The Whistlers

Elevation: 2463 m
Elevation Gain: 200 m
The Whistlers was officially named in 1916 after the hoary marmots that dwell on this broad mountaintop. Marmots, apparently, made quite an impression on early European visitors as a number of features (including: 6 peaks, 3 passes, 3 creeks, 1 river and 1 valley) in the Canadian Rockies have been named for these ubiquitous whistling members of the squirrel family.
My Ascents:
August 16 2021, September 3 2011
Trailhead: Jasper SkyTram Parking

After hiking in apocalyptic wildfire smoke the day prior, day 2 of our 2021 Jasper Camping trip dawned clear and cool after a night of much-needed rain. Hoping to take advantage of smoke-free blue skies and early-bird pricing, we hauled a$$ to get our kids (and Grandpa) ready for a trip up the Jasper SkyTram. From there, we hoped to enjoy far-ranging alpine views from the summit of The Whistlers (which is a modest 200 meters above the tram’s upper terminal).

Arriving at the SkyTram, we were disappointed to discover that walk-up tickets are no longer an option. Reservations are required (even if the tram’s website doesn’t say so). While tram employees searched for the no-shows who had 9 am reservations, we were (frustratingly 🤬) told to book the next available (11:30 am!) tram. After debating whether we wanted to bother, we decided that we couldn’t let the good visibility go to waste and reserved our spot using my phone (because the tram’s ticket windows are, apparently, just for show 🤨).

Fortunately, the Whistlers Campground is a mere 10 minute drive from the SkyTram so we were able to get back to our basecamp without much fuss. After rushing all morning, we now found ourselves with time to kill so we went for a family bike ride to search for the campground’s resident elk. As you can see, this hunt went more smoothly than our hunt for tram tickets…

LEFT: Fast forward a few hours and we found ourselves back at the SkyTram for the 11:30 am “flight” that we’d reserved. As we checked in at the ticket window (that doesn't sell tickets 🤨), we were told that our “flight” would be delayed at least 45-minutes because of the high winds that had stopped the tram at 8 am. Why this wasn’t mentioned when we booked at 9:30 am was not clear but it came as no surprise given the customer experience 🤬 that we had thus far. As we waited at the tram’s crowded lower terminals, clouds built up overhead and the, previously, blue sky turned to shades of overcast gray and white. 😔
RIGHT: At least our kids behaved during the day’s endless tram-related delays. In fact, they behaved better than I did! While I was busy fuming about the tram delays and deteriorating weather, they amused themselves with a peek into the machine’s inner workings. They also ran around – a lot. 🤪

LEFT and RIGHT: Finally on-board (more than 3 hours after we first arrived at the tram station), 3-year-old Penny and 5-year-old Mera enjoyed the speedy 1,000 vertical meter ride up!

As we disembarked following a 7 minute “flight”, we were treated to wonderful views of the Jasper townsite (including the Whistlers Campground at bottom right).

Grandma leads the way and Mera, Penny and Brianne follow on the popular trail to the summit.

Mera holds onto her hat while we should have been holding onto her! To say that it was windy on The Whistlers would be a massive understatement... 😮‍💨

LEFT: Tired of the trail’s “hands-in-pocket” walking, our girls decided to explore unnecessary scrambling options. 🙃
RIGHT: Grandma happily holds onto her precious monkeys to keep them from blowing away with the hurricane-force winds.

Mount Edith Cavell towers over The Whistlers’ sub-summit meadows. Even with the overcast skies, our views of the 18-km-distant giant were better today than they were the day prior when we were at the 11,000er’s foot!

An impressive (but overcast) panorama to the east as Brianne and Penny make their way up to The Whistlers’ rounded summit. Click to see larger.

Expansive views of the colorful Victoria Cross Range whose peaks are all named for recipients of this most prestigious honor.

LEFT: Mera takes the final few, hands-in-pocket 🙃, steps to the absurdly broad summit of The Whistlers.
RIGHT: Colorful sisters take in the far-ranging summit views while the whipping wind whistles about.

To the south and west, the summit panorama was dominated by nearby Indian Ridge and far-ranging alpine meadows. Click to see larger.

To the south, massive Mount Edith Cavell flirts with the cloud ceiling beyond more proximate Aquila Mountain (center right) and Marmot Mountain (right).

A closer look at Mount Edith Cavell and the dirty snow/ice smudge that was, until recently the Ghost Glacier.

Penny has obviously been working on her summit poses this summer! 😁

A host of peaks pierce the westward horizon while rust-colored Terminal Mountain (center right) provides a contrast to the verdant valley below.

A closer look at the westward peaks beyond Terminal Mountain’s shoulder. From left to right: Chak Peak, Throne Mountain, Blackhorn Peak, Peveril Peak and Oldhorn Mountain.

While the views atop The Whistlers were remarkable (despite overcast skies), the wind was absolutely relentless! Note that this puddle, left by the overnight rainfall, featured whitecaps! 🌊

LEFT and RIGHT: Grandma enjoys the summit views while 3-year-old (and personality-filled 🙃) Penny enjoys a snack in the lee of the rock-summit-pedestal-thingy.

Manx Peak appears beyond the south (true) summit of nearby Indian Ridge (which is typically ascended via the foreground ridge at right).

Indian Ridge’s lower north summit. For scramblers traversing the ridge, the obvious notch and the alternate descent’s steep terrain will be the day’s crux.

LEFT: Grandma and her girls pose for a summit photo atop the rock-summit-pedestal-thingy. I guess it was so windy that they needed to cement the summit cairn together? 🤣
RIGHT: Mount Robson (the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies) would be there were it not for the annoyingly overcast sky…

The Victoria Cross Range fills the northward panorama. Click to see larger.

A gloomy weather telephoto north towards where Mount Robson ought to be! Peaks that were still visible included (from left to right): Miette Hill, Yellowhead Mountain, Lucerne Peak, Tête Roche, O’Beirne Mountain, Caledonia Mountain (dead center), Mount Mcnaughton, Mount Bridgland and Derr Peak.

Monarch Mountain is the obvious glaciated peak here.

The southern extent of the Victoria Cross Range rises above lake-laden Pyramid Bench. From left to right: Cairngorm, Mount Kincross, Mount Zengel and, aptly named, Pyramid Mountain.

Summit views back towards the tram’s upper terminal and the Jasper townsite below it. Prominent peaks include (from left to right as always): Hawk Mountain, blocky Roche Jacques, Mount Colin, Emir Mountain, Mount Cr2 and Utopia Mountain.

The south/eastward panorama beyond the flattest summit ever shows the valley that the Icefields Parkway meanders down on its way to Lake Louise. Click to see larger.

Signal Mountain (center left) and Mount Tekarra (center right) dominate the view across the Athabasca River Valley. Sirdar Mountain is the obvious double-peak on the left-hand horizon while the Watchtower is the highest peak visible to the right.

To the south, visibility was limited to 30-km-distant Mount Kerkeslin.

After a windy summit stay, complete with the usual snacks, photos and children needing to “potty” (every darned time 🙄...), we set up for a 10 second timer photo and prayed that a sudden gust wouldn’t destroy my camera! 🙏

Hand-in-hand, the girls and I started to make our way back down (stopping from time to time to take in the views).

Brianne stops to pose amidst boulder-filled meadows below the summit.

LEFT and RIGHT: Mera hones her scrambling skills and learns that “what goes up must come down” atop a massive quartzite block.

LEFT: While Mera braved the icy wind and clambered over boulders, Penny found a better place to stay warm. 😂
RIGHT: On the Road Again…

Following a speedy descent which featured all variety of unprepared tourons out of their element in the alpine, we made it back to the tram terminal’s blessed shelter!

Warming up inside with well-deserved hot chocolates and hand warmers before the speedy tram ride down!

LEFT: Since the girls got a special drink, we figured that we were entitled to one as well and stopped at the Jasper Brewing Company in the townsite below for a celebratory flight! 🍺
RIGHT: Mera and Penny wreak havoc at the taproom. Fortunately, Grandma kept them occupied and Brianne and I were able to enjoy our ales in relative peace! 🤣

The day may not have gone exactly as planned but the kids had fun, the grandparents enjoyed the view, everyone got a summit and Brianne and I were able to wet our post-Whistlers whistles with a selection of local craft beer. As they say, all’s well that ends well! 🙂