Days 53, 54, 55 - Smithers to Jasper Park

Day 53
Friday, August 11, 2017
Stewart to Smithers, British Columbia

Our drive started by back-tracking 50 miles or so on Rt. 37A to the Cassiar Highway. Remembering that there is a long uphill climb before the intersection with the Cassiar, we decided to wait until we reached the intersection to connect the car to the RV so as not to put so much stress on the engine. So, I hopped into my car with Sandy as company and followed the RV.

The 45 minute drive to the intersection was uneventful. There was a nice wide space just at the intersection, so we pulled over so we could hook up the car to the RV. I got out with Sandy, gave her a chance to go to the bathroom, and then walked towards the door of the RV. We were about 6 feet away from the door when Sandy let out a soft, low growl. I thought nothing of it, since she has a habit of growling or barking at garbage cans, tree stumps, mannequins, and the like. So, I casually looked around to see what “strange thing” had caused her to growl. Well, Sandy certainly had reason to growl! Just 20 yards ahead of us was a black bear and her two young cubs! Yikes!!!. Fortunately, mother and cubs were busy eating grass and paid no attention to us. I quickly shoved Sandy through the door, got inside and yelled to Jay “Don’t go outside!” Whew!

We watched them for about 15 minutes as they gradually made their way to within 20 feet of the RV. Those little cubs were so cute! They stayed so close to their mother that it was hard to get a good picture of the three of them. When they finally scampered up the bank into the woods, I moved quickly to get from the RV back to the car. We drove to the gas station on the other side of the road, where it was safer to attach the car to the RV.

The views as we drove to Smithers were definitely affected by the smoke caused by the many wildfires to the south. Only the vague outlines of the mountains were visible in the distance. The closer we got to Smithers, the greater the impact of the smoke, until even images of the landscape as close as 100 yards were clouded.

We made one final stop before reaching Smithers Municipal Campground- Simply Gus RV, to get the hydraulic line replaced. The repair took longer than we would have liked (5 hours!!), but the mechanic got everything working properly. Hurray!

Day 54
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Smithers, to Prince George, British Columbia

Today’s drive on the Yellowstone Highway from Smithers to Prince George was all about smoke from the wildfires in central British Columbia. I actually thought in the morning that the visibility was better than the day before. By noon, however, there was no doubt that conditions had worsened. We could no longer see even the outline of the mountains.

When we reached Prince George it looked like dusk, even though it was only 4 pm and sunset wouldn’t be until 9 pm. The skies looked eerie. By the time we went out to dinner at 7 pm, the sky looked even darker and stranger. The color of the sky was hard to describe, something like a dark pinkish, orange charcoal. One local told me it looked and felt like the end of the world. A sign at a KFC said “Pray for B.C.” (British Columbia).

By the time we finished dinner it had started to rain. For the first time, we could smell the smoke. It permeated the air. You could even smell the smoke inside the car and RV. I just read that already this has been the 2nd worst wildfire season in B.C. history. So far, over 1 million acres have burnt or are burning in B.C.

Day 55
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Prince George, British Columbia to Jasper National Park, Alberta

We continued on the Yellowhead Highway to Jasper National Park. According to the map, we passed Mount Robson. At 12,972 feet, it is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. Wikipedia says “the south face of Mount Robson is clearly visible from the Yellowhead Highway.” We have to take their word for it, because due to the smoke from the wildfires, we did not see it, not even a silhouette.

Fortunately, up-close visibility was good. Just outside of the town of Jasper we saw four elk, including one with her calf.