It’s a nice sunny day out, skies are blue, and you’re looking for something to do. Why not go up The Whistlers Mountain? Maybe hike up and take the tramway down? Pack some granola bars, a bit of water and maybe a jacket for when you get to the top.

The view of the valley and town-site makes the Jasper mountain a huge tourist destination, and while it’s easy to enjoy the thrill of the view, Jasper National Park (JNP) safety officers advise that proper planning and safety precautions can be the difference between an enjoyable hike up or a deadly tragedy.

Because of Whistlers proximity to the town, hikers may think it is a simple, or frontcountry hike. But JNP Public Safety Specialist Rupert Wedgewood warns that it is most definitely a backcountry excursion.

There are wild animals and natural events happening, he explains, and if you can’t get a helicopter up to the rescue location, it’s going to be an hour and a half or more before rescue parties by foot can reach you.

“So that’s the reality of an area that looks like it’s in the frontcountry, but it’s really in the backcountry,” Wedgewood says. Just because your cell phone works doesn’t mean there isn’t any danger.

Even as warmer weather approaches, the mountain, and many others in the park, are susceptible to avalanches, rock slides, ice and snow covered terrain. Going off the trail can be a deadly move, as it was for one woman last month who fell over 500 metres to her death while hiking Whistlers Mountain.

“It is an uphill hike over, in places, snow covered terrain, so it’s a good idea to take a map with you so you know where the trail goes, because at times you may lose the trail. If you wander off the trail, it’s possible to travel into avalanche terrain. There are still avalanches happening,” Wedgewood says. “She (the woman who died) was clearly off the trail, she had very clearly left the trail.”

Even at this time of year, avalanches are happening, and as the day progresses the sun melts the snow, which can loosen up rocks or cause rock slides. However, Wedgewood says that if you stay on the trail, it is very unlikely you will be under a rock-slide.

Wedgewood says they have had people sliding down the mountain in years gone by, hurting or killing themselves, such as this year, but they have never had a cornice fall before (on Whistlers).

A large cornice exists to the left of the tramway when looking up the mountain, but because it is a backcountry area, and there is wildlife around, blasting the cornice, something that would happen in places such as Marmot Basin, is not an option.

“It’s really a backcountry area, once you leave the immediate vicinity of the tramway, and the issue is, when do you stop blasting? So we try and educate people around those dangers with signage.”

Walking on top of the cornice and looking over the edge, or hanging out underneath of it is a very bad place to be, he says.

As well as being prepared for all four seasons while hiking up Whistlers Mountain, it is important to check for wildlife closures. The trail was closed last week due to a grizzly bear that was on a kill. The kill is now gone, but the grizzly is still in the area, although the trail has been re-opened.

Wedgewood also recommended checking when the last tramway ride down for the day is, in case you misjudge your time and can’t hike down in time – although, depending on the tramway to get back down won’t help you if they are closed.

Before your trip:

Below is a list of things to consider before hiking up Whistlers Mountain, or any other mountain in the park.

•Check the weather forecast the day before you go. If there is bad weather coming in, don’t go.

•Leave early in the morning, before snow softens and ice starts to melt, letting rocks loose to fall. Early departure also will help ensure you can return in daylight.

•As a rule of thumb, every three km’s will take an hour, and every 300m of elevation will take an hour. Whistlers Mountain is about 1,200m in elevation gain and 7.2 kms long.

•Tell someone where you are going, what route you are taking and how long you expect to be.

•Take a map and compass, even on a popular trail. You would be surprised how many people are rescued on really popular trails.

•Wear steady footwear for early morning hard pack snow and ice. Carry hiking poles, an ice pick or an ice axe.

•Take your cell phone with you; it is a great piece of safety equipment to have with you.

•Fill out a safety registration form at the Parks Info office, where you can also get the latest trail conditions and wildlife updates.

•Stay clear of cornices, such as the on Whistlers Mountain. It, and others on other mountains can have cornices that extend over 20 feet in the air. Cornices are extremely heavy – a dense cornice can weigh 600 kilograms, and cornices can be dozens of metres long.

•Stay on the trail.