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Skyline Trail | |
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Length | 44 km (27 mi) [1] |
Location | Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada |
Trailheads | Maligne Lake, Maligne Canyon |
Use | Hiking |
Elevation gain/loss | 1,410 m (4,626 ft) [1] |
Highest point | Notch (2,511 m (8,238 ft)) [2] |
Difficulty | Intermediate (3-day hike) |
The Skyline Trail is a hiking trail in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. [3] It is known for its views, with much of the hike being located above the tree line. It is also known for challenging weather conditions above the tree line, which can be a problem for hikers, who can lose sight of trails. [4]
The trail is recognized as one of the best backpacking trails in Jasper National Park, [5] and it is one of the busiest in the Rockies. [4] With 25 km of the total 44.1 km being at or above the tree line, it has views of the surrounding mountains and valley. It is normally hiked in two days from Maligne Lake to the bottom of Signal Mountain, but it may be completed at a more moderate pace, over three or four days. [5] It is recommended to hike the trail south to north from Maligne Lake, as the fire road descending to Signal Mountain on the northern end is an 800 m elevation loss. [6] There are three challenging passes, including the highest section of trail in Jasper National Park.
There are six campgrounds, located at 5 km, 8 km, 12 km, 19 km, 30 km, and 35 km (Evelyn Creek, Little Shovel, Snowbowl, Curator, Tekarra, and Signal, respectively). The campgrounds provide tent pads, picnic tables, bear poles with metal cables, connectors, and toilets. Skyline Trail is a no-fire zone. Camping is only permitted with reservations at the designated campgrounds.
There are two main ways to enter the Skyline Trail. The more popular main trail; from the parking lot at Maligne Lake, the hike begins with a gentle walk through the forest past Lorraine and Mona Lakes, before crossing the Evelyn Creek bridge to the campground. The second option, adding 4 km and 500 m of elevation gain, is to climb the Bald Hills by using a well-established short cut for a view of Maligne Lake before heading down the fire road and joining the trail to the Evelyn Creek bridge.
The Evelyn Creek campground is a camping spot in the forest adjacent to the creek, but it is recommended that it be passed over for campgrounds at higher elevations. Following Evelyn Creek Campground the trail climbs to Little Shovel Pass. Because the campground after Little Shovel, Snowbowl, is heavily used, if possible Little Shovel Campground is an option for an overnight stay, especially as it is situated part way up Little Shovel Pass so it offers a respite from the steady climb.[ citation needed ] From Little Shovel Campground, the trail breaks out of the trees into the upper subalpine, continuing its climb to Little Shovel Pass at 10 km. Entering the Snowbowl, the Skyline Trail can be seen meandering through open meadows until it enters the trees wherein the Snowbowl Campground is sheltered.
Snowbowl is popular in both winter and summer,[ citation needed ] and it contains a small cabin called Shangrila, built by guide, Donald "Curly" Phillips, in 1936 for skiing enthusiasts. The cabin, administered by the Maligne Lake Ski Club, is not available to summer hikers.
From Snowbowl Campground, the ascent rises through flower-filled meadows to Little Shovel Pass at 17 km.
Crossing into the Curator Basin, the trail swings right, past the junction with the Watchtower Trail. A 4 km descent into this valley leads to the Watchtower Campground, an option as Curator Campground is heavily used and often fully booked.
Returning to the trail section in the Curator Basin, the Skyline Trail continues to the Wabasso Creek Trail junction at 19 km. Less than 1 km further along this trail is Curator Campground. A little further still is Shovel Pass Lodge, which does allow use by hikers; more frequently, however, horse trips use this lodge as a waypoint. Both the Watchtower and Wabasso trails are good foul weather escape routes off the Skyline, which as mentioned can be necessary as the weather along the Skyline Trail can be treacherous.[ original research? ] Beyond the Wabasso junction the Skyline Trail passes Curator Lake then makes a sudden, steep ascent to the Notch at 22 km, the highest point on the Skyline at 2511 m.
The next 4 km of the trail are along the crest of the Maligne Range, which is exposed to both mountain views and to mountain weather. The descent to Tekarra Campground follows a trail through rocky valley with Mount Tekarra on the left and Excelsior on the right. Centre Mountain dominates the head of the valley, lending its name to the creek and lakes below. Following Lower Centre Lake, the trail enters Tekarra Campground at 30 km. From Tekarra Campground, the trail crosses Centre Creek and borders the shoulders of Tekarra and Signal Mountains to the junction with the Signal Mountain Fire Road. The fire road climbs uphill for 1 km to the old Signal Mountain fire lookout site. Descending to the right, the fire road passes the junction into Signal Campground, then quickly descends further into the forest for the final leg of the trip. 800m of vertical are surrendered over the final 9 km.
The Skyline Trail is the home range of species that inhabit the mountain wilderness or near this area of the park. These include the timber wolf, black bear, coyote, grizzly bear, moose, white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, marten, pika, mountain goat, lynx, marmot, mule deer, porcupine, beaver, elk, wolverine, and cougar. Raptors that inhabit in the trail's forest are great grey owls, golden eagles, great horned owls, and bald eagles.
The trail is recognized as critical woodland caribou habitat. The Boreal woodland Caribou is a threatened Species-at-Risk in Canada. In an attempt to reduce stressors, Parks Canada has banned dogs from all Caribou habitat in Jasper National Park.
In 1911 Jack Otto guided Mary Schäffer to Little Shovel Pass on the way to her survey of Maligne Lake. Their party found the way blocked by snow and dug their way through the pass using shovels fashioned from trees. The shovels were left behind and Mary named the pass "Shovel Pass". The shovels are now displayed at the museum in Jasper.
Jasper National Park, in Alberta, Canada, is the largest national park within Alberta's Rocky Mountains, spanning 11,000 km2 (4,200 sq mi). It was established as Jasper Forest Park in 1907, renamed as a national park in 1930, and declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984. Its location is north of Banff National Park and west of Edmonton. The park contains the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, springs, lakes, waterfalls and mountains.
Kootenay National Park is a national park of Canada in southeastern British Columbia. The park consists of 1,406 km2 (543 sq mi) of the Canadian Rockies, including parts of the Kootenay and Park mountain ranges, the Kootenay River and the entirety of the Vermilion River. While the Vermilion River is completely contained within the park, the Kootenay River has its headwaters just outside the park boundary, flowing through the park into the Rocky Mountain Trench and eventually joining the Columbia River. The park ranges in elevation from 918 m (3,012 ft) at the southwestern park entrance to 3,424 m (11,234 ft) at Deltaform Mountain.
Willmore Wilderness Park, in Alberta, Canada, is a 4,600-square-kilometre (1,800 sq mi) wilderness area adjacent to Jasper National Park. It is lesser known and less visited than Jasper National Park. There are no public roads, bridges or buildings. There are, however, several ranger cabins in the park that are available as a courtesy to visitors.
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Maligne Lake is a lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. The lake is famed for the colour of its azure water, the surrounding peaks, the three glaciers visible from the lake, and Spirit Island, a frequently and very famously photographed islet. The lake is located 44 km (27 mi) south of Jasper town, and is accessible by motor vehicle, including shuttle buses from Jasper. Boat tours run to Spirit Island in the spring to autumn season. The 44 km Skyline Trail, Jasper's most popular, highest and above treeline, multi-day hike, begins at Maligne Lake and finishes near the town of Jasper. Other popular day hikes include the Opal Hills and Bald Hills loops. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowboarding.
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Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain, spelled Pokamoonshine on U.S. Geological Survey maps, and sometimes known as just Poke-O, is a minor peak of the Adirondack Mountains. The name is believed to be a corruption of the Algonquin words pohqui, meaning 'broken', and moosie, meaning 'smooth'. It is located in the town of Chesterfield, New York, United States, on New York state Forest Preserve land, part of the Taylor Pond Wild Forest complex within the Adirondack Park. Due to its location next to the pass through which most travelers from the north enter the range, it has been called the "gateway to the Adirondacks".
Curator Mountain is a 2,624-metre (8,609-foot) mountain summit located in the Maligne Range of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Curator Mountain was so named on account of its central location, as if it were the "custodian" of Shovel Pass. The mountain was named in 1916 by Morrison P. Bridgland (1878-1948), a Dominion Land Surveyor who named many peaks in Jasper Park and the Canadian Rockies. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1947 when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Trowel Peak, 7.7 km (4.8 mi) to the southeast. Curator Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Cambrian period and pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.
Mount Tekarra is a 2,694-metre (8,839-foot) mountain summit located in the Athabasca River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is situated at the northwest end of the Maligne Range and is visible from Jasper and the Icefields Parkway. The nearest higher neighbor is The Watchtower, 7.0 km (4.3 mi) to the east.
The Watchtower is a 2,791-metre (9,157 ft) mountain summit located in the Maligne River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Maligne Range and is visible from the Maligne Lake Road where it towers over Medicine Lake. Its nearest higher peak is Sirdar Mountain, 11.64 km (7.23 mi) to the north.
Evelyn Peak is a 2,855 m (9,367 ft) mountain summit in the Athabasca River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. THe nearest higher peak is Mount Kerkeslin, 5.0 km (3.1 mi) to the southwest, and Mount Hardisty is 6.0 km (3.7 mi) to the northwest. All three are part of the Maligne Range. Evelyn Peak is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Cambrian period and pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny. The mountain is at the headwaters of Evelyn Creek, and three kilometres south of Evelyn Pass. The creek and pass were named in 1921 for Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1870–1960), who visited nearby Maligne Lake in 1920. The mountain's name however, has not yet been officially adopted by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
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