Gratitude Monday -- Remains To Be Seen Edition

For our Saturday hike we dipped into Banff National Park and did part of the Howse Pass.
That's an undeveloped and flat way to get from Alberta to BC.
We got as far as the Howse River, about 5 km down the path of the 28.8 km hike.
Hikers like the trail and pack trips are often made along the route.
It is wonderful. It's beautiful and wild and home to plants and trees and wildlife that remain relatively unmolested by civilization.
I am grateful for that, and grateful that we made the walk.
There's a steep bit at the start of the hike as the path descends into Mistaya Canyon, crosses the Mistaya River, and climbs up a wee bit before all but leveling out until descending into the river bottom of the Howse River.

But every lustrum or so some politically-excited fellow decides there should be a highway through the Howse Pass.
This nonsense has been going on for decades now. The point of the argument is economic, nothing else.
Howse Pass is just south of where Highway 11 meets the Icefields Parkway so if it is punched through the wilderness, it'll bring more people to Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House and assorted other Central Alberta locations.

The subject comes up, enjoys a bit of press in Central Alberta, and then dies until the next person thinks what a good idea it is.
It isn't, and I am grateful that the idea has been stomped down each and every time it comes up.
Further, I have it on good authority that it is only an issue in Central Alberta.
No one else knows and no one else cares. I am grateful for that.
And if it ever became the subject of national discussion plenty of people would care enough to stomp the idea out again.
The undeveloped pass remains to be seen.
I am grateful for that, too.

Looking east from the Howse River.

Looking north and a bit west.