The second backpacking trip we had planned was a three day excursion on the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park. With nearly 25 km out of 44 km (15.5 miles/27.3 miles) above treeline; the vast meadows and windswept ridges of the Skyline were in stark contrast to the lush forests, turquoise lakes, and glaciers we saw on the Berg Lake trail in Mt. Robson Provincial Park. The Skyline trail crosses three mountain passes and the barren landscape and expansive views are striking. I had read it is possible to spot caribou on the trail. We didn’t see any caribou, but did see a grizzly bear on our last day (!). We often saw and heard marmots, pikas, and ground squirrels along the trail.

Most hikers do the Skyline trail in either two or three days. We opted for the three day itinerary and camped at the Snowbowl and Tekarra campgrounds. However many days you take, the recommended direction to hike is from south (Maligne Lake) to north (Signal Trailhead on Maligne Road) due to the elevation profile (it is possible to book a shuttle). Because much of the trail is above treeline and exposed it is important to have good weather for this hike. Especially for day 2 which is spent almost entirely above treeline. Although it was really windy and there was haze from wildfires, we were fortunate to have good weather for our hike and we had a terrific time.

Trip Statistics:

Day 1: South trailhead at Maligne Lake to Snowbowl Campground: 12 km/7.5 miles, 550 m/1804 ft ascent, 146 m/479 ft descent
Day 2: Snowbowl to Tekarra Campground: 18 km/11.2 miles, 496 m/1627 ft ascent, 530 m/1739 ft descent
Day 3: Tekarra Campground to North Trailhead (Signal Trailhead): 14 km/8.7 miles, 900 m/2953 ft descent
Total: 44 km/27.3 miles, 1046 m/3432 ft ascent, 1576 m/5170 ft descent

(note: the Skyline trail document from the park service gives the total ascent as 1410 m/4626 ft and descent as 1928 m/6326 ft; I’m assuming this includes some local topographical variation and the side trip to Curator campground, which we did not go to since it is 1 km off the main trail)

Resources:

Jasper National Park webpage for backcountry trips (reservations, fees, and other planning info): Jasper National Park Backcountry Trips

Shuttle (pick up North/Signal trailhead and drop off at Maligne Lake): Maligne Lake Shuttle

On all four of our trips Brian Patton and Bart Robinson’s book has been indispensable in planning: Canadian Rockies Trail Guide