Parks considers summer use at Shangrila
Parks Canada has completed an environmental assessment that, if approved, could pave the way for people to use the Shangrila ski cabin during the summer season.
According to the Maligne Lake Ski Club, which owns and operates the backcountry ski cabin, the environmental assessment is now being peer reviewed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really sensitive issue,鈥� said Sandy Cox, an executive member of the club, during its annual general meeting, Oct. 30.
鈥淲e鈥檙e optimistic because they have not sent us a letter saying 鈥榥o鈥� so we鈥檙e still hopeful.鈥�
Beginning in 2014, Shangrila鈥檚 season was significantly reduced when Parks restricted winter access to the Maligne Valley to protect the valley鈥檚 endangered caribou herd. To make up for lost revenue, the club wants permission to open the cabin from July 1 to Sept. 15.
In mid-October, Parks reaffirmed it would again restrict winter access to the Maligne Valley from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28, 2017.
As a result, the club鈥檚 winter season now runs from March 1 to April 15, depending on snow conditions.
In the winter, members access the cabin by skiing up Jeffery Creek. According to Cox, the summer proposal does not include using Jeffrey Creek because it is a sensitive area, however Parks is considering establishing a flagged trail.
鈥淲e came to an understanding that we didn鈥檛 need to develop a trail surface, that we could have a flagged route, which would in time develop a trail bed,鈥� said Jeff Weir, president of the club.
Parks Canada did not return a request for comment.
Injured wolf euthanized
An injured female wolf was put down by Parks Canada, Oct. 26.
According to a statement from Parks, the agency received a call of a wolf limping near the transfer station, Oct. 25. The following morning, Parks Canada received a call of a wolf dragging herself beside Highway 16, just east of Jasper.
Resource conservation staff were dispatched and found the injured wolf in an area near the Moberly Bridge. After assessing the wolf鈥檚 injuries a decision was made to put the animal down.
鈥淭hese are always difficult decisions for Parks Canada staff, who work so hard to protect these animals, but in the end, it was a necessary action,鈥� wrote Joseph Zebrowski, a communications officer with Parks Canada.
New pickled egg champion at the legion
Among the live shows, rounds of darts and games of pool, a new form of entertainment has been created at the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion.
For the past few months, locals have been competing against one another for the coveted title of 鈥減ickled egg eating champion.鈥�
For several weeks, Jasperite Joshua Ibelshauser held on as reigning champion with an impressive record of 23 eggs. However, David Cueva Garcia knocked Ibelshauser out of the top spot, eating 26 eggs on Oct. 27.
Eggs are $1 and competitors must eat their eggs in a timely manner, meaning you can鈥檛 spend all night picking away at your targeted goal. Should you vomit 鈥攚hich some competitors have鈥攜our record still counts, but you cannot continue with the competition.
