Cockrane

During our in Calgary, I would quite often drop Kerri off at work and just drive out into the prairies animal spotting. Today was probably my last chance to do exactly that. I slid off the Trans-Canada out past Cochrane with the hope that I might catch a couple of photos of a big moose or something. No moose but plenty of deer in full antler and no shortage of raptors.

Above are a couple of white tailed deer. The white tails are very skittish, so the best way to take a photo is to creep up on them and take the shot as quickly as possible before they bolt. I'm guessing they get harassed by predators and particularly hunters quite a bit.

You can't go too far out in the farmland around Calgary without seeing mule deer. I found this doe and a buck (below) just going about their business in a field. After a summer of plenty, the deer were all in great condition.

Oddly enough, after 18 months in Canada, this was the first time I'd seen a mule deer in full antler. He's not the biggest one I saw today, but the others were being difficult about being photographed.

Hawks (and harriers) seem to be the dominant type of raptor on the prairies and I rarely saw anything else. The big eagles we saw were predominantly close to the cost and the smaller falcons and kites that we see lots of in Australia, seem to be non existent. So I thought.
I was quietly wrapped to spot a small falcon this morning. I would guess that this little guy wouldn't be any bigger than a small parrot (about budgie size to those Aussie readers).

I thought I'd seen most of the resident hawks from around Calgary, but yet again, a pleasant surprise. Having done some research, I think it's a Swainson's Hawk with winter plumage, but not being much of an expert, I can't confirm that. I'm going to have to go hunting (with the lens) the smaller raptors back in Australia. There are some big eagles out west if you get lucky.

Jasper

Patricia & Pyramid lakes

Today was the last day of our whirlwind mountain adventure, we set off early again and headed just outside Jasper to Patricia and Pyramid lakes. On the way, when we least expected it, a bear appeared.

We watched the bear for a little while before continuing to Patricia Lake. This is a different aspect to that last time I wrote about this lake. (Photo by Julie).

Next stop was Pyramid Lake. I've posted a couple of nice photos of this one before but this time I had an opportunity to take a photo of the lake with a couple of elk wandering the shoreline.

Angel Glacier

We were keen to show Julie Angel Glacier & Mt Edith Cavell. We were there earlier in the season but this time it was a little different. I'm assuming the melting snow and melting glaciers had filled the lake with water and ice bergs. The rock I had walked out onto a couple of months previous had disappeared. There were far more little icebergs than last time as well.

Angel Glacier's foot lake is an odd one with icebergs and light blue alluvial tint. It's also quite high up and with the cold temperatures it had a thin sheet of ice covering a good part of the surface. Above, Julie amused herself with small pieces of the ice sheet.

Lake Edith Cavell

The lake at the foot of Angel Glacier empties into a larger lake called Lake Edith Cavell. It's one of the rarely visited lakes because the tourist buses can't get near it so nobody seems to know anything about it. You can see Mt Edith Cavell in the background to the left. The same snow covered peak next to Angel Glacier.

Stutfield Glacier

Reluctantly we headed south toward Lake Louise and Calgary. We stopped at a few places along the way, particularly where the weather had been misbehaving on the way North. This one is Stutfield Glacier.

Mt Andromeda

Mt Andromeda forms part of Parker Ridge. This is the view from the valley where the Athabasca Glacier once flowed.

Athabasca Glacier

Ah! So this is what the Columbia Icefields looks like when it's not in a snow cloud! It's kinda different with clear weather. I'm really glad that the weather cut us a bit of slack so that Julie could have a chance to see Canada in it's full glory. I fear that she was still a bit underwhelmed. I guess that's the advantage of living over here. You get a chance to go back to the same places a few times, giving you a chance to see it in good weather and in different seasons. (Photo by Julie)
Moraine Lake

Our favourite lake in Canada. It's a tricky one those because those imposing peaks attract bad weather, so catching it on a clear windless day is very rare. Unfortunately for our visitor, there was no such luck today.

Rundle Mountain

You'll recall me mentioning the lack of snow on the mountains around Banff a few days ago. Well, here's Rundle Mountain three days later with a nice white frosting on top.

The Three Sisters

Again, three days later, the Three Sisters had been through a face lift as well.
We won't see the the Rocky Mountain Parks again before we go return to Perth. We have one last trip down to Waterton National Park in  few weeks, but that's it for Banff, Jasper or Yoho National Parks. It is a bit sad really, but I'm sure we'll be back soon enough.

The Icefields Parkway

We stayed at Lake Louise again last night at Lake Louise. This morning we packed the car, took a last look at Lake Louise and took the turnoff for Hwy 93, the Icefields Parkway. We started early again to stay ahead of the tour buses, but maybe didn't need to because the weather wasn't exactly ideal. Fortunately it did improve as the day wore on.

Crowfoot Glacier

The customary first lookout point was Crowfoot Glacier. The weather was wintery like the previous day and unfortunately didn't make for nice photos. It was interesting to see these sights with snow clouds shrouding the peaks. (photo by Julie)

Bow Lake

Right next to Crowfoot Glacier is Bow Lake. This is one of my favourite lakes in the mountains, but the weather wasn't playing by the rules this morning. The lake still had the beautiful green colour to it despite the cloudy conditions. (Photo by Julie)

Peyto Lake

We snuck up to the 'tour buses only' car park at the Peyto Lake outlook. It was still quite early and the buses wouldn't be there for at least an hour or so. I stayed in the car just in case. Wasn't a bad option in the end. The lookout is quite high up as far as the Icefields Parkway goes and it was cold with some light snow was falling. The girls were none to impressed with the cold by the time they got back, but managed to get the first few decent photos of the day. Out in the distance toward Jasper, the cloud did seem to be breaking up.

Waterfowl Lake

Waterfowl Lake didn't disappoint on this occasion. Quite often we've come to this lake and been a bit underwhelmed because when the wind picks up it's just not that exciting. This time it was dead calm and the reflection combined with a bit of snow on the peak of Mt Cephren made for a great view.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls isn't one of the most spectacular waterfalls going around and it is quite difficult to get a nice photo of it. We stopped and had a look anyway with a different agenda. We had done some research and learned that just next to Bridal Veil Falls was another hardly visited and much more spectacular water fall. We descended from the Icefields Parkway and found a nicer view of Bridal Veil Falls from along the path to the other falls.

Panther Falls

After taking a wrong turn somewhere along the poorly marked track, we found the right track and were still wondering whether there was a waterfall at all. Then, all of a sudden, we turned the corner and there it was! Panther Falls turned out to be one of my favourite (if not the favourite) waterfalls in Canada. The early morning clouds had lifted and allowed us to see the beautiful sight in all its glory. We even saw the rainbow that I'd overheard a photographer talking about a month ago. Nobody I've spoken to amongst my friends in Canada even knew this existed. We had to go, but I could have sat and watched the waterfall for ages.

Parker Ridge

Parker Ridge is really popular with alpine skiers and hikers, depending on the season. Most of the tourist set drive straight past it. I quite like it because you're up above the tree line and the panoramic view is quite humbling.

Athabasca Glacier

If you were to walk over Parker ridge you would end up right at the foot of the Athabasca Glacier and probably the most horrible tourist trap along the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefields Centre is incredibly overrun but tourists and the bus (above) tours onto the glacier are a complete rip off. It's easier to take a couple of photos and keep going. It's a shame because the view from the viewing deck is quite to scene with the right conditions. Unfortunately, not today.

Tangle Falls

Tangle Falls is always worth a stop. In bright conditions it can be quite photogenic if you can get the marauding tourists out of shot. Today wasn't quite there.

Chain Range

 The weather was really odd today. One minute we were submerged in thick snow laden clouds and then the next we were in beautiful blue skies. That's just how the mountains are I guess.
Although we'd been through this valley a number of times before, we'd rarely stopped to take photos. The range to the right of shot is called the Chain Range and seems to go on for ever when your driving beside it. It's a classic example of the pushed up sandstone layers that are typical of the Rocky Mountain formations.

Sunwapta Falls

No trip along the Icefields Parkway is complete without a visit to the two waterfalls up at the northern end, Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls. They are about 20kms apart but are strangely similar. I never get tired of seeing waterfalls.

Athabasca Falls

Horseshoe Lake

Here's another little hidden gem, Horseshoe Lake. It is one of those signs that we keep seeing and saying "Let's just get to Jasper and we'll stop next time." We finally stopped and it was so worth it. It's a beautiful lake and the colour of the water is as dark green/blue as I've seen anywhere. Unfortunately the setting is nothing flash. No snow capped mountain peaks or anything remotely interesting in the background. The places where you can view this lake are right up on small cliffs at the edge of the lake so you just can't get a decent photo to show how gorgeous this little lake really is. I did try.

Maligne Canyon

We arrived in Jasper fairly early in the afternoon so we had a bite to eat and set off along Maligne Canyon Road. The initial stop was an old crowd pleaser, Maligne Canyon. I always marvel at the depth of the chasms in this canyon, along with the multiple waterfalls along the way.

Medicine Lake

We went out as far as Medicine Lake hoping to see a bear or two. It's proven to be a happy hunting ground for us, but sadly, not today. Medicine Lake always makes it worth the drive.

I've caught glimpses of these little creatures at various times while on various hikes. They're called Pikas and are about the same size as a large mouse. They're fairly closely related to the ground squirrels and, oddly, have no tails. It makes them look like a cross between a guinea pig and a mouse. They like to live amongst rocks and have a ferocious appetite for all things leafy. There was a family of these skittish little things right at the Medicine Lake viewpoint. Tick... another animal to add to my photo collection.
More from Jasper tomorrow.

Yoho National Park and Golden

Day 2 of our whirlwind mountain visit took us across the border into beautiful British Columbia. The weather wasn't exactly brilliant, but with such a short time, we had no choice but to continue. It was beautiful and fine through all of August last summer but not today.

Kicking Horse Alpine Resort

We drove into Golden and out to the Kicking Horse Alpine Resort (ski village) to check out the Grizzly Bear Refuge. Grizzlies had proven so hard to find in the wild during our 18 month stay in Canada so we figured we'd try a sure thing. Of course there was the obligatory tourist shot at the resort.

The bear habitat was part the way up the mountain and the best way to get there was on the chair lift. There was a dismount off the chair about 2/3 of the way up and without snow, skis or snowboards, it was more than a bit tricky. Of course the further up we got the colder it got. We were glad we bought our cold weather gear with us that's for sure. The girls made sure they had hot drinks with them for extra warmth. Of course having a hot drink in your hand while trying to get off a ski lift that was going straight on while on foot just added to the degree of difficulty.

Meet Boo. He's the resident male grizzly at the Kicking Horse bear refuge. The refuge is the biggest bear habitat going around and he has no contact with people at all (other than those of us gawking at him from over the fence). I was really concerned that he'd be hiding under a bush and we wouldn't get to see him. Fortunately he was out and about and very close to our vantage point.

I'm kicking myself for not being quick enough with the camera to take a photo, but they feed Boo by dropping food from the ski gondola that runs right above the middle of his enclosure. There's a little pond under the gondola and a couple of apples ended up in it. Boo knew what was going on and went right after them. I never thought I'd see a full grown grizzly bear bobbing for apples. He seemed to enjoy the challenge.

The keepers throw all manner of food into Boo's enclosure and make sure they scatter it to make him work for it. The problem for Boo is that birds don't have to worry about the multi-strand electric fence, so they think the food's being provided for their benefit. Boo took great offense to this murder of crows and chased them off. It suddenly became apparent that grizzly bears aren't as slow as they look. We gained a new respect for them and will be making sure that we keep our distance when we see them in the wild.

It wasn't just the ravens stealing boo's food. There were lots of smaller birds picking off the peanuts and other little snacks. This one is a Steller's Jay. They have incredible vibrant blue feathers. They're cheeky little sots and very difficult to photograph because they simply won't sit still.

This is the view from Boo's enclosure. It looks back toward Golden and the Kicking Horse Valley. As you can see, the weather had turned down right dodgy. Early August is not meant to bring snow clouds. I guess that's Canada for you.

After the bear habitat, we scrambled onto the chair lift again and headed down to the resort, only to board the gondola to the top of the ski area. As we stepped out of the gondola we were greeted by light snow! (The locals call light snow 'Flurries".) There's a restaurant at the top and more importantly a toilet.

After the toilet stop we had a bit of a look around, but there's not much of interest. It really is just a step off point for some great ski runs. The most interesting thing was the crazy downhill mountain bikers. They used the gondolas for the up hill and then go nuts on the way down following the ski runs.

I'm kicking myself that I couldn't get organized enough to snowboard this resort last season because there is some awesome terrain on that mountain.

Wolf Discovery Centre

After visiting Boo, we headed back to Golden an then on to the Wolf Discovery Centre. Kerri and I had been there before, but it was more about showing our visitor the Rocky Mountains. We were more fortunate than last time because then we only saw two of the wolves. This time we were lucky enough to see four of the six. We even saw Tuck and Aspen go for a walk (above), Tuck is the grey male. Well sort of..... they were on a lead for a short time before being bundled into a 4x4 and taken elsewhere for a walk.

Meet Aspen. She's actually what they call a wolf dog; half dog, half wolf. She was introduced to the centre early on to help settle the full blood wolves. She is much more placid being half domestic dog. She's a bit more like a husky or malamute than a wolf.

This is Maya. She's Tuk's sister and was in the front enclosure with Wylie who's we saw last time. Maya and Aspen are permanently separated because the two are competing for the alpha female role in the pack and the risk of serious injury are too much in the confined spaces. This photo was taken while the pack were howling (obviously).

Some of you will remember Wylie from previous blog entries. He's a magnificent animal and very photogenic.

Here's Wylie hard at work. It's a tough job...

The Wolf Discovery Centre has three Karelian Bear Dogs. These are a domestic dog breed from Russia that were once used to hunt bears. In these days of wildlife conservation, they now use them on the fringes of cities and towns to intimidate bears back into the wild. It means that the bears go back to living their lives normally instead of trying to pick up easy snacks in towns because of human stupidity. It's a great concept and beats the hell out of shooting 100s of 'Problem Bears' each year.

Golden

I may have mentioned once or twice about the North American obsession with RV's. It probably started from people being afraid to camp in tents because of the bears and cougars. They instead opted for a campavan. Unfortunately the obsession with having something bigger and better than the Jones's has resulted in this. It's ridiculous! I dread to think what they have in the trailer. The money these clowns pour into these things would buy some serious airline tickets, hire cars and really flash accommodation for quite some time. It kind if defeats the purpose a bit. This wasn't even the craziest one we saw!

Yoho National Park

Natural Bridge

The afternoon was directed more at scenery than animals. We headed back toward Field and Lake Louise. Our first point on interest was Natural Bridge. Having been there a few times trying to get a decent photo (with no luck due to weather issues) we managed to hit it at the right time. The dodgy weather of the morning gave way to some sunshine for a short while.

Emerald Lake

By the time we arrived at Emerald Lake, the weather had closed in. (This photo was taken by Julie).

Takakkaw Falls

Of course, no trip into Yoho National Park is complete without a trip to Takakkaw Falls. It still impresses me even though I've seen it a few times now.

The Spiral Tunnels

Being an engineer, we thought Julie would be interested in the Spiral Tunnel. We were lucky to get there right when a train was descending the pass.
We had a pretty good day despite the weather doing its best to make a mess of it. We're looking forward to heading north to Jasper tomorrow.