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Jasper's "Moustached Mountain Guide" Norm Bergen has launched a new YouTube channel to promote the park while tourism is on-hold.
Bergen, a guide with SunDog Tours, said when people couldn't come to the park, he wanted to find a way to give them a Jasper experience at home.
鈥淓ven if restrictions are lifted and people can visit again in the next few weeks, I thought this would be a good way to promote Jasper and invite people to come back and discover it, when it's deemed safe to do so,鈥� said Bergen.
鈥淎s a tour guide, it gives me great joy to show them the most beautiful place in the world.鈥�
So far, Bergen has released videos on Jasper icons like the Stutfield Glacier, the ice ship in Patricia Lake and the park as a Dark Sky Preserve.
And one of Bergen鈥檚 most popular videos is an ode to his barber, Candice Davis at Heads Up.
"I was missing her and needed a haircut somehow someone in our household put that online as well and聽apparently it's been viewed all over town,鈥� said Bergen.
鈥淧eople who don't know me are starting to recognize me. I was out walking the dogs and a guy and his girlfriend on their bikes yelled 鈥楬ey Moustache! How's it going?鈥�
鈥淎nother time a few days ago, someone from Parks asked 鈥楬ey is that you?鈥� and said they liked the videos.鈥�
Because it鈥檚 not just information that will get you clicking on Bergen鈥檚 videos - his personality oozes through your screen.
鈥淚 try to put as much of myself into these clips as possible so that people really get a sense of what they're getting when I take them on a tour in person,鈥� said Bergen.
Bergen grew up in northern Saskatchewan and has been visiting Jasper since he was a teenager. He said he has been a hunter and fisherman since he was a young child.
鈥淢y father loved nature and introduced me to the parks and I have enjoyed them immensely,鈥� said Bergen, who has worked for SunDog for three years.
鈥淭his is a wonderful opportunity to share some of the beauty of the park. Jasper is one of those hidden gems and folks are pretty dedicated to bringing people in and taking them on tours - it鈥檚 second to none.鈥�
Bergen said while he has obtained a lot of local knowledge over the years, his daughter Kristina takes on research for his videos to make sure the information is accurate.
The Moustache plans to release a new video every week while things are slowly reopening and continue to do at least once a month.
