Day 43 - Friday June 30/17

A travel day today, from Wilcox Campground in AB, to Yellowhead Campground in Valemount BC, where we will stay for 2 nights, including a day of touring to Jasper and the Lake Maligne cruise.(map)

We left Wilcox Campground at 10:30 am, temperature 14 C, mostly cloudy.Travelling toward Jasper, we followed the ‘endless chain’ of mountains. (photos)

As we travelled, we had our best ‘bear sighting’ yet - a mother with two cubs (photos)

We stopped at and hiked around Sunwapta Falls. Fabulous fast water running through a deep, narrow gorge. (photos)

We stopped in Jasper for gas and to go to the Information Centre. We ate lunch on a red bench next to the Jasper Community Gardens (photos). 

So great to see this kind of initiative.(It reminded us of the ELAM Community Gardens initiative, and of what CCB is doing in partnership with other local food bank initiatives in Beaconsfield)

Nancy got to sit in another 'red chair' in Jasper!

We stopped at the Alberta/BC border in the Yellowhead Pass, where the time zone changes from Mountain to Pacific. We were happy to read a clear acknowledgement of indigenous occupation prior to European invasion. (photos)

This was also the point at which we entered Mount Robson Provincial Park. (Michael had to have his turn for a photo with a mountain goat.)

Arrived at Yellowhead (private) Campground around 4:30pm. We’ve been travelling on the ‘Yellowhead Highway’, and many things in this area are named after a famous Métis trapper and guide who had blonde hair and was nick-named ‘Tète Jaune’ or ‘Yellowhead’ - aka Pierre Bostonais/Hastination d.1828). 

At this park we encountered the most mosquitos so far.

Got set up, had a nap, then a simple ‘comfort food’ supper of ‘double cheese KD’ (we’ve used a couple of boxes of KD noodles to make pasta salad, and saved the cheese powder to make ‘double cheese’ KD - mmmmmmm) and weiners. Then did  a load of laundry and showered, which took about two hours. Got to bed by about 11 pm.