Whistlers Trail To SkyTram Terminal

By: September 12, 2017

Looking out from the top of the tramway onto 19 peaks of the Victoria Cross Ranges.

Whistlers mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Jasper, offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.  We highly recommend visiting this place. There are two ways to get to the top. First, you can take a gondola for ($47 per person) which will take you all the way to the top of the Skytram terminal. From the Skytram terminal, you will have another 30-40 min hike to the summit of Whistlers Mountain. Second option is to do a strenuous hike from the parking lot with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain, free of charge!

Trip Information:

Going up via SkyTram

Skytram is open for season from March – October, as weather permits. Make sure to visit the official Jasper SkyTram Website for latest hours of operation, prices, etc. Due to high popularity, you have to reserve your designated ascend time slot in advance. You can make your reservation either online, or at the SkyTram ticket office.

Total time of the ascend is around 7 minutes. There is standing room only in the SkyTram cart. Your ride will include a guide who will tell a bit of Whistlers history, point out surrounding peaks and happily answer any questions. At the top, you will arrive to the SkyTram upper terminal. Amenities such as a gift shop, restrooms and a restaurant are available to the visitors. From here it is another 0.8 mi (30-40min) trek to the summit of the Whistlers Mountain.

Going up via Whistlers Trail

Whistlers Trail begins at the west end of  the parking lot which is located off of Skytram Road near HI Jasper Hostel (see driving directions link above). You will enter a dense forest through a narrow path and will begin a strenuous journey up for 2.6 miles until you get above the treeline.

Jasper SkyTram Gondola

You will be hiking through a series of switchbacks. At one point you are going to pass beneath the Skytram and will eventually reach the beginning of the steepest section of the hike. From there, it’s all up until you reach the top terminal. You can take a little rest and get a quick refreshment at the restaurant before making the last push to the summit. Continue hiking on the Whistlers Trail for another 0.8 miles until you reach the summit of Whistlers Mountain. To clarify, the distance from trailhead to the upper Skytram terminal is 3.8mi plus additional 0.8 miles to reach the summit.

About 0.2 miles from reaching the top of the SkyTram upper terminal.

Tip: It used to be free to take Skytram down from the upper terminal if you hiked the Whistlers Trail from the bottom. When visiting in 2017, we were informed that we couldn’t take the gondola ride down for free anymore. We waited in line to get on the Gondola for our ride down and fortunately the conductor did not ask us for our tickets when we entered the tram with the rest of the crowd.

Me and Dasha at the top of the SkyTram terminal

Whistlers Mountain offers beautiful panoramic views of the entire region. If the weather is nice, I suggest taking your time and exploring Indian Ridge Trail which continues west of the Whistlers summit. Make sure to bring extra layers of clothing as the weather could be unpredictable at high altitudes. Afternoon thunderstorms are very common.