14
Trail Blazers taking a break1940-1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
15
Trail Blazers camp at Whitegoat CreekCirca 1945
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
16
A New Trail is Blazed in the Rockies!!By Freeda Fleming
Courtesy of the Ad-Viser Shop-O-Scope
(continued)
In 1945 they went again: Ross, Brett, Schierholtz, Ellenburgh, Hooker and a Mr. Brown and Mr. Pollock from Red Deer. Each trip saw a few more trees and stumps removed, more windfalls cleared out or detoured, and new courduroy laid across creeks and swamps. One member tells of crossing deep "washes" where the Forestry horse trails crossed on narrow single footpath width bridges. This time they had brought two stout planks. While the driver took the car across with the wheels on one side safely on the Forestry bridge, several men stood shoulder to shoulder down below holding the two planks steady to support the wheels on the other side. An undertaking not to be taken hurriedly. Fortunately no one lost his grip. This was a system Mr. Ross and Mary had invented on their 1931 trip.
For several years at this period the Canadian Government had established work camps for unemployed men, prisoners of war, and internees between Rocky and Nordegg, and the road here had become quite passable for much of the year, though still pretty primitive by today's standards. Motorists in recent years have complained of the dust (but) in those years you were glad it was dusty. That meant you didn't have to buck mud or snow.
17
Calculating the best place to ford the Whitegoat River, known now as the Cline River1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
18
Ernie Ross' Model A Ford fording a river, possibly the Whitegoat River1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
19
Slowly, but surely, we'll get there1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
20
A New Trail is Blazed in the Rockies!!By Freeda Fleming
Courtesy of the Ad-Viser Shop-O-Scope
(continued)
With a "good" road from Rocky to Windy Point, the 1946 crew made it in record time, 7 days to Banff and back. With great foresight they included as a working guest Jim McQueen, District Engineer for Department of Highways for this area. Some dynamite and powder men also fortunately were on hand. Gordon Sorensen, (of Sorensen Bus Lines) accompanied them, as well as Bill Fisher and Jim Horne, in addition to the ever faithful Ross, Schierholtz, Ellenburgh, Hooker and Father MacKenzie. Later Mr. McQueen made an official report to the Provincial Government supporting the Trail Blazer's previous claims that there were only two areas that entailed any costly construction, Whirlpool Point and Ski Hill, the rest would be quite simple. This proved true, for when Hon. Gordon Taylor officially opened the David Thompson Highway in 1968 he said the entire road had been built for the sum of three billion dollars. Since then paving had been added. It may now be truly termed a Highway of Happiness instead of Adventure Trail.
21
At camp1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
22
Someday this will be a piece of the David Thompson Highway1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
23
Using their muscles and physics to clear the way1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
24
Two of the Trail Blazers clearing windfall (trees brought down by wind) from a slope1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
25
The way is clear and someone's going back to drive the other car1940-1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
26
Ernie Ross' Model A Ford, with a coil of rope hanging off the front1940 - 1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
27
View of the North Saskatchewan River from Windy Point1940-1950
The West Country, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Rocky Museum
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