I woke up this morning to hear of the devastating forest fire that quickly swept through the town, with brave firefighters battling 300 ft. high flames. My heart broke. Jasper Park Lodge was probably one of my Father's top 3 places on Earth, filled with precious family memories.
July 24, 2024
Dear Guests,
At approximately 10:00 p.m. MT on July 22, 2024, the Municipality of Jasper declared a state of emergency. Residents and visitors in Jasper were ordered to evacuate the area due to the threat of a nearby wildfire.
We are devastated by the situation that our Jasper and Alberta community members are facing. We are extremely thankful that all our colleagues and guests have been safely evacuated. We hope the same for all others in the area. The dedication of our first responders and those coming to our aid cannot fully be expressed. We are all sending wishes of safety and strength.
As of 10:00 p.m. MT on July 24, 2024, we can confirm that the fire has reached the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge grounds, however we are unclear about the extent of the damage. At this time, we know that parts of the resort remain untouched. We are monitoring the situation remotely and will provide more information as it becomes available.
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July 25, 2024 - 7:30 am EST:
I am waiting with all of Canada, to hear if Jasper Park Lodge survived or was completely destroyed by the fire.
At fifteen in 1949, my Father went west and became the in-house printer for the Jasper Park Lodge, printing the three daily menus. He would meet with the lodge chef to receive the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus and get them completed for the guests.
I've read many letters my Dad wrote to his family back home during that time. He adored Jasper. He golfed there and climbed the mountains.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, formerly and commonly known as Jasper Park Lodge, is a 442-room hotel on a 700-acre site along Lac Beauvert in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1921 by Canadian National Railway, it is one of Canada's grand railway hotels.
My Father wrote about his time in Jasper often.
"One day in the summer of 1950 some buddies and myself climbed this Old Man Mountain and sat and stood right on top of his nose! It took us over 10 hours of non stop climbing to get there. The trip down took only 3 hours. I have some photos somewhere of the climbers on top of his nose." - Bill Frieday
"More on my Jasper, Alberta adventure 70 years ago. While working at Jasper Park Lodge we were able to take the odd day off to do crazy things. Like climbing mountains. We needed to practice climbing so we started off climbing Signal Mountain. Signal was more like a hill compared to the rest of the peaks around Jasper. The real test came a little later when our group decided scale "Old Man Mountain." It took us 10 difficult hours to climb and sit right on top of the Old Man's nose! Can you see his nose covered in snow? When his face was covered in snow we always said that the Old Man was shaving! Coming back down to the bottom and home took only 3 hours. Wonder if anyone here has climbed Old Man Mountain?" - Bill Frieday
Opened in 1915 as Tent City—a string of luxury canvas tents along Lac Beauvert with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain—the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was possibly North America’s first “glamping” site. The destination proved wildly popular, and in 1922 a main lodge was opened, as well as a series of luxury log cabins spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees, the property sees herds of elk nibbling the grass, chipmunks scurrying through the trees, and even the occasional bear. The 442 rooming options—all renovated between 2015 and 2017—include cozy spots in the main building, fireplace-equipped Junior Suites, and bring-the-whole-family Signature Cabins, all with views across the lake or the forest and mountains. The newly introduced Estate Cabins, located near the golf course, feature a private gated entrance for a more residential feel. Classic lodge-style interior design is the order of the day in the cabins, with wood beams and a combination of earthy and granite tones, while rooms and suites are clean-lined and decked out in fresh white bedding and light wood accents.
Play a few rounds on the Stanley Thompson-designed 18-hole golf course—regularly voted among the best in Canada—enjoy scenic walks and mountain hikes, or take advantage of the 10-room spa, which includes a sauna, steam room, and panoramic relaxation lounge. The restaurants celebrate regional flavors and fresh local produce, thanks to partnerships with local farms; don’t miss a sunset drink at The Emerald Lounge & Patio, which overlooks the lake, Whistler’s Range, and the east face of Mount Edith Cavell. Thanks to the picture-perfect views and the family-friendly accommodations, the Lodge is also a popular venue for destination weddings.
Jasper in the early 1900s had a few hotels established during the construction of the railway, with eight listed as established in 1911. The earliest form of tourist accommodation along Lac Beauvert came in 1915 when Robert Kenneth of Edmonton, along with the pioneer outfitters Fred and Jack Brewster, established "Tent City". Tent City had ten large sleeping tents with wooden walls and floors and a cooking tent constructed along the lakefront. Accommodation at Tent City was set at $2.50 or $3.00 per day, with a weekly rate of $15 or $18, and over 260 visitors stayed there over the summer.
In 1921, the newly nationalized Canadian National Railways purchased "Tent City" and began plans for a hotel on the site, with the first bungalow opening in June 1922 under the name "Jasper Park Lodge".
The Canadian National Railway's chief architect, John Schofield, envisioned a hotel that altered the Athabasca Valley's view as little as possible and blended seamlessly into the natural surroundings. Schofield planned for a number of small cabins made of rustic logs and fieldstone sprawling across the landscape, rather than the traditional large resort hotel.
In 1927 and 1928, the central lodge was expanded, more than doubling the size of the building, and more cabins were built around Lac Beauvert. Additional new cabins were built between 1928 and 1931, including the luxury cabins Point, Outlook, and Viewpoint, lifting the hotel's capacity to 550 guests. King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth visited Jasper during the 1939 royal tour of Canada, staying in the Outlook Cabin.
Tourism in Jasper National Park grew significantly in 1940 as the Icefields Parkway connecting the park to Banff was completed. In 1939, 3,100 automobiles and 21,000 people were recorded entering Jasper National Park, which jumped to 19,000 automobiles and 83,000 people in 1940. The growth in tourism was short-lived as Canada entered the Second World War, and Jasper Park Lodge closed to the public in the fall of 1942 until spring of 1946 to contribute to the war effort. In the winter of 1943–44, Jasper Park Lodge was used as a winter training base for the Scottish Lovat Scouts special mountain troops.
Many of the original log bungalows were replaced in the late-1940s through the 1960s in a modernization program.
The new Central Lodge was completed on June 9, 1953.
A $6.7 million Fairmont spa was added to the Lodge in fall 2010. In 2015–16, a $16 million renovation to all rooms (Fairmont, Deluxe, Junior Suites, and Lakefront Suites) was completed to modernize the decor. ORSO Trattoria, the hotel's first Italian restaurant, was also added to the dining options, which include The Nook Chophouse, Emerald Lounge & Patio, Thompson's Terrace, and Oka Sushi.
In 2015, the French hospitality company Accor paid $2.9 billion to acquire FRHI Hotels & Resorts, including several historic Canadian hotels such as Jasper Park Lodge, Hotel Macdonald, Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise, Le Chateau Frontenac, Chateau Laurier, Royal York, and Montreal's Queen Elizabeth hotel.
In the 1950s, Jasper Park Lodge hosted Marilyn Monroe's River of No Return and James Stewart's The Far Country. Monroe was evicted from the Jasper Park Lodge during the film shoot for repeatedly dressing inappropriately for dinner.
I'm feeling a bit weepy that I didn't do what my Father encouraged me to do in 2019. My Daughter Lindsay and I were fortunate enough to spend time with great friends at Banff Springs Hotel. My Dad hoped I would visit Jasper Park Lodge and take a few photos for him. Our schedule was very full and I chose not to drive 3 hours to Jasper to fulfill this wish he had. Now, today, I am disappointed I didn't go.
Photos: Facebook/Google Image Search/Various
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