Adventure seekers looking to try something exhilarating this summer will be able to repel into two new canyons in Jasper National Park.
Rocky Mountain Canyoning will soon begin taking people to Ogre Canyon, located near the Park’s east gate, and Pleckaitis Canyon, located in the Maligne Valley.
With the new locations, the company now offers people four different canyoning experiences, including trips to Two Valley Canyon and Morrow Canyon.
“It’s a fun activity for people who want to get off the highway and see a little bit of adventure and then come back to town,” said Scott Campbell, co-owner of Maligne Adventures, which books the the trips.
“It’s an adventurous activity and very hands on.”
According to the company’s website, canyoning involves repelling down deep gorges using ropes to safely navigate the terrain. Trips vary depending on the canyon and the season, but require a moderate fitness level and a willingness to get wet. In some cases people will repel from heights of 15 metres and have to wade through shin deep water.
“We recommend people wear their most comfortable hiking shoes and good trekking clothes,” said Campbell, adding people should also pack a snack or lunch.
After nearly three years of talks, last summer Parks Canada conditionally approved the activity for the next two and half seasons.
“It took many years to get to this point and we want to do it cautiously and we want to do it right,” wrote Joe Storms, one of the owners of the company.
He said one of the reasons they waited to add Ogre Canyon was because they needed two permits, one from Parks Canada and the other from Alberta Parks because Ogre Canyon crosses two
jurisdictions.
Parks Canada also required the company to hire a third-party to conduct a bird study in order to use the Two-Valley Canyon.
According to Campbell, this will be the company’s first full season after getting a late start last summer.
As part of the preliminary approval process, the company is required to provide Parks Canada with documentation at the end of every season about the number of trips that took place and the size of each trip.
Once Parks has all the information, both parties will sit down again to decide if the activity is warranted for full permit status.
“They want to see it operate, see it work and see if there is enough interest,” said Campbell.
The two and a half year permit is similar to the permit issued last summer to Translucid Adventures, a standup paddleboard company that operates at Lake Edith and Lake Annette.
The new opportunities are part of a larger push by Parks Canada to look at new recreational activities across Canada’s national parks.
Last summer Parks approved new guidelines for mountain biking, traction kiting and aerial parks, allowing people to paraglide and hang glide in JNP over the next two years on a trial basis.
Paul Clarke
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