Traveled through Banff and Jasper Parks without seeing one bear! Saw lots of beautiful scenery though. Thunderstorm just developed. Have to post now!
Month: June 2016
Leaving Waterton Lakes National Park
June 28th was a traveling day. Two deer crossed the street in front of me in downtown Banff. Had a little rain. Another deer crossed the highway when I stopped for him. Got to see some more Rams.
Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada
On June 27, I left Glacier National Park in Montana and crossed the border into Alberta, Canada. Camped in the Waterton Lakes Campground. Visited the Prince of Wales Lodge. Took pictures of some of the waterfalls in the area. Today is Wednesday, June 29, 2016. I am posting this blog from the Dairy Queen at Hinton, Alberta, Canada where I am staying at the KOA campground.
Final Images From Glacier
Since Starbucks wifi is working nicely, I figured I should take advantage of this opportunity and add one more post today. I started my day early again as usual on June 26, 2016. It was a beautiful blue sky, sunny day. Left the campground at 5:30 AM with intentions of hiking to the Hidden Lake Summit above Logan’s Pass to maybe see Mountain Goats. The local Big Horn Rams altered those plans a bit. Met them coming through the tunnel below Logan’s Pass on Going to the Sun Highway. Then a Grizzly Bear just below the Rams also distracted me for some time. Nice distractions! Finally started my hike at 8:45 AM. Met a nice 75-year old man named Dave at the top. Talked and made our way back down the trail. He encouraged me to slide down the hill with many others, even though I was carrying two cameras, a tripod, and backpack. You only live once! The parking lot was completely full when I got back down after about four hours or so. The dog on the bench at the KOA represents how exhausted I was after hiking with all the extra weight I was carrying!
More Glacier National Park
Today, Tuesday, June 28, 2016, I stopped at the Starbucks in Fernie, British Columbia, Canada and found out I could publish a new blog post. Here are some new images of Glacier NP. The images were taken on June 25, 2016. The first one is inside Lake McDonald Lodge where many folks were hanging out because of the cold, wind, and rain. My traveling buddy, Valentine and me are having a great time no matter what the weather. Most of our days have been ideal weather days. Lots of snow in Glacier. Hiked only part of the Sperry Chalet trail just to remember the hike my brother and a friend took when we were very young. Also, thinking of when my son and I hiked the trail to visit the mountain goats on top of the mountain years later. The trail is 6.3 miles one way, which makes for a 12.6 mile round trip full day hike. If you remember the Big Horn Rams in the Logan Pass Visitor Center parking lot from the day before, you can see how dramatic the weather changes things from one day to the next.
Glacier National Park
Drove the Going to the Sun Highway on June 24, 2016. Left my KOA St. Mary/East Glacier campground at 6:00 AM. Most folks don’t seem to get up until about 10:00 AM. Big Horn Sheep Rams met me in the parking lot at Logan Pass. Got to hang out with them for about an hour when they decided to move across the highway! Also, met Justin and Claudette and their dog Maggie from Montana.
Day Three in Yellowstone
On June 21, 2016, you knew I would be looking for bears before traveling on to Polson, Montana and then to Glacier National Park! Here is the black bear sow and her cub I found along the road to Mammoth Hot Springs, Montana.
Day Two in Yellowstone National Park
I’m staying at the Grizzly Bear RV Village in West Yellowstone, Montana as I did last September! Another day in the Yellowstone National Park begins at the west entrance where you drive along the Madison River. Could not find any eagles as I did in September. Long days of driving around the park searching for wildlife. Here are some images of what I found. Surprised to find the nest of Osprey. Waited two hours to get the shot of Dad Osprey taking flight after delivering a fish to Mom and two chicks in the middle of the view of the Canyon area of the Upper Falls. The last image just proves that some folks don’t understand the concept of getting your picture at a safe distance of one hundred yards!
First Day in Yellowstone National Park
On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19, 2016, I drove from Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone National Park in about four hours. The large motor home parked behind my Honda Element and Little Guy MyPod travel trailer is worth about 1.5 million dollars! My vehicle and trailer are valued at much less! The black bear is the original “Tree Hugger.” Lots of wonderful waterfalls.
A Morning of Hiking in Grand Tetons
This morning I started out early hiking the Taggart Lake trail to Taggart and Bradley Lakes as well as the Beaver Creek trail. Forgot to post the coyote that walked across the road when I was leaving RMNP and the Cow moose and calf that greeted me when I pulled in to the Gros Ventre Campground in GTNP. Added some more moose pictures. Didn’t have my friend Peter to go hiking with so I had to go it alone again. Lots of folks on the trail though. Had my bear spray, but saw no bears! Spent some time in the Jackson Hole square after my morning hikes.
Smith's Uncommon Adventures 