Mountains, Mines and Maps

Happy Labour Day weekend! I hope this last official weekend of summer is treating you right? It is me, thanks! I am happy to report I had an appreciated epic Vagabond Adventure yesterday. The day dawned cool and bright. Perfect for a drive through the Rocky Mountains! I looked at my Backroads of Southern Alberta map book and pondered what road to travel. Which one have I not experienced? As it turns out, a different book inspired my adventure.

I am in the midst of reading D’Arcy Jenish’s Epic Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West. The story of David Thompson is an intriguing one for me. I love maps! Where have I been? Where to go next? In my publishing career I have been fortunate to be on the development team for a number of geography resources for Canadian schools that whetted my appetite for better understanding how our amazing landscapes interact with us and how we change and evolve to suit our landscapes. But today we have the advantage of satellite imagery and aerial photography to help us both see and locate our rivers, lakes, mountains, towns and cities, placing them in space and time. Imagine what it was like for Thompson in the late 1700’s just trying to survive in the rugged and wild landscape of early Canada. How does one navigate and map make with only the stars, un-named rivers and your wits to guide you? I am just in the early chapters of Jenish’s book and I promise to write a Part Two to this post once finished to better answer this question.

Thompson is known as one of the greatest geographers of his time. Working for both The Hudson Bay Company and later the North West Company during the fur trade, Thompson spent nearly three decades surveying and mapping Canada’s west. To commemorate his efforts schools, rivers and roads have been named after Thompson and it was this road, The David Thompson Memorial Highway, that drew me north yesterday. I traveled north and west from Cochrane up the staggeringly beautiful Icefields Parkway to reach the majestic Saskatchewan River Crossing. I have driven this route many times before on my way to Jasper but have never had the opportunity to head east on the David Thompson. I’m so glad I did! While the Rockies tower above and surround you on the Icefields Parkway, the mountains, the Saskatchewan river valley and the sweeping Kootenay Plains literally unfold beside you to take your breath away on the Thompson Highway. My goal was simply to enjoy the drive along this new-to-me road, with no explicit destination in mind. But I did find a few gems that made me wish I had more hours in this day. Another trip north is now planned for later this month before the snow flies (I hope!)

My first photo stop was an unexpected one. Just after turning east at Saskatchewan River Crossing I came across the startling scene you see above. This past summer, both British Columbia and parts of Alberta experienced raging wild fires that devastated many beautiful hectares of park land. This area along the Saskatchewan River did not go untouched but what touched me was the sheer beauty of the new growth that has already sprouted in defiance amongst the ashes. The air was still acrid with smoke, but sprigs of green and purple provided a hopeful, vivid contrast to the stark, blackened trees. A surreal experience!

Further along the Thompson Highway I had the pleasure to visit historic mining town, Nordegg, enjoying the informative Nordegg Heritage Centre that houses a well-curated museum, gift shop and thankfully for this hungry traveler, The Miner’s Cafe. Can I report that I had the best grilled cheese sandwich, steaming mug of tea and bumble berry pie EVER? As my light was starting to fail, I traveled on to Rocky Mountain House, home of Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site. My brief visit to this this thoughtfully maintained national gem that boasts “Nine Aboriginal Cultures, Five Forts, Two Companies…One Great Site” whetted my appetite to spend a day here soon to take in the interpretive programs and caught-in-time archaeological finds that will help bring David Thompson’s era to life for this curious wanderer. Stay tuned for more stories about Nordegg, Rocky Mountain House, and David Thompson later this fall.

In the meantime, please check out the snaps I captured along the way now posted on my website. I would also like to say thanks to all of you who followed along yesterday as I posted Instagram snaps from my adventure. I never feel alone on the road with you along for the ride with me! It is so appreciated!

Have a wonderful rest of your long weekend!