I agree with Doug64 assessment of the Icefields Parkway. I took this in 2016 after the Cassiar.

In 1997 when I went down the Alaska Highway, I came via Edmonton and continued with the Yellowhead Highway across Saskatchewan and then via Winnipeg. The photo below was of the giant pysanka egg near Vegreville, AB. At the time the Yellowhead was four lanes in part of AB and mostly two lanes elsewhere. If you follow the Icefields Parkway you'll start somewhat further south than Yellowhead in Sasatchewan.

It probably would have been even better to take smaller roads (than either TCH or Yellowhead) but overall the Yellowhead was fine. I had several days of headwinds in MB but one day with tailwinds was really nice across the Prairie.