After our boondock parking at the Columbia Icefields, we went to a very nice KOA outside of Hinton, AB and just north of Jasper National Park. We spent some time in the town of Jasper, and I like it much more than I did Banff. Fewer people, interesting atmosphere, and really good food!
We enjoyed the architecture of the town – very British with additions of more modern style. Here are a few.
We ate lunch at a fabulous downtown upscale restaurant called “The Raven.” I had macaroni and cheese with onions and ham, and it was the best I have ever had. Note to self: grilled onions add a wonderful sweetness to Mac and cheese! Kevin had breaded tenderloins that were gluten free. The breading was made from seeds, and it was very good also.
And then we went back to Jasper, almost to the Icefields, to see the things you just can’t see from a motorhome.
We took the following pictures on the way back to Hinton. Still in JNP.
We left the Hinton KOA today for an almost 300 mile trip to Dawson Creek, mile 0 of the Alcan Highway. It was an easier drive than our wagon master said it would be, at least for us. We are used to smaller state highways and a bit rougher roads than those who stay primarily in resorts. We transitioned from the Rocky Mountains to foothills to the Alberta plains. The foothills are heavily forested, and logging is the major industry. As we moved to the plains, oil and gas became the largest industry, though we still saw quite a few logging trucks and huge piles of logs in various locations. We crossed into British Columbia just before we reached Dawson Creek, so I haven’t formed any impressions yet.
We did see our very first grizzly bear, or at least Kevin did. We had stopped at a roadside pullout to take a break, and this big boy was grazing in the ditch next to the roadside. As we pulled up, he started moving away, but Kevin got enough of a picture of him to see it was a grizzly. I always prefer a nice long distance between me and grizzlies!
We are here in Dawson Creek two nights, then we have three travel days in a row.