A Superintendent’s Order has been issued in Jasper National Park for the access to Tonquin and Edith Cavell areas effective from November 1 through February 15th annually. This order is issued to prevent human roads and trails from facilitating an unnatural level of predator access to the threatened woodland Caribou. If you violate this order you can be charged under the Canada National Parks Act. This will affect skier access to the Tonquin and Edith Cavell as well as the described exit for Winston Churchill Traverse (Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies 1). Slack-country access off Marmot Basin south of Marmot Pass into Portal creek is restricted as well. Normal access to the Brazeau Icefields via Poboktan Creek to the Poligne Creek confluence will not be affected but you will not be allowed to access south from this point. Ice climbs on the Highway 93a that will be unaccessable during this time are ‘Looking out the Back Door’, ‘Fall of Dune’ and ‘Sorrow Falls’. Again, these are just delayed access and will be open to skier/climber traffic for the Tonquin after Febuary 15th and for the Brazeau area after Febuary 28th.
For more detailed information on these closures visit this link of important bulletins for Jasper National Park… http://www.pc.gc.ca/caribou
Deryl Kelly
Visitor Safety
Jasper National Park