Edmonton Construction 11 (November 2011)

[dansk]

Jasper needs some major reno's and soon. The ski hill is great, the Mountains, Lakes, Rivers are 10x better than Banff, but the city has continued to go down in standards (and the standards have never been that great). When I have guests in town I hate to say it, but if we aren't hiking or fishing we go to Banff.

[Kevin_foster]

For those not paying attention, check out the arena thread

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Where could a new ski resort go? It seems obvious there won't be another within Jasper National Park. I doubt the BC government would allow any in Robson park. Valemount could use the tourism, but unless they build a world-class mind-blowing resort, the trek from Edmonton gets even longer. The mountains pretty much end at the eastern park borders.

[sdimedru]

Marmot Basin is currently evaluating expanding onto a "backside".... I was reading a report at the main chalet during one of my trips this season.

As far as a new resort... not sure... how about on the BC side?

[Coldrsx]

Valemount had a planned Panorama type resort... but it died which is a shame.

Marmot going onto the back is my dream. I love looking over and down there exiting the lifts.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^^ true.

^ new spa is awesome expect for NO hot tub. 🞵🞵🞵

Hotel Had good reports except for the pickies. But yes, bit more attention to sone areas.

Was told by the staff a hot tub is comming this year.

[Airboy]

[QUOTE=The problem is the initiative from Parks Canada, and the local population. Funding and permits are a huge part of it too.

Jasper could use:
- A Street front improvement initiative
- Support from local and federal governments for more tourist attraction dollars for park improvements
- A competitor for the JPL. Love the place, but they have a monopoly on the Jasper 4* hotel scene.
- Main Street Improvements (sidewalks and curbs, planters)
- More marketing dollars for their festivals. The music and arts scene in Jasper is unreal. Needs more attention.[/QUOTE]

Agree with this as well.

With the Feds pushing for more commercial ventures in the parks (the glacier sky walk) you may see that happen. And as much as I love the small town non Aspen feel to Jasper it needs to move forward a bit. As to the distance from Ed to Jasper. It’s weird but the 3.5 hours is less stressful than the Calgary Banff drive. Other than Edson, I quite enjoy the drive.
Someone on another site called the drive boring. There are just enough elevation and terrain changes to make it interesting.

May be its time to bring in the weekend train.

[Kevin_foster]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Other than Edson, I quite enjoy the drive.

I think I've said it before, but that is the most depressing part of the drive. Yucky. Especially coming home from a nice getaway in the mountains, it's like a swift slap to the face with an oily rag.

Also, if anything, we should be looking at the Non-national park location of Hinton to get it's act together. It could easily be Edmonton's Canmore. And cut almost an hour out of the drive. 2 - 2.5 hours from Edmonton Metro to Hinton, would be awesome. If there was some incentive Get your act together Hinton

PS while the train is fun, unless they twinned the track, it can either be a 2 hour ride, or a 7+ hour ride. Depending on rail traffic. I was once stuck on that train for close to 8 hours last year

[Coldrsx]

'PS while the train is fun, unless they twinned the track, it can either be a 2 hour ride, or a 7+ hour ride. Depending on rail traffic. I was once stuck on that train for close to 8 hours last year '

Not 2... minimum is 4.5, typical 5, having gone 3 times the longest was 6. A TGV would be awesome though at 2hours.

[Kevin_foster]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

'PS while the train is fun, unless they twinned the track, it can either be a 2 hour ride, or a 7+ hour ride. Depending on rail traffic. I was once stuck on that train for close to 8 hours last year '

Not 2... minimum is 4.5, typical 5, having gone 3 times the longest was 6. A TGV would be awesome though at 2hours.

Erm, sorry you're right. I don't know where I thought the fastest was 2

[MrOilers]

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

Also, if anything, we should be looking at the Non-national park location of Hinton to get it's act together. It could easily be Edmonton's Canmore.

I like the idea in principle, but the stink emitting from the pulp mill kind of kills any aspirations of that.

[240glt]

They managed to scrub the stank out of the pulp mill in Kamloops, I see no reason why they couldn't do it in Hinton.

I hate that drive from Edmonton to Jasper.... On my trips to the family shack on Bridge Lake, the worst part is always from home to the west edge of the park. A as soon as I am at Robson PP the trip gets so much better.

Hinton as a destination seems like a good idea. There's some pretty kick-🞵🞵🞵 mtb'ing there. I agree with the others... Jasper's natura; beauty and recreation is unparalelled but the town itself is run down

[sdimedru]

last bit of Jasper/Marmot talk... I thought it was the backside... according to this the study is for getting a chair to the peak.

The mountain goat study is largely related to Marmot Basin’s proposal to put a lift to the peak – an extension of the Knob Chair – in their long term plan. That area is goat habitat.

http://fitzhugh.ca/news/4527-goat-death-has-some-residents-worried

[Coldrsx]

The lands west of Hinton to the park as so ripe for development. Again, there was a large plan, it also died.

[Airboy]

I've posted some shots from the weekend in the Alberta BC Photagraphy Thread.

Now back to Edmonton Talk

[s211]

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

I think I've said it before, but that is the most depressing part of the drive. Yucky. Especially coming home from a nice getaway in the mountains, it's like a swift slap to the face with an oily rag.

Also, if anything, we should be looking at the Non-national park location of Hinton to get it's act together. It could easily be Edmonton's Canmore. And cut almost an hour out of the drive. 2 - 2.5 hours from Edmonton Metro to Hinton, would be awesome. If there was some incentive Get your act together Hinton

Aren't you describing what I hear at one time was proposed as Kananaskis North? Did that idea die?

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by s211

Aren't you describing what I hear at one time was proposed as Kananaskis North? Did that idea die?

It was a Getty Idea I believe, shot down when Klein got in.

[feepa]

while we are on the topic of mountains... I really wish Marmot, Sunshine, or Louise would open up in the summer to downhill mountain bike riding... Lots of resorts do it in BC, but no where in Alberta... cept COP in Calgary, which is not much different than riding in our river valley... and I don't need a lift for that.


Also - re: ugliness of Edson -- The AB Gov has plans for a southern bypass... but news on that happening is 6 years old and I can't find much more recent... one could hope though... I hate getting to Edson on both ways... just a total trip buzz kill.

[240glt]

^ COP is a bit of a joke compared to our river valley.... but yes the ski hills should be running lifts in the summer to shuttle bikers to the top (I did not know they were not doing this... seems like a no brainer to me) I do this almost every year at Silver Star... almost feel guilty doing it... it's all the fun and none of the work

[Coldrsx]

Rabbit Hill did until last year as they found it not viable.