Following the enormous snowfall last week, Parks Canada hosted a season kick-off at the new Decoigne ski area, Jan. 12.
The area, located immediately before the west park gate, boasts 20 km of new ski trails, both classic and skate ski, and is the first new cross-country ski area developed in the park in several decades.
Decoigne, which was formerly a warden station and is now used for seasonal staff housing, was developed for winter recreation this year, following a decision on winter backcountry closures to protect the park’s woodland caribou. As a compromise for the the delayed opening of the Brazeau and A La Peche caribou ranges, Parks promised to develop trails at Decoigne and Pyramid Lake.
“So we worked on signing some snowshoe trails up on the Bench in the Pyramid areas. There’s about 10 km of those signed, and you can also wander off groomed trails and snowshoe off into the woods,” said Pam Clark, visitor experience manager for Jasper National Park.
Similar signage will appear at Decoigne next season. But, for now, the focus has been on developing and grooming ski trails in the area.
The trails will receive priority grooming after snowfalls and are ideal for novice and intermediate skiers.
“The terrain is nicely up and down. You go through the trees and through meadows. There’s a lot to see,” said Clark, who went out for a ski on the new trails last weekend.
As well as the trails, Decoigne has a warming hut that will be open from morning until dawn, and a large fire pit.
Clark said these features make the area perfect for families because they provide a place for kids to warm up and eat a snack following their adventure.
Including Decoigne, Jasper now has 70 km of groomed ski track. This season, Parks has two groomers working Monday to Friday, and beginning in February, there will be coverage on Saturdays as well.
Rogier Gruys, Parks visitor experience and product development specialist, said beginning next year, Parks will work to get seven-day coverage for trail grooming.
In the new Winter Trail Guide prepared by Parks, there is an insert highlighting Decoigne, as well as the top five places to cross-country ski and top five to snowshoe.
The five snowshoe trails are the Mary Schaeffer Loop, Pyramid Overlook and Bench trails, Wapiti Campground, Beaver Lake and Summit Lakes, as well as Sunwapta Falls and Big Bend, while the top ski trails are listed as Meeting of the Waters, Pyramid Lake and Fire Road, Decoigne, Wabasso Campground and Geraldine Lakes Road.
As well as the new winter brochure, Parks has created a new promotional video to highlight the numerous winter activities available in the park.
“There’s a lot of stuff that’s not downhill skiing,” said Gruys, noting that about half of the inquiries that come in at the Visitor Information Centre are for snowshoe trails.
“There is so much demand for snowshoeing, so we’re really trying to expand that offer.”
Nicole Veerman
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