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thejasperlocal.com
LOCAL + independent
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Thursday, august 1, 2019 // ISSUE 150
DROP ZONE // JASPER’S ETHAN BEGLEY PLUNGES INTO A PICTURESQUE POOL ON BEAUTY CREEK. // MIKE GERE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 150 // august 1, 2019
editorial //
Local Vocal Bear jams backing up traffic, restaurants filled to capacity and helicopters buzzing in the sky.
You might not have realized it for the crummy weather, but summer in Jasper is in full swing. As we patch the holes in our beach toys and pack our bags for that camping trip we booked back in January, it’s worth remembering that summer is also the time of year when Jasper’s emergency service personnel are stretched to capacity. While most of us are planning lakeside barbecues and bike rides, our local police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses and wardens will be planning for accidents, emergencies and other unpleasant incidents. Here at The Jasper Local, we’re keen to celebrate the feats of our fellow adventurers, but we hope it’s understood that our reportage comes with a respectful nod to sound decision making and preparedness for the journey. Last week, public safety officials were responding to one call after another, be it snowed-in hikers on the Skyline, avalanche victims near the Icefields or soaked-tothe-bone backpackers who underestimated their river crossings. While these situations all ended somewhat happily, there are lessons to be learned that will serve the hiking, biking and paddling communities. For one, the importance of studying the terrain you’re about to engage. and researching the trip you’re about to embark on, cannot be understated. Hazards should be identified and backcountry users should always be prepared to spend the night outside. Another point is to have a plan for help. SEND (Satellite Emergency Notification Device) units have improved markedly in recent years but simply letting someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back is the easiest and often most important lifeline if things go sideways. With the recent spilling-over of Medicine Lake, local rescue officials are concerned that kayakers will once again be keen on surfing the wave that forms on the lake’s ouflow. Unlike when Excalibur (as the feature is known) formed in 2012, however, the run these days is choked by deadfall from the 2015 Excelsior Creek wildfire. Lofty ambitions and the lure of social media stardom can often overpower common sense. Here’s hoping boaters back paddle away from the foaming, forming danger. The impending August long weekend is one of the busiest on the books of Jasper’s short summer. As we turn over new rocks and explore new valleys, remember that the mountains can humble the most experienced adventurers. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
No Pursuit of electric power? I'm curious if Parks Canada has received any pressure in recent years as to the Maligne tour boat situation. By that I mean, the "two" standards. Individuals who must use either paddles or use electric propulsion (which I fully support), vs Maligne Tours, acquired by the conglomerate known as Brewster now changed to "Pursuit," that uses diesel engines. I am concerned about the frequency that these deep V hulls head up and down the lake, the pollutants they emit, the noise generated and large waves produced. Although I have written to various parks management over the past decade, it has become rather frustrating noting a common avoidance of all
matters pertaining to Maligne Lake tour boats, whether it be the sheer volume and hours of operation or the topic of conversion to electric. Personally I would like Parks to begin implementing a timeline to convert to electric. The technology exists and I find it highly unlikely they cannot afford it. While countries around the world are setting targets to ban gas and diesel in the near future., we still have these outdated vessels in our UNESCO World Heritage Park? I have trouble understanding why the disruptive waves pummeling the shoreline, as well, wildlife on and surrounding the lake, are not of more concern. Grayson Youngman
The Jasper Local //
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// local budgeting
thursday, august 1, 2019 // issue 150 // the jasper local// page A3
A sliding scale of construction costs In what world does a waterslide cost three quarters of a million dollars? Welcome to the Municipality of Jasper’s budget breakdown. In response to public questioning and to help municipal council understand how the replacement of a piece of beloved infrastructure will cost as much as as a three bedroom home on Geikie Street, municipal administrators have broken down the cost of the waterslide replacement, which, according to the MOJ, is needed to ensure a quality, long lasting and safe waterslide. Here’s how it shakes out: Demolition: $160,092.25 The demo includes dust proofing the entire area, setting up scaffolding, removing the slide in multiple sections and removing the stairs and corroded structural components. Replacing the Steel Structure: $79,352.24 The hangers, cables, connections, platforms and supports which support the slide and stairs are corroded in many areas and some parts have to be replaced. Since the structure has been in a corrosive environment for many years, an engineer sign-off is needed before it can be used again. Waterslide and Stairs Replacement: $330,937.32 The existing slide is
COUNCIL VOTED TO REPLACE THE WATERSLIDE FOR A COST OF $800,000. FOLLOWING PUBLIC QUESTIONING, ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY BROKE THE BUDGET DOWN. // JEFF LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY
irregular and custom-built. Replacement parts cannot be made. Engineering standards have changed since 1988 and the slide path has to be adjusted. This item includes design, manufacturing, shipping and installation of a new slide and all new, noncorrosive stairs. Landing Pool Mods: $38,240.59 The current landing pool does not meet the manufacturer’s recommendation for a new waterslide. Therefore, certification from the manufacturer is needed to get a permit to operate from Alberta Health Services. Furthermore, the sloped floor will need to be levelled to meet current regulations. The floor will need to be jackhammered and reshaped.
and refinishing after the landing pool is modified. General Construction Expenses: $53,050.80 This item includes bonds (security deposit), insurance, engineering, testing, design and accommodation for the construction crew. Consultant Costs: $73,256 The consultants’ costs include the costs of facilitating the open bid process, project management and permitting.
At their July 16 regular council meeting, council approved the updated 2019 budget, which included the replacement of the 30-yearold waterslide. Although they did not have this detailed breakdown at that time, council voted 4-3 in favour of the replacement, with councillors Rico Deck and Landing Pool Damota, Scott Wilson and Refinishing: $14,641.27 Bert Journault opposed. This includes waterproofing b covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 150 // thursday, august 1, 2019
local public safety //
CUE THE QUARTZITE // ANDREW YAKIELASHEK TAKES A LONG LOOK DOWN THE ATHABASCA VALLEY WHILE CLIMBING PYRAMID MOUNTAIN JULY 21. // B COVEY
Climbers flown to safety after avalanche sweeps summit ambitions Two climbers survived a size two avalanche on Mount Woolley during an extremely busy week for the local rescue community. On July 20 Jasper dispatchers received a call just before noon with the distress call that two mountaineers had been injured after being caught in an avalanche while attempting to climb 3,405 metre Mount Woolley, located in the Sunwapta River Valley in the Winston Churchill Range of Jasper National Park. The party was carrying a radio and reached rescuers on the Parks Canada radio frequency. “Both were alive, conscious and needed
evacuation,” said Rupert Wedgwood, public safety specialist for Jasper National Park. The climbers had been swept downhill by a slab avalanche while attempting to ascend a snow-filled gully leading to the mountain’s summit ridge. One 46-year-old male suffered a fractured ankle and lacerations to his chest after the other climber, a 39-year-old male, tumbled down the slope and crashed into his friend with his crampons. The 39-year-old had head trauma, a broken elbow and was experiencing difficulty breathing, according to Wedgwood. “He seemed to be concussed,” Wedgwood said.
A third, female member of the party, had decided to back down from the climb after an earlier avalanche rumbled down a different gully. She was perched on a nearby rock ledge “in no imminent danger.” But the position of the two injured mountaineers was precarious. Serac danger, avalanche hazard and rock fall danger were still present when rescuers reached the party via helicopter, a machine obtained from partnering technicians in Revelstoke. The injured men were also surrounded by crevasses and the glacier’s nearby bergschrund was threatening, too. “Our solution was to put on our avalanche gear but not unclip from the line,” Wedgwood said. Long lining into the rescue site from beneath the helicopter, rescuers secured the climbers to the line, one at a time, and transported them to a nearby staging area. Once there, they administered basic first aid and packaged the victims for transport to an awaiting ambulance on the Icefields Parkway. Just as the team was finishing up, however, another call came over the radio, this time signalling a code red incident taking place near the Mount Edith Cavell Meadows trail. Dispatchers relayed the message that a 10-year-old boy was playing on the large moraine boulders when one of the rocks rolled on top of him. He was reportedly bleeding profusely and had two broken legs. “Given the age of the subject we really needed to get there quickly,” Wedgwood said.
A second helicopter was deployed—this time from Hinton—and after being fitted with the requisite rescue gear flew quickly to the accident site. One hour after the call came in, medical technicians were on-site with the child, who along with his family was visiting Jasper from Chile. The child, whose injuries were significant, was soon flown to an awaiting STARS air ambulance at the Parks Canada compound. “Those moraines are unstable,” Wedgwood said. “Having children under close supervision in unfamiliar environments is never a bad idea.” The climbers on Mount Woolley were experienced in the mountains but made a couple of errors in judgement as the day got away from them. For one, there was no freeze the night before, making the 25-30 mm of precipitation which had fallen in the previous days more susceptible to avalanches. Secondly, the group got away late in the morning after arriving at their bivouac site at 2 a.m. “By the time they were in the couloir that’s really the time you want to be reaching the summit,” Wedgwood said. “Their timing was off.” Wedgwood reiterated the hazards of having high risk tolerance and big ambitions. “They had a lot of experience but they were on a bit of a mission,” he said. “They wanted to get this peak and there was a bit of summit fever going on.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
Red lines show where the avalanches took place. “A” shows the first avalanche. “B” shows the location of the climbers when the second avalanche occured. “1” indicates the position of the climber not caught in the avalanche. The circle indicates the resting location of the climbers after they were swept downhill by the avalanche. // Supplied
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thursday, august 1, 2019 // issue 150 // the jasper local// page B2
Local enviroment //
Eco-voyageur following Athabasca River from source to sea Seven months ago, Thomas Destailleur decided he wanted to meet the Athabasca River.
Destailleur, who is from northern France, was intrigued by the Athabasca’s vastness, its cultural heritage and its meandering route from the Columbia Icefields to the Arctic. From across an ocean, Destailleur longed to experience the raw wilderness that the 1,200 kilometre river tumbled through. “I wanted to discover real, Canadian nature,” he said. But he also wanted to discover real, Canadian issues. He wanted to visit the Athabasca’s headwaters in Jasper National Park, but further downstream, he was interested in the river’s proximity to industry and the importance of the watershed to the First Nations communities along its shores. He saw the Athabasca as a river of dualities: a place ecologically critical to innumerable birds and bears and beavers, but also a source of economic significance—from the fur traders of the 19th century to the oil sands’ bitumen extraction that takes place alongside its banks today. Moreover, Destailler saw the Athabasca River as a perfect metaphor for people’s disconnect between their lifestyles and the natural environment, which, in a world on the brink of a climate crisis, is all the more important to address, he said. “This disconnect makes it difficult for us to feel directly concerned. It makes it difficult to adapt our ways of thinking, of living and of consuming,” he said. To help restore that connection—for himself, but hopefully for others, too—in early July, Destailleur set off on a journey of discovery. He planned to cycle alongside the mighty Athabasca from the Columbia Icefields to Fort McMurray, then kayak from Fort McMurray to Tuktoyaktuk, on the Arctic Ocean, by way of the Peace-Athabasca Delta, the Slave River and the 1,800 km Mackenzie. He called his project Open Your Wild
and by showing that it is possible to move self-propelled through some of the world’s most wild landscapes, he hopes to open people’s minds to an eventual transition from fossil fuels to green energy. “I want to be a link between man and his environment, to become an ambassador of the planet; to be a messenger, a defender, a witness, an infordream big // Thomas Destailleur started his source-to-sea tramant,” he said. verse of the Athabasca River on July 6. He is currently paddling his As such, on July 6, after takkayak towards Hay River, en route to the Arctic Ocean // supplied ing a train from Toronto to From Fort McMurray, Destailleur will travel on the Jasper, Destailleur hitched a ride to the Athabasca Glacier and took the first pedal strokes water—with the occasional portage—until he reaches the arctic ocean. Aquatic travel is a deliberate of his adventure. The weather was rotten, the river was choice: Canada has one of the largest freshwater swollen and he didn’t see much of the Jasper wildlife he’d read so much about, but it felt good to be taking his reserves in the world. But again he’s identified a disconnect. initial steps. “Water access and management is one of the greatest “I was captivated by the beauty of the Icefields and the environmental issues of our future,” he said. “NevertheAthabasca Glacier,” he said. less, the use, management and protection of this liquid Unfortunately, the feeling didn’t last. After leaving treasure does not seem to live up to its importance.” Jasper National Park, he faced endless truck traffic Destailleur is currently spending long days on the and brutal headwinds on Highway 16. The rain was water. He’s battling fatigue, inclement weather, blizzards relentless. The journey got a bit less stressful as he of mosquitoes and loneliness. But he also knows that got off the Yellowhead to find his way to Barrhead highlighting environmental issues and connecting with via the Cowboy Trail, but eventually he was again nature in a deep and meaningful way doesn’t come easy, sharing the road with heavy machinery as he spent and he is invigorated by the chance to stand for somethree days on Highway 63. With relief, on July 15, thing bigger than himself. Destailleur rolled into Fort McMurray. After spend“I made the decision to act, to be optimistic and to put ing several days resting, resupplying, trading his all my will, all my strength, and all my energy at the bike for a kayak and learning more about the oil sands and the history of Fort McMurray, Destailleur service of the planet,” he said. To follow Destailleur’s journey, visit openyourwild.org or was excited to start the next leg of his journey. find him on Facebook. “I can’t wait to get on the river to be closer to nature,” he said.
Bob covey// bob@thejasperlocal.com
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page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 150 // thursday. august 1, 2019
FEATURE // STORY BY BOB COVEY // PHOTOS BY KRISTIN ANDERSON
A ST. ALBERT MAN HAS BIKED TO THE HEIGHT OF MOUNT EVEREST WITHOUT EVER LEAVING THE CANADIAN ROCKIES.
course; he’s pounded gravel on the nascent Alberta Rockies 700 bikepacking challenge; and he’s hiked in and out of the Grand Canyon with his bike on his back at the famously
On July 27, Dean Anderson completed the “Everest Challenge” on Signal Mountain, biking up the 8 km, 800 metre elevation fire road 11 times in 26 hours for a total of 8,848 metres elevation, the height of the world’s tallest mountain. “I like testing my limits,” the 46-year-old Anderson said. “I like to see how far I can go, how long I can do it.” The Everest Challenge is certainly one way to do that. Typically completed with a road bike, Anderson is the first to record such a feat in Jasper National Park on a mountain bike trail—on a single speed, no less. “I like the simplicity of a single speed,” he said. “I’m hooked on it.” Anderson is also hooked on completing marathon cycling challenges. He’s pedalled the spine of the Rockies on the Banff-to-Mexico Tour Divide
brutal Arizona “If you take your ste Trail Race. More recently, he and keep moving fo participated in the Okanagan can accomplish hug 24 , a 24-hour event organized by Jasper’s own Cory Wallace. quizzically as he But turning Signal Mountain on the way up, t
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MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLE HILL: MOUNTAIN BIKER COMPLETES EVEREST CHALLENGE ON SIGNAL MOUNTAIN
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e passed them hen on the way down, then on the way up again. His wife, meanwhile, has seen this side of him before. She’s been his support crew for multiple distance
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events and was at-the-ready with a non-stop supply of hotrods, Clif Bars and energy chews whenever Anderson came zipping down to the bottom. “She’d have a nap or go for coffee while I was climbing,” Anderson said. Near the beginning of his challenge, it took Anderson approximately an hour and a half to ascend the Signal Mountain trail. After a full day of repeating the route, his climbing trials were closer to 2.5 hours. Unflinching positivity and stubbornness allowed him to keep his sights on the final goal, he said. “I try to look at it as more of a challenge to overcome rather than a suffering to endure.”
At the top, where the trail goes from steep to steeper, Anderson’s maxim was put to the test. The Everest Challenge forbids walking, and the rain and the mud—not to mention the dodging of frogs—made staying on his bike extremely difficult. “I was having trouble getting traction,” he said. Now that he’s completed it, he hopes the challenge itself gains traction. Anderson would love it if others attempted the Everest Challenge—on Signal Mountain or any other trail in Jasper National Park. “If you take your steady pace and keep moving forward you can accomplish huge things,” he said. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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Local community //
page B5 // the jasper local //issue 150 // thursday, august 1, 2019
You beeter Beave-lieve it// Parks day was a hit july 20 and thankfully, weather cooperated for organizers and participants, including Elijah Gaboury-Scott (left) and Theodore and Marc Leblanc (Right) // B. Covey
After two decades of first responder fray, local fire fighter is taking a step back Beach days have been few and far between this summer, so when Travis Moorhouse and his family ventured out to Lake Edith for a dip recently, they knew they were taking a chance that they’d get rained on.
It’s been a big part of his identity. It’s been a big part of how he relates to the community. And it’s been a big part of how he and Sonia have raised their family. “I liked getting those calls,” he said. “I liked contributing to patient care.” But now the 50-year-old is mindful of contributing to his own self care. After 22 years with the fire department, Moorhouse is taking
and other traumatic events because of the progressive leadership at the Jasper firehall and by utilizing the resources available. “Everyone is familiar with an annual physical checkup, I think getting an annual mental health check up is just as important,” he said. Moorhouse is known on the team as a passionate and dedicated professional. His general disposition as a
trades; he’ll drop into whatever role is required of him at whatever scene the brigade might be responding to. That might mean helping with patient care, but it also might mean jumping on traffic control or assisting the medics. The strength of the JVFB is its dynamic, adaptable and team-oriented members, he said. “We’re so lucky to have such a talented mix of individuals on the
Sure enough, just as they unfurled their towels and set up their umbrella, the skies opened up. Huddled under a tree, Travis asked himself if he was ready to give up on this rare chance to enjoy the lake with the kids. He decided he was not. And so, in pouring rain, Moorhouse jumped into the lake. “I was already wet,” he chuckled. “Why not dive right in?” Such has been the logic for Moorhouse’s career in Jasper’s emergency services profession. Thirty two years ago, Moorhouse was a farm boy from Lacombe, Alberta looking to make his mark on the world. When he followed his cousin out to Jasper, Moorhouse had little idea that he’d stick around, and he certainly had no inclination that he’d start a career in the emergency services field here. But after his friend put the idea of joining the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade in his head, just like that rainy day on Lake Edith, Moorhouse plunged right in. “You can’t ‘kind of’ become a firefighter,” Moorhouse says. “It’s a lot of commitment.” In the mid 1990s, Moorhouse was working with the local Associated Ambulance. The suite of skills he was gaining as a paramedic, he figured, would ultimately compliment the training he would receive as a member of the brigade. After certifying as an EMT, eventually, Moorhouse got a job as a dispatcher with Parks Canada, where he’s worked for the past 16 years. For more than two decades, Moorhouse has been fully engaged in Jasper’s first responder world (he even married a nurse).
// For the last two decades, Travis Moorhouse’s life has revolved around the demands of being a first responder. He has decided to take a step back from his fire fighting duties // B. Covey
a step back. “Everyone is familiar with an “It’s been a hard deciannual physical checkup, I think sion,” he said. “There getting an annual mental health was lots of consultation with my kids and my check up is just as important.” wife.” Being constantly enveloped by the first friendly, empathetic human being responder fray takes a toll. Evimakes him a natural fit for helping dence shows that compared to the people who are in crisis. As he puts general population, Post Traumatic it: “Our job is to take somebody Stress Disorder (PTSD) is more who’s having a really bad day and prevalent amongst police officers, make it a bit better.” medics, firefighters and other emergency services staff. Moorhouse says But he’s by no means one-dimensional. As a former farm kid, he’s been able to make it through a Moorhouse is a bit of a jack of all career of responding to accidents
department,” he said. “Being around those people is what I’ll miss the most.” Moorhouse won’t be completely out of the firefighting game, however. He is relegating his duties to the auxiliary force, joining fellow JVFB veteran Henri Gendre. That’s comforting to Moorhouse, because as much as he knows stepping back is going to benefit his quality of life, he’ll still feel part of the family. “I’m proud of who I’ve become,” he said. “You never really stop being a firefighter.” Bob covey// bob@thejasperlocal.com
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local fishing //
thursday, august 1, 2019 // issue 150 // the jasper local// page B6
Luck be a laker tonight: Fish on at Patricia Lake First my rod, and then Wayne’s rod or streamer fly is hit hard. It’s a lake trout double somewhere near bottom and slow troll header.
it until the fish start biting. I achieve this “Me too,” he replies, with a larger than life grin. by adding weight to I apply steady pressure and slowly my lake trout my line to sink my starts to relent. Peering into the depths for a lures deep, or in the glimpse, I spot the silver flashes of a twisting case of the streamer lake trout. The trout gives a good account of fly I run a sinking itself, but soon I have it near the surface and fly line. I don’t know ready for release. At about the same time, Wayne why, but Patricia has his fish near the boat too. We admire them lakers don’t like big for a few seconds and then set them free. They lures. At least that’s are twin three pounders and they are as healthy been my experience looking as cold-water mountain trout come. in the years I’ve been fishing it. What The day is going great. From the moment we I also know is that, start fishing, we have steady action and the bite CHAR-VELOUS// WAYNE BROWN POSES FOR A PIC WITH HIS QUARRY BEFORE RELEASING IT BACK INTO THE DEPTHS OF PATRICIA LAKE. // F. NODDIN while Patricia is deep, never lets up. As we continue to catch more fish over 100 feet deep we decide to pull out our sinking fly lines and in places, I never have to fish deep to try snap-trolling streamers and double shrimp catch fish. All summer long I can catch patterns down deep. To our delight, the lakers fish in 20 to 40 feet of water, and this are all over them. The fun part is we are fishing Patricia Lake pretty much just off of the roadside water depth can be found right near the pull out. That pull out where so many people stop roadside pullout. Quite often the best fishing is literally a minute or so from to capture those stunning landscapes, but very where I launch my boat. It’s a heck of few ever dream of casting a line. a good deal, and while there are many Patricia is well known, but lightly fished. I great places to fish the lake, if all I did suspect this has everything to do with boat was launch the boat and troll near the access to the lake. There is no formal boat shoreline up towards the only dock on launch. If you want to fish the lake, you need the lake, and then troll back, I would to carry your boat down to the shore. This is SCREAMING REEL// THE AUTHOR GETS TIGHT TO A catch fish. LUNKER AT THE FAR END OF THE LAKE // F. NODDIN something I am more than happy to do, as it often means I have the entire lake to myself, and Patricia Lake is beautifully scenic, and the hook. All the while, I was holding my more days than not the fishing is generally good. it has good fishing. While lake trout provide a breath, hoping the hook would stick. It did, and substantial part of the action, there are rainbows Trout fishing in Patricia is straightforward; I was able scoop up a steelhead-sized rainbow and brook trout, too, and sometimes they can get get a small lure, be it a spoon, flatfish, spinner, and a true trophy for my memory bank. quite big. One of the largest rainbows I landed I have little doubt that if you spend some in recent years was a Patricia time on Patricia, you too will have cool rainbow. It bit a rainbowexperiences, great memories and very likely, patterned flatfish and blew up out of the water time after time, some good fishing. “I’ve got a decent one on, Wayne.”
going on crazy cartwheeling jumps in an attempt to shake
Fred Noddin // info@thejasperlocal.com
Fred Noddin calls Edmonton home, where he works as an aquatics biologist. He recently earned his MSc in Ecology at the University of Alberta, and has spent the last decade involved in the study of Alberta and NWT fisheries. Fred comes to the mountains at every opportunity, for the fishing, the scenery, the hiking and for the wide open spaces and amazing people. Email noddin@ualberta.ca
