We almost missed Jasper altogether.  A couple we met at breakfast at the Clubhouse told us the drive there was one of the most spectacular of all.  The 4-hour drive from Radium Hot Springs goes through 3 Canadian National parks, Kootenay, Banff, and Jasper.  On our trip to Lake Louise and Banff, we covered most of Kootenay and the lower part of Banff National Park.  The main road through the upper part of Banff National Park and Jasper National Park is The Icefields Parkway.  Named for the chain of icefields that roofs the Rockies, this road passes through remote, high altitude terrain within viewing distance of seven icefields and about 25 smaller but still notable glaciers.  Around every bend, both on the way up and back, are awesome vistas.   We had lunch and walked around in Jasper Townsite, a picturesque village that became a supply center within the National Park - very few national parks have development at their core.  After the founding of Jasper Forest Park in 1907, railways improved access and brought growing numbers of visitors and residents.