Jasper SkyTram

The idea is credited to William McGregor, an Alberta adventurer who climbed The Whistlers in 1960 and saw the potential for a tramway. Construction began in 1963 with key components imported from Germany, and the tramway opened in 1964; Wikipedia credits McGregor and Norm Gustavson as builders and John Ogilvy as engineer. Local histories mention a derailment on opening day, a small setback the project survived. Accounts describe it as the first tramway of its kind in Canada, though we treat that superlative cautiously.

Ownership has changed several times. Toby and Judy Rayner bought it in 1979 and held it until 2012, when it passed to RMSI-JTAC Equipment Holdings, the company that owns Marmot Basin ski area. In January 2025 Pursuit, operator of the Banff Jasper Collection, completed its acquisition of the SkyTram together with a long-term Parks Canada lease, reported at CAD 23.7 million.

The system was built by the German firm P.H.B. and uses a single support tower, a 46 mm track rope and a 27 mm hauling rope, running at up to about 6 metres per second. Cabins are enclosed, and the operator describes a narrated flight-guide commentary on the way up. The operator gives the lower station as 1,315 metres (4,314 feet), meaning the cabin gains roughly 950 metres of elevation in the ride.

From the upper station a boardwalk leads to viewpoints over the Athabasca valley, Jasper townsite and the surrounding ranges of Jasper National Park. Beyond the station, a trail of about 1.4 kilometres (the operator's figure) climbs to the Whistlers summit, which the operator gives as 2,463 metres (8,081 feet). The terrain is exposed and weather can change quickly: the operator notes the upper station is typically around 12 degrees Celsius cooler than town, so bring layers and sturdy shoes if you plan to continue to the summit. The summit is above treeline, where wind and cloud can reduce views even when town is sunny.

The upper building has a cafe, and the operator offers seasonal activities such as evening and winter-season experiences that vary by year. The SkyTram operates seasonally and is weather-dependent, so check the operator for current dates, hours and tickets before planning your day.

The base station is off Whistlers Road, which branches from the Icefields Parkway about 7 kilometres south of Jasper townsite, roughly a 10-minute drive from town. On a Voyzo private tour, your driver collects you door to door and handles the Whistlers Road turn-off and parking, so the only timing you manage is your own ride up and how long you linger on the boardwalk or summit trail.

The SkyTram pairs naturally with other stops along the Icefields Parkway corridor, including Athabasca Falls to the south and the lakes near town such as Pyramid Lake and Patricia Lake. Because the tram operates around weather, many visitors choose the clearest part of a trip for the summit and keep lower-elevation sights for cloudier hours.