Day 39: Mt. Robson River Campground - Sunwapta Falls

We slept quite well, even if you heard the road; maybe it was not so cold. And the mulch covered place for the tent was also very comfortable.

We start at about 9am, so we should have enough time to ride to Miette Hot Springs and then Jasper.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work out this way. Not far from the entrance to the national park we arrive to a accident as the second ones after a few cyclists - a truck has been going down the street embankment and lies on the side with a badly damaged driver's cab. Creepy. Wolle goes down to look after them, Brigitte together with one of the cyclists tries to stop the trucks and cars in each direction, so that someone makes an emergency call - because, of course, there is no signal here. After two drivers have confirmed to make a call as soon as possible, a vehicle stops and it turns out that one of the women is a nurse. A blessing. The next hour, Brigitte makes sure that people drive by as slowly as possible and do not hurt some of the people on the road. Meanwhile, Wolle, the cyclist's wife, the nurse and another guy are trying to help the driver and his friend. The driver Ron is seriously injured. We helpers can not do much more than make him comfortable with blankets, hold him and reassure him. The man has a severe shock and a wound on the head and perhaps some inner injuries, so we do not dare to move him.

Co-driver Charly can not take it anymore at some point and heads up to the street when Brigitte cares about him.

Another guy with some first aid training joins us, who is reassuring us a bit. When the professional helpers finally arrive after about an hour, we are relieved. Wolle comforts the cyclist Tora, who probably suffered a little shock herself, but impressively took control of the situation.

All in all, it took quite some time until help came, but the police and the fire brigade quickly and professionally controlled the situation. 

We continue to Japer and treat ourselves with a break and some food and consider how we'll spend the day. We decide to give up the detour to the Hotsprings and ride directly to the booked accommodation. Here and there are a few viewpoints, but since there's still smoke the view is still bad.

We arrive at Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Lodge in the late afternoon and move into our room. At the end of the day we walk to the Upper and Lower Sunwapta Falls for about 1.5 hours. The waterfalls are great. Incredible amounts of water thunder into the depths.

Hardly back, we go to the restaurant of the lodge, where we get an unexpectedly good dinner. We opt for the three-course menu of pumpkin soup (excellent!) and salad and as a main course salmon. Finally, there is a blueberry dessert with cream. We go to bed full and happy.