Medicine Lake

1912-13 Travel up the Maligne Valley began when volunteers built the first bridge across the Athabasca River at Fort Point. A trail was cut between Maligne Canyon and Medicine Lake, then along east side of Medicine Lake to connect to a trail from the Rocky River via Jacques Lake. The trail continued from the south end of Medicine, angling up to Shovel Pass and then down Evelyn Creek to the Maligne River and then to Maligne Lake.

1915 A direct trail was built from Medicine Lake to Maligne Lake

1924 A trail from Jasper to the north end of Medicine Lake was upgraded to wagon road and tent camps were established at Medicine and Maligne Lakes

1928 Medicine Lake Chalet was completed

1930 A one way road to Medicine Lake was built and boat service on the lake established

1941 Cars were rafted to the south end of Medicine Lake to run a regular passenger service.

Jasper Park Lodge to Medicine by car – one hour

Across Medicine by boat -half an hour

Medicine to Maligne by car-one hour fifteen minutes

1963 A rough grade was established along Medicine Lake as far as Beaver Creek and from there people were bussed to Maligne Lake

1969 A new highway opened to the public

001.14.01.01.03 Agnes Harragin, Mr. Glassbrenner and Mona Harragin at Medicine Lake camp. 1929
994.56.802 Medicine Lake Chalet. [ca. 1930]
001.12.30 Art Hughes, Jack Malyk and Isabel Hughes at the north end of Medicine Lake. [ca. 1940]
002.15.18.13 Rainbow Tours boat, Peg Elen, on Medicine Lake. [ca 1945]
002.26.10 Boathouse and docks the north end of Medicine Lake. [ca. 1945]
999.12.08 Bob Patterson and Bob Lord on the last trip out of Maligne Lake Camp for the season. The mattresses were used to prevent the draining of Medicine Lake. [1946]
2025.27.19 A group waits at the south end of Medicine Lake to board a motorboat. [ca. 1950]
2022.57.99 Barging a bus across Medicine Lake. [ca. 1950]
999.58.31 Medicine Lake overflowing. [1960]
2020.19.251 Pouring dye into Medicine Lake to study drainage. [ca. 1980]
2024.31.01  Road collapse after a mud slide on the Medicine Lake slabs.  August 2012
2006.112.01 The metal flag was found in low water in the Medicine Lake delta. The Maligne Lake Tour & Lodge boat, the “Juanita”, was used on both Medicine and Maligne Lakes.  The boat was named for Evelyn (Hargreaves) Ruddy, whose middle name was Juanita.

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