The Jasper Local August 15 2016 by The Jasper Local

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monday, august 15, 2016 // ISSUE 79

Cavell Glacier tarn closed for risk of flood Parks Canada has closed the area around the Mount Edith Cavell glacial tarn until further notice. The closure includes the area around tarn itself—the small, teal-coloured lake at the base of the Angel Glacier—and the area surrounding the tarn’s outlet stream, according to Jasper National Park’s information office. An August 5 release says that “high water levels in the pond increase the risk of an outbreak debris flood caused by heavy rain and/or ice avalanche. The area is susceptible to glacier releases and landslides.” A large area adjacent to the Angel Glacier, pond and outflow area has been closed as a precaution. Closure and warning signs are in place and the situation is being monitored on an ongoing basis. Parks Canada asks that all visitors please stay on marked trails and follow signage. “Public safety is the number one priority for Parks Canada.” QUARTZITE CORNER // EMILIE ST. PIERRE STARTS HER DESCENT OFF OF 2,660 METRE PEVRIL PEAK, HIGH ABOVE PORTAL CREEK IN JASPER’S TONQUIN VALLEY // BOB COVEY

The Path of the Glacier and the Cavell Meadows Trails remain open. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 79 // monday, august 15, 2016

editorial //

Local Vocal When I started making calls about a local Holo-hoaxer being denied a busking permit, before I could fire off my first question, I was asked one myself: “Are you sure you want to wade back into this?” Fair question. The answer is no. I wasn’t sure then and I’m still not. Not even a little bit. But as you can see … I did anyway. Why, you ask? First of all, let’s be honest: by any editor’s standards, there is a story here. Simply lay the facts out on the table: A local violinist—the same one who’s volunteered her time at countless public events and fundraisers, and was arguably the driving force behind the lobbying effort to ask council to consider busking—is denied the opportunity to do just that. Next, you’ve got the idea that the busking pilot is brand new and seems to be doing really well. Finally, there’s the notion that the main actor in this whole story is questioning the accepted version of history Dear Editor, and subsequently being called a hate-monger, and Jim Eglinski, Member of potential, from Sulphur Gates in worse. The Toronto Star could only be so lucky. Parliament for Yellowhead, is the north to the unique boreal pleased to inform residents of forest ecosystem that spreads into It’s not a joke, however. This episode is affecting the south,” said MP Eglinski. people, and I’m not talking about a violinist’s ability a call for proposals to update The six-month application period to make a living by practicing her passion, nor am I Canada’s Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. will end on January 27, 2017, after talking about the onslaught of online trolls that have been bombarding representatives from the Habitat Yellowhead’s own Jasper National which an advisory committee will Park is one of the seven parks be established and tasked with for the Arts—although those are real problems, within the Canadian Rockies reviewing all the applications it should be said. The larger issue at hand is the currently recognized as a World submitted across Canada. breakdown of reasonable discourse and the lack of Heritage Site. Known for its “I encourage residents to submit compassion being shown in our community as a striking mountain landscape, an application to Parks Canada glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, result of all this drama. to help showcase what their and canyons, the Canadian community and the riding of These days it seems people are so keen to be Rocky Mountain Parks possess Yellowhead has to offer,” said MP outraged. It seems that it doesn’t take much for folks exceptional natural beauty, Eglinski. to fly off the handle, to get up in arms. Admittedly, attracting millions of visitors For more information on this when a community member decrees the Holocaust a annually. process, please visit: lie, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but still: the leap from “Regions within the rest of the www.parkscanada.gc.ca/whs . someone questioning the stories we’ve been told to beautiful riding of Yellowhead Jim Eglinski, MP - Yellowhead promoting hate-speech is a large one. Based on the also hold natural and historic evidence at hand, it’s not one I’m willing to take. The Jasper Local // Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper Having said that, I can empathize with the curators 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0 at the Habitat. After all these years of waiting for their space to open, they simply want to run an arts centre, Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher not be caught in the middle of a politically-charged Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com maelstrom. Their decision wasn’t made lightly. I do think that council bears some responsibility to weigh in here. They say there’s no process for them to do so, but by staying silent, I think there’s a gap in leadership. It seems to me that I’d rather wade in carefully than be forced to swim for it. With the internet’s troll armies at the ready, who knows what kind of undertow we’re dealing with? bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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Local politics //

monday, august 15, 2016 // issue 79 // the jasper local// page A3 //ON AUGUST 2, PARKS CANADA STAFF RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A WOMAN AND HER DOG COMING INTO CONTACT WITH A FEMALE ELK AT JPL. STAFF HAZED THE ANIMAL AWAY FROM THE AREA WITH A PAINTBALL GUN. THE ELK, WHICH WAS KNOWN TO PARKS STAFF, WAS LATER DESTROYED. “WHEN WILDLIFE BECOMES TOO COMFORTABLE AROUND HUMANS, THEY BECOME A RISK TO VISITORS AND THEMSELVES,” PARKS SAID. “STAY 100 M AWAY AT ALL TIMES.” // B COVEY

Holo-hoaxer denied busking permit A local violin teacher who was denied a busking permit to play music on Jasper’s streets is suggesting the Jasper arts group which refused the permit is acting as “judge, jury, prosecutor and enforcer” for a crime which she has not committed. Monika Schaefer’s application for a busking permit was denied by the Habitat For The Arts on the basis that by denying the permit, the Habitat would avoid the potential for a public confrontation. “We feel that the Habitat has a responsibility to the public, to the artist and to the Municipality of Jasper to make [the busking pilot project] successful, rather than controversial,” said the Habitat’s Dave Baker. “The decision was not based on beliefs or rights to freedom of speech.” Schaefer, a self-declared “truth warrior,” recently starred in a YouTube video in which she apologizes to her late mother for reproaching her about not doing more to stop the the Holocaust. Schaefer goes on to suggest that the Holocaust did not happen as historians have led generations of westerners to believe. “This is the most persistent and pernicious lie in all of history,” Schaefer says in the video.

The video caused a stir in Jasper, with camps divided over the right to free speech versus spreading hurtful ideas. Schaefer contends she did no wrong and that the labels people have affixed to her—promoter of hate speech, for example—are weaponized concepts designed to silence anyone who questions the accepted version of history. “These are words designed to shut down conversation,” Schaefer said. She added that she has no ill-will against “ordinary Jewish people.” Jasper Municipal Council has decided not to weigh in on the issue. Mayor Richard Ireland noted that the Habitat for the Arts was provided the business license and therefore they have the authority to say who gets a busking permit and who does not. “Council is not in a position to tell licensees who they should hire. That goes for servers in restaurants and cartoonists at newspapers,” Ireland said. Three and a half years ago, Schaefer approached Jasper municipal council, requesting them to to consider and discuss the legalization of busking in town. The irony that she is now being refused the same permit she lobbied council to create is not lost on Schaefer. “Who’s being non-inclusive?” she asked. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page B1 // the jasper local // issue 79 // monday, august 15, 2016

Local community //

"This story is long from being written” Jasper jumpstarts injured climber's road to recovery

Support for a fallen mountain climber and his partner continues to pour in as Jasperites begin to comprehend the long road to recovery that apprentice mountain guide Ryan Titchener is now navigating. Titchener was hurt in a climbing accident on July 15. A massive boulder dislodged from the route he was traversing in the Bugaboo Mountains, crushing his ribcage and breaking his spine. Thanks to the poised response of both he and his partner, plus a heroic rescue effort from Golden Search and Rescue officials, Titchener was flown off the mountain severely injured, but alive. Because of the degree of the post-operative swelling, doctors aren’t able to say for certain what his recovery could look like, but suffice to say the journey ahead will be long and not without difficulties. On August 8, Rockaboo Mountain Adventures held a silent auction and fundraiser to jumpstart that journey. Rockaboo owner and lead guide, Max

Darrah, said the energy was high and the crowd diverse. “There was so much enthusiasm, so much support and positivity,” Darrah said. “It made me really proud to be a part of this community.” More than 200 people rolled through the Patricia Centre Mall last Monday night to take in live music courtesy of the Stone Mountaineers and bid on thousands of dollars worth of silent auction items donated by the business community and individuals. Four Peaks Nightclub opened its doors to lubricate the bidding. When the final items were picked up, the evening brought in more than $10,000 for Titchener and his JOINED AT THE HARNESS // TEREZA TURECKA AND RYAN TITCHENER ON ONE OF THEIR MANY CLIMBING ADVENTURES. // SUPPLIED girlfriend, Tereza Turecka. “There are no strings attached to Darrah, who for the last three years had been this effort,” Darrah said. “Hopefully the money can Titchener’s supervising guide as the 32-year-old be used for any of the short-term hassles Ryan and worked towards obtaining his full alpine ticket, Tereza just don’t need to deal with right now.” described Titchener as “rock In tandem with the Rockaboo solid” in the mountains. fundraiser, a Go-Fund-Me “We get constant feedback campaign started by Jasper’s on how people appreciate his Jordan Tucker has tallied more professional style and his than $22,000 in 23 days. attention to detail,” Darrah “The stress of ongoing bills said. “He’s good at making is huge,” Tucker said. “Our people feel comfortable while combined help can really challenging them.” remove a burden so Ryan Darrah added that from what and his family can focus on he knows of Titchener, if priorities right now.” anybody can overcome this Titchener is in hospital in Calgary. Every week, battle, it’s him. Turecka drives to Jasper to fulfill her work “These are early days,” Darrah said. “He’s a fit, obligations then races back a few days later to driven guy, both physically and mentally. This support Titchener. story is long from being written.”

There was so much support and positivity. It made me proud to be a part of this community.

// THE STONE MOUNTAINEERS TUNED INTO THE GOOD VIBES AT THE AUGUST 8 FUNDRAISER // LISA DARRAH

bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

SADDLE UP // ON AUGUST 11, SEAN HEAKES SET OFF FOR THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME. HEAKES IS RAISING MONEY FOR MOUNTAINS OF RELIEF, A JASPER-BASED ORG THAT BENEFITS SCHOOL CHILDREN OF EARTHQUAKE-RAVAGED NEPAL. HEAKES IS RIDING 4,000 KM FROM JASPER TO HAIDA GWAII, THEN TO HIS FORMER HOME OF LOS ANGLES. FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY VIA CRAZYGUYONABIKE.COM AND FIND MORE ABOUT THE CAUSE AT MOUNTAINSOFRELIEF.ORG // BC

monday, august 15, 2016 // issue 79 // the jasper local// page B2

Local adventure//

PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE VICTORIA CROSS TRAVERSE. ULTRA RUNNER IAN MACNAIRN COMPLETED THE CIRCUIT IN JUST 15 HOURS, TAGGING SEVEN NAMED AND TWO UNNAMED PEAKS.// IAN MACNAIRN

Ultra athlete puts his mentor's epic traverse in his Victoria Cross-hairs A quest to summit all seven peaks in the Victoria Cross Range in a single push has been completed, some 30 years after the epic traverse was first dreamed up.

On August 5 at 7:11 p.m., Calgary’s Ian MacNairn punched a message on his emergency satellite device after having descended from Elysium Pass. “Hell yeah, it’s done! Got to admit, that was a bit tough,” he wrote. MacNairn had just spent the last 15 hours in Jasper National Park’s high alpine, tagging every piece of high ground connected to the Victoria Cross Range, starting with a rainslicked Pyramid Mountain and ending with class five mountaineering over an exposed arête on Emigrants Mountain.

later, he was racing in his very first ultra marathon, the 125 km Death Race. MacNairn’s rehabilitation inspired him to propose a master’s thesis in social and cultural anthropology wherein he’d explore the transformation of the human body from one extreme to another, using his personal experience as the basis of his research. “For me the biggest thing that came out of the project was realizing the untapped well of potential that I had or anyone could have,” he said. Since then, MacNairn has raced in ultras all over the world. Those experiences have led him to his doctoral thesis, a study of the ultra marathon community itself. Although he doesn’t want to colour his results, MacNairn said he’s noticed that ultra running somehow creates extremely close bonds with fellow athletes.

What inspired me most was completing this project that began when I was born.

“I’ve never heard of anyone doing the whole thing and summiting every peak in a day, never mind 15 hours,” said Jasper’s Dave MacDowell. MacDowell would know. Twenty-nine years earlier, he and his running mentor, Valemount’s Rudi Thoni, decided that running from the base of Pyramid Mountain to its summit, then across Mounts Kinross, Cairngorm, Kerr, Henry, McKean and Emigrants, before ending up in Elysium Pass, would be a worthy objective. This was 1987, before ultra running even had a name. MacDowell and Thoni never did complete the traverse, but as they embarked on countless other adventures, the trip stayed in MacDowell’s mind. Not long after he and MacNairn were brought together to run on the same Great Canadian Death Race team in 2013—which also included MacDowell’s wife, Tracy Garneau—the veteran Jasper athlete told the up-and-comer from the city about the Victoria Cross Traverse. “That was the greatest feeling, Dave calling on me to try to complete this project,” MacNairn said. MacNairn isn’t your average ultra runner. In 2006, he was hit by a vehicle. He suffered multiple injuries including a fractured tibia-fibula (lower leg), which doctors had to fuse back together with a titanium rod. His last corrective surgery was in 2008; a year

“The act of ultra running, I’ve found in most events, strips away all layers of yourself that aren’t vital to just continuing,” he said. “You’re stripped down to the core and if you’re able to share that with others—whether it’s one’s crew or fellow racers— that creates an immensely strong, immediate bond that I don’t see in any other arenas.” Exhibit A is the bond MacNairn created

with MacDowell and Garneau as fellow “What inspired me most was completing this wicked project that The Northface athletes. It was strong enough for them to win the Death Race began when I was born and living out my own potential through people who in 2013 and it was certainly strong support me,” he said. enough for MacDowell to accompany MacNairn to the trailhead at 3:30 a.m. on August 5 for the 29-yearold’s attempt at the Victoria Cross Traverse. MacNairn, who was only just born when MacDowell and Thoni engaged the route, laughed as he recalled MacDowell’s final PHD CANDIDATE AND ULTRA RUNNER IAN MACNAIRN//SUPPLIED words before he clicked on his headlamp: “See you in hell, little buddy.”

Besides some weather at the start of the trip, however, the traverse was more heavenly than hellish. The views, combined with sections of TORCH PASSING // RUNNERS RUDI THONI, DAVE MACDOWELL AND IAN heady exposure, MACNAIRN SHARE A VICTORIA CROSS CONNECTION. // SUPPLIED plus the fact that MacNairn was completing a story that “It was an invigorating feeling to have.” his running mentor started, made the Check out MacNairn’s log of the trip on trip a special one, he said. Instagram @IanMacNairn. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 79 // monday, august 15, 2016

LOCAL FEATURE // STORY AND PHOTOS BY EMILY RENDELL-WATSON

A CUT A

Log builder Mark D where the hea Mark Deagle grinds a saw into wood, cutting out the pieces to create a framed gable. Behind him is a towering log house crafted entirely by hand. The gable is one of the last pieces— it will enclose the end of the roof. When he slides the final logs together, Deagle will have completed his 189th log house.

Deagle has been log building for 37 years, but his interest in the traditional craft dates back to his childhood. When Deagle was nine years old he went to a picnic put on by the Jasper Historical Society at the Moberly Homestead. His granddad was a member and introduced him to the cabins. Deagle was immediately drawn to the design of the buildings and the wood and he imagined what life would be like living in a log cabin. “Ever since I was a kid I was intrigued by any type of log building,” said Deagle. “It got started with the romantic notion of a cabin in the bush.” Deagle was born and raised in Jasper. His grandfather George Camp and his uncle Frank Camp were both park wardens. He accompanied them on trips and had the opportunity to explore the warden cabins in the backcountry. Deagle remembers one visit to a cabin where he went inside and couldn’t help but think: “This is the life.”

//MARK DEAGLE WITH HIS BELOVED DOG MAGGIE. AT RIGHT, ONE OF D

draw—and from conversations. “It puts me in touch with what we are doing and helps me envision how it will all come together,” said Deagle. His business is built on his passion for log building and the solid connections he builds with his customers. His home is a ranch guest cabin

Over the years Deagle’s passion for log building has evolved from a romantic notion to an interest in the technical aspects and creativity of the craft. At the beginning of his career, he worked for a log building company //MEASURE TWICE AND CUT ONCE...DEAGLE WAS INSPIRED FROM AN EARLY AGE TO WORK WITH WOOD.// in the Okanagan for two years. When he was laid off, he decided to start his own company back home in Jasper: Mark originally built in 1983 for a client. The client became Deagle Log Building. a close friend and Deagle eventually built a main log Nestled in the forest, Deagle’s building site faces the home and a second guest cabin on the ranch. In 1995, mountains, two kilometers down the Cadomin Road, Deagle and his family were invited to move into the outside of Hinton. Deagle has only five employees original guest cabin he built. because he wants to make sure he’ll always be able “Coming home each day to the ranch and the horses to build. still feels like I’m on holiday,” said Deagle. “That’s what I love. I can’t count how many times During his off time Deagle rides his horse and acts I’ve made logs fit together but every time it seems as President of the River Valley Riding Association worthwhile,” said Deagle. which includes organizing the annual rodeo in Deagle draws all of the structures he builds by hand. Hinton. He gains inspiration from rough diagrams customers

feature //

SON

ABOVE

rk Deagle’s home is heartwood is certainly make a great book when it’s all over.” Soon he’ll be heading up north to deliver a log home he built for a couple in Yellowknife.

After completing the initial drawings, Deagle and his crew began working on the Yellowknife home in December 2015. The logs primarily came from Hinton and HT, ONE OF DEAGLE’S CUSTOM LOG HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION // EMILY RENDELL-WATSON PHOTOS Edson, though some of the bigger logs in the roof are from Valemount.

Part of my job here is to work on morale and inspiration. I always remind the guys that unless you do tedious work you don’t get to build great things.

They started by peeling the wood off natural logs and sanding the knots. Since then, they’ve put in long hours to construct the 1,600 square foot open concept home. Now, the sawdust has settled and only a few finishing touches are left before the house will be taken apart and loaded up onto semitrailers headed for Yellowknife. Deagle travels with every house he builds to reassemble it on site. Before hitting the road, the crew assigns a number and letter to each log which they use to fit the pieces back together. “I don’t think there will ever be a time we don’t reassemble the houses ourselves. There’s just too much somebody else could miss,” said Deagle. Sometimes at the end of a long day he wishes they’d gotten a little more done but he realizes the work can be tedious. “Part of my job here is to work on morale and inspiration. I always remind the guys that unless you do tedious work you don’t get to build great things,” said Deagle.

H WOOD.//

//DEAGLE COMES UP WITH BLUE PRINTS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS CLIENTS //

And his hometown is only a short drive away. Deagle has worked on a number of wooden fixtures around Jasper including park benches, the cabins at Alpine Village, and he has also renovated the popular Shangrila backcountry ski cabin. Although Deagle claims he is not a businessman, word of his talent has spread and Deagle has built log homes for customers as far away as Oregon, Arkansas, and Japan. He has also built two saunas for a company in Holland. For Deagle, the travel aspect has been a highlight of his work. He says the trips he’s taken to deliver homes and the people he’s met along the way “will

Deagle usually makes about one third of what it costs the customer to build the house, but for him it’s never been about the money. He does it because of his passion for log building and a love for the lifestyle he dreamed about as a child. “I think about who I am and my identity. For me it’s location—living right up against the mountains in Alberta. Everything fits together...being a log builder during the week and a cowboy on the weekends,” said Deagle. Strolling around inspecting the Yellowknife house with a measuring tape in hand, his dog Maggie scurries after him wherever he goes. It’s clear this is where Deagle is meant to be. “I couldn’t picture myself in any other spot.” Emily Rendell-Watson// info@thejasperlocal.com

page B5 // the jasper local // issue 79 // monday, august 15, 2016

Local sports//

Bongs warming up for 40th anniversary It was the summer of 1976. The Eagles’ Hotel California was climbing to number one on the music charts. Stephen King’s Carrie was terrorizing moviegoers. In Montreal, Pierre Trudeau helped kick off the Summer Olympic Games. Here in Jasper, construction of the Activity Centre was recently completed and over at 105 Aspen Avenue, in between drinking beers, a group of friends were kicking around the idea of starting a hockey team.

organizations and the hockey team is appreciated for its fun-first ethos.

“What makes the Bongs the Bongs is the camaraderie, the lack of seriousness and the fact that there’s no big heads,” said long-time Bong John Glaves (who, it should be noted, has an enormous head). “Everybody pays, everybody plays.” On August 19-21, as the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary, that spirit will be rekindled and

“That would be far out,” someone said. The friends had a core group—Ontario ex-pats, mostly; guys who’d stuck around town after hardly expecting to stay for a summer but who fell in love with the Jasper lifestyle. And they figured they could get the cash together to pay the dues. What they didn’t have was a name. Enter High Times Magazine.

welcome,” Glaves said.

That inclusiveness is vintage Bongs. From the very beginning, Payne said, the team made an effort to celebrate the team over the individual. There were never any tryouts, there were never any drills. Hockey was what brought people together, but it was less about making the perfect pass than making lasting friends. And the proof is in the pudding—or brownies, as it were. Today the Bongs are one of the oldest sports associations in the province. Their fan base is always the largest and loudest and theirs is the only roster with female players—last year they had three ladies on the hockey team, including their goalie, Wendy Hall. “They welcomed me with open arms,” Hall said. “I try to support the community and stay involved and the Bongs do the same.”

BONG SHOW// AS THE BONGS TURN 40, MEMBERSHIP IS AS HIGH AS EVER//SUPPLIED

“There was a copy of High Times on the table,” recalled Kirk Payne, now longretired from commercial hockey. “The magazine was open to an ad for a bong.” Just like that, the Bong Squad was born. Forty years later, membership in the Bongs Athletic Association (the name changed when they registered as a non-profit organization) is as high as ever. The team has raised countless funds for local

passed around to Bongs young and old. The Bongs are no strangers to big shakers—the dances at the Activity Centre were legendary—and in between the socializing, the Bongs have rented out the hockey rink and the ball diamonds. Dinner at the Legion, rafting and other activities will round out the weekend. “Anyone connected to the Bongs in any way is

The Bongs have always been the commercial league outsiders. From day one, their counter-culture antics were a thorn in the side of other, straighteredged teams.

“That first year there were the Wardens, the RCMP had a team, the L&W Specials and the CN Mainliners,” Payne said. “And here we were, a bunch of guys who weren’t originally from Jasper. And we won it all!” That’s a memory that no amount of partying can fade. To RSVP and for more information about the Bongs’ 40th anniversary, email

bongsathleticassociation76@gmail.com

Remembering the Lovat Scouts and their love for adventure in Jasper rations as Canadian soldiers. Here in Canada, they got more steak and salmon in a week than they would ever see in months of rations back in Europe. At the time, the Lovat Scouts were quartered at the Jasper Park Lodge. The clubhouse at the golf course was the officers’ mess. The laundry became a military ski shop and the convention hall became a dry canteen which showed movies. There were parties and dances as well.

// NATIONAL FILM BOARD

The famed WWII regiment known as the Lovat Scouts, was the first sharpshooter (sniper) regiment in the British Army. The regiment, which was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland unit, has strong ties to Jasper National Park. In 1943/44, the Lovat Scouts were stationed at Jasper. Their mountain training was supervised in part by Canadian mountaineer Rex Gibson. Some will know that the Alpine Club of Canada hut in the Tonquin Valley is partially named after Gibson (the Wates-Gibson Hut). These Scottish highlanders (there were 500 of them) adapted well to the Canadian winter, but they never really got used to the cold. Yet there were offsetting benefits. It was said that one of the things these soldiers especially liked was to enjoy the same

On the flat ground at the golf course, the Lovat Scouts found ski instruction to be pretty tame and workable. Once they graduated to the peaks around Jasper, including Signal Mountain and the Whistlers, however, casualties were common. In total, 50 of Lord Lovat’s Scouts suffered some form of bruising or injury. One out-of-control soldier shot downhill straight for a tree. Not knowing whether to turn right or left, he hit it dead on, resulting in multiple fractures and a concussion. One soldier was even killed, and is buried at Jasper. Even so, the elite soldiers of Lovat’s Scouts did become comfortable on skis. As that happened, they moved to more challenging regions in Jasper National Park such as the Tonquin Valley, Snowbowl and Watchtower in the Maligne Valley, and the Columbia Icefield. Today, a beautiful loop in the Bald Hills region is named after the Lovat Scouts. Training bases were set up at the Watchtower, Snowbowl, and Columbia Icefield areas. Eight-man tents were erected in the midst of the snow and balsam trees. Cold weather winter ascents were made on Mount Athabasca, Mount Andromeda, Snow Dome, Mount Kitchener, and Mount Columbia, the highest peak in Alberta. At one point, an entire squadron set out to conquer the Columbia Icefields.

The Lovat Scouts loved Jasper and spoke highly of their hosts. Homes were open to these men. At times, the highly trained and homesick soldiers could be seen eating cinnamon toast at the homes of their hosts. They’d pay attention to the girls and spin yarns with Canadians who had emigrated from Scotland. The soldiers could be seen at the Chaba Cinema or skating at Big Jan’s rink. When payday arrived and monthly rations were issued, available liquor would be obtained or bootlegged in from B.C. (parts of Alberta were dry at the time). Years later, many from the Lovat Scouts expressed gratitude for their time in Alberta. Many even said it represented some of the happiest days of their lives. Indeed, Jasper’s hospitality toward these brave men was a credit to Canada. Stuart Taylor // Stuart Taylor is an amateur historian and member of Hinton Town Council. Let him know what you think of his historical features or suggest another subject for him to cover. Email: info@thejasperlocal.com

// JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

monday, august 15, 2016 // issue 79 // the jasper local// page B6

Local nutrition //

DINING WITH A VIEW: A Holistic Nutritionist’s

guide to eating healthy in the backcountry Food is our fuel. If we want to step outside our comfort zone, we’ll need better quality food and more of it. Here is your backcountry food guide to surviving an overnight trip in the mountains.

BREAKFAST

Yes, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, and the breakfast before your adventure is the last meal you’ll get with all the luxurious amenities of your kitchen, so make it count! The key here is to have a slow burning, hearty meal that’s not going to weigh you down too much. Include easy-to-digest carbohydrates with good fats, fibre and protein; this will ensure you are starting your day off will stable blood sugar. Meals with eggs, avocado, sweet potato or potato hash browns, steamed greens and a small piece of sprouted grain toast is a great way to get in good proteins, fats and fibre which will help the calories or energy from that meal last longer (burn slower). A big hearty bowl of oatmeal, with a scoop of coconut oil, fruit, chia or flax seeds and hemp hearts, or an egg stirred in for some protein, would be a great option as well.

SNACK PACK

Quick sugars are always a good idea to have in your snack pack. What are quick sugars? Quick sugars are high glycemic index foods that will raise your blood sugar quickly because of the low fibre to sugar ratio. When you start to feel light headed, dizzy or grumpy, your blood sugar is low. When you’re in the backcountry it is good to have something on hand that will bring your blood sugar—and your focus—back quickly, especially if you are doing something that requires you to be alert, such as mountaineering or scrambling. There can be moments when your blood sugar drops quickly because your muscles will be working harder than usual; our muscles primarily burn glucose (sugar). Some of these quick sugars to have on hand include dates, or date and nut bars, fruit and electrolyte packs. Dark chocolate always does the trick, too.

LUNCH

Lunch is usually a quick stop with a beautiful view. Rather than trying to bring a sandwich that can be heavy on your stomach and your pack, instead, an option is to continue snacking for lunch. Snacks like homemade trail mix with a good variety of nuts and seeds are perfect, or maybe some dark chocolate with some dried fruit—but not too much, as dried fruit can cause cramps and dehydration.

DINNER’S ON // EATING IN THE BACKCOUNTRY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A CHORE. PLAN AHEAD AND MAKE GREAT MEALS THAT PACK A SERIOUS NUTRITIOUS PUNCH. // N. GABOURY

On that note, drink plenty of water, perhaps with some electrolytes if it has been a particularly hot and enduring trip.

DINNER

By now you will be sick of trail mix and power bars, so treat yourself! Pre-cooked organic chicken breasts, steaks or tofu work great as backcountry dinner meals, they will add a little extra weight but it will be worth not having another cardboardflavored, add-water meal. Accompany the protein with a good, easy-to-digest grain like quinoa or basmati rice. This will provide good carbohydrates to replenish lost glucose stores. For vegetables, bring something that has a tough exterior and will survive the trip in your pack. Broccoli is tough and can quickly be steamed in some water to add some green and complete your meal. Pre-mix spices in a zip lock to make your meal a little more exciting.

BACKUP

It is always good to plan for emergencies. That goes for food and water, too. Planning a trip that has known water sources along the way will help lighten the load in your pack. We are fortunate in Jasper National Park to have some of the cleanest water sources to drink from. For winter adventures, bring a lightweight cook stove to melt snow for drinking water. For emergency food you want something lightweight but filling. The one-serving protein powder packs are great to have as backup, along with chia seeds—these are incredibly filling due to

their high soluble fibre content—and quick oats. You can mix these three together with water and have a meal to sustain you until help arrives. Throwing in a few of your favourite protein bars is always a good idea; look for bars with the least amount of ingredients. Eating in the backcountry doesn’t have to feel like a requisite fuel stop. With a bit of planning, your adventures in the mountains can also be delicious, nutritious explorations of the palate. Jenna completed a 3-year program of Holistic Nutrition at Pacific Rim College, an industryrenowned school of Complimentary and Integrative Medicine. There she developed a strong understanding of Diet Therapy, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and some Western Herbal Medicine. She works with clients to find a permanent and sustainable fix to their health concerns using natural approaches that take into consideration each person’s bio-individuality. Find her at alpenglownutrition.ca