The Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park is one of the most coveted backpacking destinations in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This summer was the fourth time I hiked the trail, and once again I crossed paths with fellow backpackers from different parts of Canada and the world. Most encounters are short-lived conversations, with little time to become acquainted. But this year, what began as a backpacking trip with my friend Paul, unexpectedly became a hike with four new companions, ending with drinks and a meal in Jasper.
What makes the 44-kilometre Skyline Trail the crown jewel of Jasper National Park is that 25 kilometres are above the treeline. The trail runs in a north-south direction, and most hikers begin at the Maligne Lake trailhead, which sits 650 meters higher than the Signal trailhead at the opposite end, making it the downhill route. There is, however, plenty of elevation gain, which includes an ascent to The Notch, where the trail then plateaus for several kilometres, offering panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains. Since Paul and I are not exactly young, and are more interested in hiking for pleasure rather than testing our physical fitness, we chose this route, with overnight stays at Snowbowl, Curator, and Tekarra campsites.
After spending the night in Hinton, Paul and I drove to the Signal trailhead, where we caught the early-morning shuttle to Maligne Lake. We boarded the shuttle with two couples and struck up conversations with them once we arrived and were getting our packs ready. I learned that the young couple lived in Toronto, and the Skyline Trail was their last hike before returning home. The other couple was much older: the man was in his 70s and his wife in her 60s, and they planned on completing the hike in five days. The wife proudly told us her husband had been hiking in the Rockies his entire life and was hauling a 45-pound pack. I never take over 40! He commented that if he could hike only one trail in the Rocky Mountains, it would be the Skyline.
Before setting out on our 44-kilometer trek, everyone took some pictures in the front of the trailhead sign. The morning was cool, perfect for hiking, except for one thing: the smoke from wildfires made it impossible to see the mountains right in front of our noses. If the smoke persisted for the next four days, the lack of visibility would ruin our trip. We also didn’t relish the prospect of hiking with masks the whole trip.
During our hike to Snowbowl, two American men cruised by us wearing light packs and trail runners, on their way to Curator campground. Paul and I learned they were hiking the 1100 km Great Divide Trail, which stretches from Waterton National Park to northern British Columbia and incorporates the Skyline Trail. They were doing the hike to raise money for a charity back home in Wisconsin. Next, we met a couple from Edmonton who were finishing the hike, having started from Signal. They said it was brutal hiking uphill through the burnt section of the trail in thirty-degree weather. They also warned us that a grizzly bear with her cub was in the area. Apparently, the mother bluff-charged a pair of hikers who were taking a break at a creek. Paul and I began talking much louder.
When we arrived at Snowbowl, we met three hikers from Edson playing cribbage at a picnic table. They commented on our masks and wished they had come prepared for hiking in the smoke. We learned that two of them were married and celebrating their anniversary. The other hiker, Mike, had left his wife at home nursing a sore Achilles tendon from an earlier hike. Paul and I pitched our tent on one of the four platforms, right next to the married couple. Later, the Toronto couple arrived and took the last platform. For supper, Paul made spaghetti and meat sauce, and had also packed wine to go along with the meal, which he had left cooling in the creek. The couple from Toronto had thought they had found some wine forgotten by previous backpackers and brought it back to camp, a discovery that saved Paul a 500-metre walk to fetch it. Late that evening, when everyone had retired to their tents, two women pulled into the campground. Paul and I both wondered why they had arrived so late. That evening I fell asleep listening to the married couple’s wife reading Dune to her husband. I recently read the book and thought it was a lovely way for them to celebrate their anniversary.
The next morning, I immediately unzipped the door and poked my head outside to check the visibility. Since the sun was below the horizon, it was difficult to determine whether it was still smoky. I also wasn’t wearing my contacts, but when I squinted I could see stars. What a relief! No smoke! At the picnic table, making breakfast, I met Hill and Sam, the two women who’d arrived late. They explained they had tried to catch a ride from the Signal trailhead to Maligne Lake and eventually had to call a friend in Jasper for a ride. They were pretty annoyed that no one stopped, especially since many vehicles had room, and they were waving a twenty-dollar bill.
With clear skies, I was excited to begin our hike over Big Shovel Pass to Curator campground. The cool weather was already transforming the green mountain meadows, with vibrant-coloured flowers into autumn colours of red, yellow and orange. Upon our arrival at Curator, I was disappointed to find that Mike had pitched his tent in the best location, a secluded site directly beside a mountain pond and stream. Hill and Sam snagged a site close by, leaving one site next to the mountain pond, but unfortunately, it was too small for Paul’s tent, so we picked one closer to the eating area. While setting up the tent, a solo hiker named Skye walked by, and I immediately noticed she was wearing flip-flops instead of hiking boots. I couldn’t imagine her hiking in flip-flops and wondered what had happened to her boots. As Skye was putting up her tent, I headed over to the picnic tables to prepare dinner. That’s when I spotted her boots — one of them had duct tape wrapped around it. When Skye returned, she showed Paul and me the sole was detaching and the tape she had gotten that morning from Hill and Sam was the only thing keeping it together. She was worried her boot wouldn’t last the 24-kilometre hike the next day.
Skye was the final hiker to arrive, and since Mike’s friends and the Toronto couple continued onto Tekarra, that left only the six of us at the campsite. We wondered whether the smoke was a deterrent to other backpackers. While I prepared supper at the picnic area, Paul and I were able to chat with everyone. Mike said he had stayed at Curator rather than continue hiking with his friends because he felt awkward as a third wheel on their anniversary. He also told us that when he arrived at Curator, he set up his tent and then went swimming at Curator Lake. That meant he hiked a further two kilometres uphill just to take a freezing cold dip in a mountain lake. Sam and Hill told us they met at Waterloo University, where they completed their master’s degrees, and now work for Parks Canada in Calgary and have become avid hikers. I also found out the reason Skye needed to hike out tomorrow is that she had to work a bartending shift at Jasper Park Lodge. She then told us about her harrowing escape from the forest fire that destroyed parts of Jasper last year. Apparently, they evacuated at the last moment, giving her little time to pack. She fled with her pregnant friend, navigating smoky conditions on Highway 16 West, the only route out of Jasper, resulting in a very long drive to Calgary.
The next morning, everyone was eager for our hike up to The Notch and the mountain ridge walk that followed. I reminded everyone to climb the peak overlooking Jasper, where they could get cell service and call home. As we set out on our climb, Paul and I appreciated having poles in this section to prevent sliding down the steep slope or twisting an ankle navigating through a boulder field near Curator Lake. Once we reached The Notch, we continued towards the peak overlooking Jasper to stop for lunch. This three-kilometre ridge walk is my favourite section of the trail and once again it did not disappoint. As we approached the peak, to our surprise, Skye appeared and pointed out to us the best route to join her for lunch. While having lunch, we spied Hill and Sam hiking towards the peak and shouted at them to join us. Shortly afterwards, the owner of the De’d Dog Bar and Grill in Jasper and his wife also joined our group. The peak was getting crowded when I heard someone yelling excitedly in the distance, and we were joined by a new hiker named Tom. It was like a party, with everyone mingling, talking enthusiastically, and getting to know one another. Tom was hiking the Great Divide Trail and had traveled to Canada on a working visa from England. I asked him why he was yelling, and he said the stunning mountain scenery blew him away, which wasn’t the first time on his trek. He’d been hiking alone throughout the entire journey and was very excited to meet fellow hikers. He even arranged a ride back to Calgary with Sam and Hill. The socializing, however, didn’t stop at the mountaintop; it resumed at the Tekarra campground, where everyone converged once again. Skye used the opportunity to do more repairs on her boot, and before she left, we promised to meet her at Jasper Park Lodge for drinks during her shift, and then have dinner at De’d Dog Bar and Grill.
That night, Sam, Hill, Tom, Paul, and I camped at Tekarra, and while eating together at a picnic table, we discussed everything from politics and climate change to our past travels. At a different table, I chatted with two young women from Montreal and Ottawa, who started at Signal and hiked through the burnt-out section to reach Tekarra. They said it was a grunt, but they had no choice but to take the uphill route because there were no campsites available in the opposite direction. They quizzed me about their hike the next day to Curator and wondered how easy it was to reach Curator Lake to go swimming. When I told them it wouldn’t be a problem, they both became very excited about swimming in an icy lake. What’s with younger hikers wanting to freeze to death swimming in a mountain lake?
Finally, before turning in for the night, I talked to two university students who arrived late and set up their tent next to Paul and me. They looked exhausted, and one guy was not happy with his boyfriend. He told me the reason they were so late is that they had hiked from the Little Shovel Campground. That’s a 22-kilometre hike over three passes. He said he bitched a lot during the hike, not just because of the climbs, but also because his boyfriend told him it wouldn’t be a strenuous hike. I laughed when he finished describing the day’s hike, remembering a similar experience I had with my wife Michelle when we were dating.
The next morning, Paul and I began our hike back to civilization through the burnt-out section of the trail. The destruction was awful, with charred trees everywhere. Unlike on previous hikes, I could now see Jasper as we descended to the Signal trailhead. I found it amazing that every hiker safely evacuated the trail when the fire broke out.
After finishing our hike, Paul drove us to Jasper Park Lodge and found Sam, Hill and Tom at the bar. I spotted Skye mixing drinks behind the bar, and asked about her boot—thankfully, it survived the hike out. She poured Paul and me a beer, letting us know the first round was on the house. With all of us gathered around the bar, we celebrated our shared backpacking trip that continued until we departed the De’d Dog Bar and Grill several hours later.
After forty years of backpacking, it was the first time I’d gone for drinks afterwards with fellow backpackers I’d met on the trail. However, upon reflection, it’s not that surprising, since we’re very much a community in the backcountry. A week later, we all received an email from Tom, who summed up our experience of coming together perfectly. He wrote: “The final section of my Great Divide Trail concluded with the iconic Skyline Trail; and the experience burst vividly with the wonderful joy of being with such lovely companions; and our spontaneous motley crew, formed in such a brief time, will live long in my fondest of memories. I could not have imagined a more jubilant finale to my solo adventure than to share it with each of you. Very much the cherry on top.”
One Last Kick 
An interesting read, thanks Dean!
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