Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Jasper National Park → Whistlers Summit Trail

Location: Jasper area, Jasper National Park, Alberta

Distance: 3.7 km/2.3 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 275 meters/900 feet

Time Required: 2-3 hours

Red Tape/Notes: The Jasper Skytram operates from early March to late October and costs $49.30CAD for adults (roundtrip). For additional details on opening hours (which vary by specific dates) and to book tickets, visit the Jasper Skytram website here. Entry into Jasper requires a daily fee of about $10 per person (or ~$20 per family/group); alternatively, you can buy a Parks Canada Discovery Pass if you’re staying for an extended time.

What’s Nearby?: Sunwapta Falls, Athabasca Falls, Valley of Five Lakes, Mt. Edith Cavell Trail (to Angel Glacier)

Did we cheat by taking the Jasper Sky Tram up? Yes. Yes, we did. And I have no regrets, since it meant we were able to squeeze in an awesome hike with beautiful views and all the joys of feeling on top of the world before a massive rainstorm headed in. I really think taking the tram is the best way to make the most out of your time, if you’re able to spend the extra cash. If you’re flat broke, there is a trail that allows you to hike all the way up from the bottom. But using the tram takes something that would be very challenging and turns it into a totally moderate hike that’s feasible for the whole family. Just exit from the tram and start walking up – there’s one main trail with various short offshoots and loops to explore more terrain; a number of these are centered around the false summit, so make sure you don’t stop here. The best views really are from the true summit. From here you have great views in all directions (we also saw a marmot up there, so that’s always fun). I really wanted to hike Indian Ridge to Indian Peak, but as I mentioned the rains were moving in and we got wet on the way down as it was. It’s not so much the rain/wet that’s a problem, but the lack of views that come with dense cloud cover, making the enterprise rather pointless.

Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Jasper National Park → Whistlers Summit Trail