Pinkney Bee Abernathy [1900–1961] and his wife Elizabeth [b. 1905] arrived at Red Pass from Gainford, Alberta, in 1949. Abernathy, a native of North Carolina, set up a lumber mill at Swift Current Creek, which he operated until 1960.

A supporter of the Yellowhead Route, he worked on the construction of the highway through Mount Robson Park. Before there was year-round maintenance of this section of Highway 16, Abernathy kept the road open to obtain mail and freight from Red Pass and to reach a long-distance phone at Jasper.