Page 64 - DreamScapes Magazine | Fall/Winter 2025

JASPER
ON TRACK
Aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, Fiona Tapp witnesses
the rebirth of Jasper, Alberta as the historic mountain
town rises from wildfires with resilience,
renewal—and unforgettable rail views
It began with three afternoon lightning strikes during a rainless
storm in July 2024, resulting in raging fires out of control. By 10
p.m. that night, the evacuation of over 20,000 people had begun.
Kevin Lazzari, a tour guide with SunDog Tours, a local company
focusing on wildlife watching and glacier adventure trips, says
it was the biggest fire in Jasper in 100 years, and the first time
in his life that a mandatory evacuation order was issued. “It was
chaotic,” he says. “We only had one choice; we went west.”
Townsfolk were displaced for weeks.
Arriving this past spring on only the fourth
Rocky Mountaineer train to make the trip since
the wildfires, I was relieved that the train sta-
tion and much of the town were untouched.
However, in residential neighbourhoods, the extent of
the damage was overwhelming. Empty lots and charred
remains stood alongside intact homes, seemingly
spared by a stroke of luck or the whim of a wind gust.
While looking out over Maligne Canyon, the
remains of vast burned forests looked like black bris-
tles in a hairbrush. Over 32,500 hectares burned, but
Pyramid Mountain, which changes colour as the sun
hits each triangle of quartzite or Roche Bonhomme
(known as Old Man Mountain to locals), endures.
I took the Rocky Mountaineer’s two-day Journey
through the Clouds route from Vancouver to Jasper via
Kamloops, travelling in GoldLeaf service in the upper
deck, complete with enormous glass-domed windows.
Wendy McMichael, the senior on-board manager, said
that even after 14 years with Rocky Mountaineer, she
never gets tired of these views. “Seeing the terrain
change due to time and weather systems and nature is
just amazing; I am still plastering myself to the window
when we spot wildlife!” I was just as excited to spot elk,
deer, and even a black bear during the ride.
When it was time to eat, we descended the stairs to
the dining car to peruse the menu of gourmet meals,
including smoked salmon avocado toast on artisan
sourdough with shaved beet for breakfast, made with
locally sourced ingredients. What you won’t find on the
menu, according to Chef Zach Cleland on his inaugural
ride, is french fries, as, due to the movement, deep
fryers are not allowed in his compact 21 by 9-foot (6.4
metres by 2.74 metres) moving kitchen.
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DREAMSCAPES FALL/WINTER 2025