If you are ever in Jasper Alberta waiting for a weather window to climb, or for a climb to get in condition there are two good places to while away the hours. One is the Athabasca Hotel, where you can have a beer or three and shoot pool with some of the colourful locals. The other place is Coco’s.
Coco’s is at 608B Patricia Street. It’s open at six in the morning and closes at eight in the evening; four in the winter. They serve fantastic all day breakfasts and have a nice lunch menu as well. The Huevos Rancheros are great. But what is really special about this place is their coffee. They have all your expected drinks like espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, lattes, americano’s etc. But my personal favourite is the freewheel, which is a shot of espresso in a cup of brewed coffee. They brew both Kicking Horse coffee and Oso Negro. Both are excellent and highly recommended coffees roasted and blended in British Columbia. You can get your coffee to go, or savour it there in a ceramic mug; and as they put it, they play favourites if you bring your own mug.
It’s only a short walk to the ranger station to get any latest climbing reports, and Coco’s has wifi so you can access internet weather forecasts. The place is small with only a handful of tables.The best seats are the stools at the window counter. We have spent many bittersweet hours in Coco’s watching the rain and the world go by through the front window, planning our climbs, and swapping lies with other climbers.
