Great Divide (NOBO) - Day #44 Hinton, AB to Jasper, AB

Great Divide (NOBO) - Day #44

July 13 2022

Hinton, AB to Jasper, AB - 52 Miles

Start 6:34 AM Finish 1:23 PM

Total Duration 6:49

Moving Time 5:08

Stopped Time 1:41

Ascent 2,169 Feet

Descent 2,106 Feet

Tour Total 3,187 Miles

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/96394357

I slept as well as could be expected in Hinton Campground at site number 35. The huge nearby pulp plant hummed all night long. There was a railroad track right behind the campground and freight trains barreled through on a regular basis. In addition there was the noise from nearby four-lane Yellowhead Highway. It didn’t get as cold as past nights. Early in the morning I heard the tap tap of raindrops hitting my tent. I got up and checked the weather, and there were thunderstorms forecast for later in the morning. I packed up as quickly as possible, and started the ride wearing my jacket but not my socks or leg-warmers. The sky was gray and cloudy. My front tire still had air, but was soft. I inflated it with a CO2 cartridge and rode the bike path alongside the highway, back towards the center of town. It was 7 AM and the bike shop wouldn't be open until 10 AM.

Last night was logged as another campsite sneak-in. I justify these because I usually arrived late and leave early. I’m only one person on two wheels. I don’t build a fire or deposit much rubbish into the bin. My impact is practically nil, and I often leave my campsites cleaner than I found them. I don’t believe cyclists should have to pay the full price for a campsite. The accommodations here in Canada have been expensive, and I've felt the need to defray my costs.

I noticed a Shell station that doubled as a Tim Hortons. I ordered a Harvest Breakfast Sandwich and a Chocolate Chip Muffin. From the Shell station I got a Starbucks Frappuccino and a Dole 100% orange juice. After breakfast I Inflated my front tire with the coin operated air pump. I then got on Canada Highway 16 aka The Yellowhead Highway. It would be another three hours until the bike shop opened and I decided to take a chance that the plugs would hold. I still had one more CO2 cartridge, two inner tubes, and a pump. Most of the route to Jasper was pavement, and the last bit was single-track. If need be, I could bypass the single-track and stay on the highway. The Yellowhead Highway was four lanes divided with fast moving motor traffic. My tail light and radar were on. The sky was overcast and obscuring many of the dramatic mountain views. I rode out of Hinton through the sprawl of hotels and gas stations.

It was 53° F and a thunderstorm were still forecast for 11 AM. There were light sprinkles. The billboards for Jasper began even before I left Hinton. Jasper was fifty miles away. I passed the intersection for Highway 40 East which was the ACA Cadomin alternative. Then I passed the turn-off for 40 West. A road sign read that it was the scenic route to Alaska. The Yellowhead Highway merged down to two lanes and the sun began to emerge. I could somewhat see my shadow as the sun pushed its way through the haze. My tire pressure was holding.

I was now reentering the snow-capped rocky ridges that I had spent days circling around. I rode into a narrow valley packed with fir trees. I came to the Jasper National Park entrance and stayed to the far right to avoid paying the entrance fee. I crossed the Fiddle River, and saw three deer scramble into the woods.

It was starting to sprinkle again and I was getting cold, so I stopped at the Miette Mountain Cabins to put on my waterproof socks and rain pants. My rear light and radar was running low on battery, so I plugged it into my power pack, which I stuck in my rear pannier. The mosquitoes were voracious. I continued south along the Athabsca River, which was to my right. There were dramatic mountain ranges on both sides of the highway. The sun reemerged and I could see my shadow, but it was still cold.

By 10 AM I had ridden thirty-seven miles. I got to the fork on the route where the single-track split from the highway and I had a decision to make. I had a crudely plugged front tire that was still holding pressure. There were dark clouds in the sky, but it was now forecast to remain partly sunny. I could be in Jasper in ninety minutes on the highway. Who knew how long the single track would take. And what if I got a flat tire? The trail began at gravel parking area on the side of the highway. The trailhead was etched into a steep road cut and was an immediate forty-foot section of Fleecer Ridge-grade hike-a-bike scramble. I decided to take the single track.

I was now on the Overlander Trail, which was marked with small yellow diamond shaped signs with the number 10. It followed along a ridge and I was high above the Athabasca River and its many inlets. There were some steep dangerous crazy rock sections and wash-outs and I wiped out once. On a long hike-a-bike uphill I passed two hikers who told me that I was almost to the top. I was getting hot, and stopped to remove my rain pants and waterproof socks. I soon enjoyed the descent. Down in the valley I passed the Isador and Philomene Findley Homestead. Their family had been in this area since 1806, and they travelled each year to Edmonton to sell their pelts. I passed another hiker going the other direction. I crossed many slide areas with thick rocks that I walked my bike across. I crossed a stream and then had to walk my bike across another. The cold water felt good on my feet. I passed two hikers going the other direction and went around a small downed tree. It was really pleasant to be in the forest and I was pleased that I had chosen to end my tour on the single-track, rather than on the highway. It was a delightful reward that was beautiful and peaceful.

I crossed a small wooden bridge and then walked through a series of large muddy puddles. Eventually I was right up against the swiftly moving Athabasca River. I left the single-track and took a right onto a dirt road. This had definitely been the best way to Jasper. It was a fantastic way to end the tour.

I crossed the Sixth Bridge over the raging Maligne River. It would be so much fun to raft that wild current. I found myself on paved Maligne Lake Road, and the final trail was called the Athabasca River Loop. While single-tracking along the river I passed some day mountain bikers. I then crossed the river and came to the trailhead parking lot, and was back on pavement. I crossed over the river and headed into Jasper it was 1 PM and the single track had taken twice as long as the pavement. It was worth it!

Coming into town I noticed the Jasper Home Building Centre, where I stopped and purchased several rolls of packing tape. The motor traffic was queued up at a freight train crossing and I noticed a pedestrian / cyclist underpass. I made a beeline for the bike path and then to the Jasper Brewing Company, which was located on the main stretch. I grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered a Fire Engine Red Ale, the Alberta Pork Tacos, and a Caesar salad. Afterwards I rode over to The Bench bike shop to verify that they had saved a box for me. I then rode to the train station, where I would be packing up tomorrow. I rode along the highway to the far edge of town to get my Jasper welcome sign documentation, and then I went to the hostel. Check-in wasn’t until 4PM so I washed down my bike and bags in their garage. At 4 PM I locked by bike out front of the hostel and brought my bags up to my room. I shaved and showered, and left my bear spray, insect spray, sun screen, and chamois butter at the front desk for SOBO riders.

I returned to the brewery for more pints of Fire Engine Red, along with roasted cauliflower, pesto pasta, and tiramisu. I walked around town, and noticed that The Rocky Mountainaire train was in town. After forty-four days of pedaling though the Rockies, I had finally reached my destination.