Nearly 120 Jasper residents gathered around the proverbial campfire to hear tales of triumph, tragedy, wildlife and wonder Tuesday night. On February 21 the Downstream Bar hosted Once Upon A Time, Stories from Jasper Story Tellers, a much-appreciated return-to-regular-programming for the Friends of ...

A century-old tradition is coming back to the Rocky Mountains.  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride—a Canadian icon since 1876—is trotting into Jasper June 19. Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland saw the RCMP Musical Ride when it last came to Jasper 50 years ago, in celebration of the opening of...

There were 71 new Jaspers in Alberta last year. Alberta’s vital statistics, including all of the baby names from Alberta births, were published on February 16.  Service Alberta puts out an annual list of Alberta’s top baby names, complied from the birth information provided by parents and registered...

Parks Canada will not close the Icefields Parkway today as planned. The Maligne Lake Road is also open. Snowfall levels from the winter storm forecasted to hit Jasper National Park starting February 12, 2023, were not as significant as expected, Parks Canada says. Still, the agency is advising motor...

In solidarity for people living with housing insecurity, advocates are asking their peers to walk with them during The Coldest Night Of the Year. The Coldest Night Of the Year (CNOY) fundraiser is making its Jasper debut. On February 25, in recognition of those who live in a precarious housing situa...

Fifteen teams and one soloist signed up for the Winter Pentathlon Hivernal on February 4, the five-event festival that was organized once again by the local francophone association, ACFA . Playing out on the snow-covered shores, sun-polished ice and tramped-down trails surrounding Mildred Lake at th...

A new culinary experience in Jasper has opened its doors, and its kitchen, to the tapas-hungry public. NBHD (pronounced Neighbourhood ) is located upstairs in the Patricia Centre Mall, the brainchild of Jasperites Tim Horrocks and Vladi Dostálová—two ambitious ex-pats who have since 2018 been servin...

It was a chilly evening in the winter of 2008. I was crossing the railroad tracks on the way home from work when I suddenly found myself in the middle of a flock of perhaps 2,000 birds. I had inadvertently startled a huge flock of birds that had recently irrupted! Grey-crowned Rosy Finches darken th...

Hinton RCMP’s Traffic Section took a significant amount of drugs off the streets on January 8. After pulling over a vehicle in the Town of Hinton and conducting an impaired driving investigation, officers discovered and seized 363 grams of methamphetamine. The street value is approximately $20,000, ...

On February 4, bike, ski, snowshoe, skate, run…and eat maple taffy! The Jasper Winter Pentathlon is a made-in-Jasper event that brings together much of what makes the community great: diverse culture, outdoor recreation, connection to nature and community spirit. The Pentathlon is a great way to try...

U.S. tourist will forfeit $7,000 for flying a drone near a wildfire in a national park A visitor to Jasper National Park was fined $7,000 for flying a drone during an active wildfire.  On January 26 at Jasper Provincial Court, federal crown prosecutors explained that on September 3, 2022, Richard Ja...

Rising costs of providing waste services in Jasper will be increasingly shouldered by commercial ratepayers. In an effort to make the provision of waste services more equitable, Jasper Municipal Council recently adjusted the fees for recycling that commercial users pay. “This is an attempt at equity...

Jasper will be one of four national parks to benefit from a $71 million investment by the Government of Canada. Parks Canada is announcing critical infrastructure upgrades to Jasper National Park, among other mountain parks. // File photo Announced on January 23, the investment will focus on critica...

Parks Canada wants feedback on its proposed changes to Private Home Accommodation policy changes. The agency is reminding interested parties that they have until January 31 to provide comments. In December, Parks Canada’s planning and development office proposed new, less-restrictive rules for PHA’s...

Simone Heinrich remembers the first time she saw river otters in Jasper National Park. “I was just amazed at how playful they are. They are so fun to watch, sliding around on their bellies, chasing each other around and moving in and out of the water with such ease,” the wildlife photographer said. ...

In anticipation of Ukrainian New Year and Jasper’s first Mountain Malanka (New Year’s Eve) festival on January 21 at the Jasper Activity Centre, The Jasper Local presents another instalment of our Ukrainians Living in Jasper series.  Thanks to the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel ( ...

The bighorn sheep is Alberta’s official mammal, and when you’re in Jasper National Park, they’re one of a handful of species that you can dependably spot. Typically, visitors see bighorns on the side of the road, where they congregate in several well-known locations to lap up minerals found in road ...

View Post Kirsten Schmitten is a Master Interpreter, and owner of the locally-based company All Things Wild .   She loves the questions folks ask, especially when they stump her.  Contact the The Jasper Local to ask your Wild Question. Master Interpreter Kirsten Schmitten answers All Questions Wild....

I love living in Alberta and having the Canadian Rockies in my backyard. I am fortunate to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and within hours be surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the mountains. As an Albertan, my go to has always been Jasper, where its rustic charm and small...

My watch claimed it was morning, but as I walked towards my snowmobile it was still dark. The snow crunched loudly beneath my boots, as it does when the thermometer dips below -30℃, and when I drew breath, I could feel the crispness of the frigid air as it entered my lungs. I swung my arms in a vain...