GRANDE CACHE

This town of 4,400, the most remote in the Canadian Rockies, is at the gateway to Willmore Wilderness Park and is surrounded by total wilderness, offering endless opportunities for hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and horseback riding. It perches on the side of Grande Mountain above the Smoky River, which flows from its source in Jasper National Park through Willmore Wilderness Park, eventually joining the Peace River and draining into the Arctic Ocean.

The first Europeans to explore the area were fur trappers and traders, who cached furs near the site of the present town before taking them to major trading posts. At one point there was a small trading post on a lake south of town on Pierre Gray Lakes; its remains are still visible. Grande Cache is a planned town. Construction started in 1969 in response to a need for services and housing for miners and their families working at the McIntyre Porcupine Coal Mine. The town was developed 20 km (12.4 miles) south of the mine to maintain a scenic environment. The mine closed in 2000, but the population level remains stable, with many residents employed at a nearby federal penitentiary.

Sights and Recreation

For great views of the surrounding area, consider climbing Grande Mountain. It’s a steep trail, gaining 730 meters (2,400 feet) of elevation in 3.5 km (2.1 miles), but from the summit, the view across the Smoky River Valley to the Rocky Mountains is spectacular. The trail follows a power line the entire way to the peak and is easy to follow. To get to the trailhead, head northwest of town one km (.6 mile) and turn right at the cemetery gate. Park, walk along the road to the power line, veer right, and start the long slog to the summit. Grande Cache Lake, five km (3.1 miles) south of town, has good swimming, canoeing, and fishing; rainbow and brook trout, whitefish, and arctic grayling are commonly caught. Many of the forestry roads are suitable for mountain biking; Grande Cache Adventure Sports (780/827-3764) rents bikes.

In recent years, Grande Cache has placed itself on the calendar of extreme, ultra-marathoners the world over as host of the Canadian Death Race series (www.canadiandeathrace.com). Races take place three times annually along the same demanding 125-km (78-mile) course, which summits three peaks: on snowshoes the third weekend of January, on foot the first weekend of August, and on mountain bikes the first weekend of September.