole down. “Left, Dad.” “Right.” I tugged on the steering rope. “Dad—LEFT.” I leaned out as far as I could and guided the pole—”

“It’s, er, right, Dad . . . I mean—”

“You’ve got to drop the pole more, Dad— Dad!” He lowered his voice and did a funny movement with his eyebrows. “WHAT NOW?” So far we’d picked up a dime and we’d been messing around for five minutes. Providing our luck held, that worked out to a dollar-twenty an hour, then split two ways. At this rate we’d never get to Australia. “DAD! Ssh—hh! Someone’s coming.” He did a great wink, but it looked like he was a Soho spiv coming down with lockjaw. “I don’t care if Bylaw Bob’s coming. We’re not doing anything illegal.” I manipulated the pole and snagged a nickel. “FIFTEEN CENTS NOW, BUCK!” But he was pretending to be busy tying his boots. People were curious and came to watch. They leaned over the bridge trying to see what I was doing. Banding gulls nesting on ledges? “Oh don’t worry,” I assured one inquisitive tourist when I said we were after the coins. “It’s only the money we’re picking up. We leave all the wishes.” He walked away disgusted, as many did. A dirty Fagan and his boy pickpocketing the canyon; they acted as

though they were above it all. But it was the tourists that had littered the canyon in the first place! We snared nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies and twoonies, until the magnet fell off from a bad glue job. But we had enough for Twoonie Tuesdays and a bit more for the piggy bank. Pearl diving at Maligne Canyon made me realize what dolphins put up with when dancing for herrings at the aquarium. For at one spot, directly across from our theatre of operation, tourists were gawking and hanging over the fence, pointing out where the money was as I climbed down the rope. Once I even cried, “Throw us a twoonie, then!” And would you believe it, a Japanese man did. I have an idea, too, how the macho Clavadistas of La Quebrada, Acapulco, must feel when they dive off the cliffs. As tourists wade into the nightly buffet at La Perla Restaurant opposite, I bet many of the watching diners secretly hope that the diver will miss the wave and split in half on the ocean floor like a busted watermelon. I saw them taking pictures of me, and I don’t doubt a few were secretly hoping I’d slip and fall into the Hellespont. Then they themselves could command a decent coin from Five Live News for their action video—Death on a Sunday Afternoon, or, Dangers of Chasing the Almighty Dollar. We’re nothing but a car-crash rubbernecking society, eh? David Harrap// info@thejasperlocal.com

Jasper’s David Harrap is the author of The Littlest Hiker in the Canadian Rockies. If he does find himself leaning over the edge of the abyss, he makes damn sure it’s worth it.