The Critters of Banff National Park

This is an ongoing series recapping my 2008 trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Right next to the campground where we stayed was a large clearing named "Moose Meadows."  Twice daily - morning and evening - we'd pass right by.  Every time, Roger insisted on stopping to look for wildlife.  A name like "Moose Meadows" practically guaranteed a moose sighting, right?

See any wildlife?

Our first couple of days in the park, our only wildlife encounters were with dozens of chipmunks.  Roger kept looking for moose and elk, but there were none to be found.  Then, we went into the town of Banff.  Up on a high bank above the main road we spotted a small herd of elk.  We'd been looking in the wrong places.  Instead of roaming the forests of the park, the elk were all hanging out in town!

Our first bear sighting!

The morning we drove the Icefields Parkway, my hubby and I rose early to get a jump on the tourist crowd.  After our usual morning wildlife check at Moose Meadows, we headed down an empty park road.  Noticing a couple of cars pulled over up ahead, Roger slowed down as we passed by.  Turns out a bear was foraging in some bushes right next to the shoulder.  We stopped immediatly.  The bear was on my side of the car, not more than 20 feet away.  Excited, Roger rolled down my window, urging me to "take a picture!"

Okay - there was a bear very close by and my window was open!  I stammered "What are you doing?  There's a b-b-bear out there!"  Quickly slapping on my longest lens, I stuck it out the window and fired off a few quick shots before Mr. Yogi, not wanting to be a paparazzi subject, abruptly ended his breakfast and lumbered into the forest.

Our second bear sighting about an hour later

Wow - a real life bear sighting!  Roger and I were jazzed.  Then, not an hour later, stopped at one of the many overlooks, I spotted another bear.  It was a small black bear, hanging out in a flower field.  Just like the first one, this guy took one look at me and my long camera lens, and hightailed it out of there.

An overly friendly chipmunk

Although those turned out to be the only two bears we'd see, it was still plenty exciting.  Of course, the most up-close and personal wildlife encounter was when Roger was the victim of an ambitious chipmunk.  (If you missed that post, click on the hyperlink)

Animal crossing bridge

Driving the main highway to and from the town of Banff, Roger and I noticed an unusual overpass.  It's upper surface was thickly landscaped with plants and trees.  Upon closer inspection, we realized this was an animal crossing.  A tall chain-link fence paralleled the highway on both sides, keeping animals off the road, and directing them to their special bridge.  Collisions with elk and moose must've been a huge problem for the local government to finance such an elaborate structure.

Elk!

We never saw any elk in the park until our very last day.  Packed up, and driving towards the south exit, we came upon a huge herd nonchalantly crossing the road.  They had traffic at a standstill.

These elk wanted a bus ride

Lots of folks had gotten out of their vehicles, cameras in hand.  Since these elk had large horns, I opted to get my shots through the car window.

This big elk stopped traffic

The elk even had a tour bus stopped in it's tracks.  I got a kick out of the passengers lined up next to the driver, clicking away with their cameras.  This was one of my favorite animal photos from our trip.

Mama and baby mountain sheep

Continuing on with our journey south, we followed the Kananaskis River into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  It was beautiful country, with more tall snow-capped mountains, sparkling clear streams, and lush green forests.

Shaggy mountain sheep

It was here my hubby and I ran into a large herd of mountain sheep.  They were standing next to a campground entrance, nibbling away at the grass, paying no attention to the small cluster of people they were attracting.  There were several baby sheep in the herd, keeping their mothers close by.  With their small, fuzzy ears, and large dark eyes, these little guys stole the show. 

This one stuck his tongue out at me

While clicking away, I inadvertently captured a sheep sticking his tongue out.  (Or maybe it was intentional on the sheep's part?)

What you looking at?

We drove a little further down the highway and came upon some more sheep.  These guys were all males, and had long, curved horns.  Those horns looked like they could do some damage.  I stayed inside the car for all my photos.  Thank goodness for zoom lenses!

Moose-less Meadows

On our last morning in the park, we made one final stop to our now-familiar hangout, Moose Meadows.  Roger really, really hoped this would be the day he'd spot the elusive moose.  But, alas, it was not to be.  The entire week we'd never seen a slight sign of any wildlife in this meadow.  Driving away for the last time, Roger remarked that  this place should be renamed "Moose-LESS Meadows."  And from then on, that's what he and I called it.

This is the last of my Banff National Park posts.  I hope you enjoyed them.  I've got more photos of Glacier National Park (which we passed through on our way home).  If there's another blogging lull, I'll share those.


Sharing with:  Saturday's Critters

Juneuary Again.....

The snow situation on Mt. Hood and throughout the Pacific Northwest is looking mighty thin.  Apart from a series of storms during Christmas, and a small dusting on MLK Day, we've seen no white stuff the entire month of January.  Adding to our mountain's misery, the weather has been either a streak of unseasonably warm days, or torrential rain - neither of which are good for a dwindling snowpack.  For the third consecutive year, we're experiencing "Juneuary" once again.

Panoramic group shot

Now finally able to ski, and making up for lost time, I've been taking every opportunity to get on the mountain.  On the last Thursday of Juneuary, (oops, I mean January!) though the weather called for toasty temps, and the snow base was minimal, I decided to ride the ski bus up to Mt. Hood anyway.  Hey - it beats being at work!  (I always say, a crummy day skiing is better than the best day working.)

Poor Mt. Hood is looking bare

Due to the poor conditions, my usual ski buddies all stayed home.  All by my lonesome, sliding down a slope, I met up with a group of ladies from my bus.  I knew most of them from past ski lessons.  Seeing my single situation, they invited me to tag along.

Conditions were downright awful.  Our local ski area (ahem **Mt. Hood Meadows**) must've thought no one would be skiing that day, because they didn't bother grooming anything except the bunny slope.  Bumping over frozen mounds of cut-up snow was challenging, to say the least.  One poor lady in our group kept falling on the same run.  Trying to banish the bad ju-ju, she kept going back up and trying again.  But when not only her, but yours truly suffered a wipeout, we decided it was time to break for lunch.  (Luckily, no injuries - nothing was hurt but our pride.) 

I captured my grand biff on the GoPro and posted it here for you to enjoy.  I really don't know what  happened - one minute I was skiing along, and the next I was sliding face first down the hill.  I blame a snow snake!  (And if you don't know what a snow snake is, check out this post)

We decide to try Vista Ridge

Our group sat down to lunch, grousing about the poor conditions, trying to decide if we should go back out for the afternoon.  Now finally able to ski, I didn't want to sit in the lodge for the rest of the day.  I convinced the ladies to try a couple more runs before hanging it up.

We find the best run of the day on Vista!

Someone suggested we try a run off the Vista Lift.  Normally not one of my favorite places to ski at Meadows, but I figured, what the heck.  As my group ascended to the top, we noticed the sky clearing.  By the time we started down Vista Ridge, blue patches were elbowing out the gray clouds.

The snow here was fantastic!  No bumps, sun-softened, and smooth as silk.  We enjoyed our best run of the day.  Conditions were so wonderful, we all boarded the lift, eager to do it again.

We made several trips down Vista Ridge.  Each time the sky cleared a little more, until the top of Mt. Hood towered over the horizon.  I got out my GoPro to capture the grand scenery.  I'm getting much better at holding the pole, and shot a video at an angle I really liked.  My favorite mountain stayed in the background through most of the ride down.  Check it out!

Cold beverages on the patio - great way to end a day of skiing!

My group of friends and I ended up lasting nearly until 3:00, well past our original quitting time.  The day ended with everyone enjoying sunshine and a cold beverage on the patio.

Okay, the snowpack is wearing thin, rocks and stumps are sticking out all over, and snowstorms keep missing the PNW.  But for this one sunny Juneuary day, I had a wonderful afternoon making slushy tracks in what's left of Hood's snow.  Still better than sitting in the office. 

(But, darn it weather gods, send us some snow!)

Cape Meares

Continuing my recent fascination with the Oregon coast, two Saturday afternoons ago found me again traveling west, in hopes of catching a beach sunset.

Foggy beach near Oceanside

This time a change of venue!  Instead of hitting my usual Canon Beach haunt, I instead chose to head further south, bound for the charming coastal towns of Netarts and Oceanside.

Sunbeams through the coastal forest

It was a beautiful sunny day in Portland (very rare most winters, except for this one).  I expected the same clear blue skies on the coast.  Imagine my surprise, when, a few miles from the beach, a huge fog bank rolled in, and began to blot out the sun.  What???  How was I supposed to capture the sunset now?

Ocean view from Cape Meares

On the outskirts of Oceanside, I pulled into a roadside parking area and captured a few misty beach scenes.  Then I continued past the town, climbing a steep, windy road, until a sign for the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint came into view.

Tall cliffs

Lucky for me, Cape Meares is a tall headland rising 200 feet above the ocean.  That day, the elevation was enough to escape that murky fog shrouding Netarts and Oceanside.  Popping out of the clouds, I was treated to blue skies, and amazing ocean views.

Wave action at the cliff's base

The big attraction on Cape Meares is a historic lighthouse.  However, an overlook near the parking lot provides a killer Pacific Ocean panorama.  It was enough to keep me (and my camera) busy for several minutes.

Cape Meares lighthouse

I finally tore myself away and headed down the path to the park's main attraction.  A huge fan of lighthouses, this one did not disappoint.  The first overlook gives visitors a view looking down on this amazing bit of history.

Dramatic view from the lighthouse base

The Cape Meares Lighthouse was built in 1889, and commissioned on January 1, 1890.  The tower, standing a mere 38 feet in height, has the distinction of being the shortest lighthouse in Oregon.  It's structure consists of bricks covered with iron plates.

Fresnel Lens close-up

The lighthouse is illuminated with a first order Fresnel Lens, made in Paris, France.  The lens was shipped around Cape Horn to Cape Meares, and then hauled up the steep cliff by a wooden crane made from native timbers.  It is eight-sided, with four primary lenses, and four bulls-eye lenses covered with red panels.  The light can be seen from 21 nautical miles at sea.

Looking back on the fog bank enveloping Oceanside

A sad footnote, in 2010, a couple of local yahoos drove into this park under the cover of night, and shot up the Fresnel Lens.  The two guilty men were arrested and charged, but much time, effort, and money were poured into the restoration of the lighthouse and it's historic lens.  Happily, the lens is now repaired to it's former condition.

Oceanside beach before sunset

A return loop trail to the parking lot gave great views of Oceanside and it's beaches.  Well, if not for the fog, anyway.  Despite the thick cloud layer, I still got some great shots of the headland and sea stack tips sticking out of the gloom.

Lots of fog means minimal views

After a nice walk around Cape Meares, I headed back down to Oceanside.  One of my very favorite coastal towns, I love it's laid-back atmosphere.  There's no touristy shops, no cell phone coverage, and no ritzy resorts.  A tiny beach gives wonderful views of a group of sea stacks known as Three Arch Rocks.

Still, a peaceful place to be

But today's fog prevented any sea stack sightings.  I could barely glimpse their outlines through the mist.  Not enough for any good images.  Instead, I had to be content with photographing beach scenes.

Setting sun turns everything golden

As the sun sank lower in the sky, the fog began to lift for a couple of short minutes.  Hoping for a nice sunset, I stayed put.  But the clouds rolled back in, and I had to console myself with some shots of diffused golden light on the sand.

Lovely light on the sand

A high sneaker wave caught me while I was concentrating on a photo, soaking my legs below the knees (note to self...never turn your back on the sea!).  After that, I was ready for a hot cup of tea.  So I didn't bother sticking around for the sunset, and instead decided to beat the darkness back home.

Still not a bad way to spend a winter's afternoon.  I've bookmarked this location for a return trip.  Hopefully next time will be a sunny day!


Sharing with:  Scenic Weekends and Our World Tuesday

Back on the Bus

My weekly ski bus started January 8th.  But still recuperating from foot surgery, I had to sit out the first two weeks.  Oh, it nearly killed me being at work, knowing my friends were up on the mountain having fun in the snow! 

All smiles on a sunny morning!

But after the doc's blessing, and trial run on MLK Day, I was ready for a triumphant return.  Nervously watching the weather all week, things weren't looking good for ski bus Thursday.  The weatherman predicted rain on the mountain.  Nooooo!  If it's raining at the ski area, the bus is usually cancelled.  I was afraid I'd be spending yet another Thursday stuck at the office.

Glen waves "hi" for the camera

The big day dawned.  Rising early, I checked the weather at our local ski resort.  Conditions didn't look good.  They were reporting drizzle, fog, and warm temperatures.  I kept expecting a cancellation phone call from my bus mom.

But no call came.  The ski area website said nothing about bus cancellations.  Okay.....it appeared to be all systems go!  I packed up my gear and headed to the bus stop.

Glen, Judy and I ready to ski

Sure enough, the bus was waiting.  It was great to see all of my friends again.  Everyone expressed doubts about the weather (and some folks did cancel), but the rest of us had made our plans and decided to stick with them.  Whatever the conditions, it was better than being at work!

My group in action

All the way up the mountain, I fretted about skiing in the rain.  Imagine my surprise when, rounding the final turn into the parking lot, I glimpsed sun peeping out from behind the clouds.  A tiny patch of blue sky was starting to show.  Maybe we'd have a good day after all!

I met up with friends Glen and Judy.  We were all jazzed about the unexpected dry weather.  And the snow was soft and wonderful.  Without further ado, we hit the slopes.

Action selfie

This time, I remembered to bring my selfie pole, and attached my GoPro camera.  Time for some action videos!  It was great fun practicing skiing while holding the camera on a long pole.  Glen was a gentleman and offered to take my extra ski pole, so I didn't have to hold them both in the other hand.  But after a few runs, I got the hang of things, and took both poles back.

All of the photos in this post, except for the first one, are screen shots from videos.  I was proud of myself for figuring out how to capture still screen shots from a video.  (Hopefully no one is sick of all these selfies!)

And, of course I had to include a short clip from my grand video experiment.  Although I still need practice, it didn't turn out too shabby!

Our nice day turned into foggy snain

Sadly, by late morning, clouds enveloped the mountain, and soggy flakes began to fall.  The snow became wetter and wetter, until it was more water than ice (the folks in the ski resort business refer to this as "snain.")  The warm precip made the snow wet and sticky.  It wasn't much fun to ski, as everyone worried about the grabby conditions causing sudden stops.

This isn't fun anymore

So we decided to take an early lunch.  My foot was beginning to bother me, so I was ready for a break.  After sitting around the lodge for a good hour, Glen and another guy decided to go back out.  But with the lousy snow conditions, I didn't want to risk an injury, so I spent the afternoon in the bar with Judy.  We each nursed a glass of beer and caught each other up on our lives.

Time to hit the bar!

The weather turned wetter, and huge raindrops began to fall.  More and more skiers came into the lodge, all shaking water from their jackets.  Pretty soon, we had a large crowd around our table.  Nearly everyone from our ski bus had gathered for drinks and conversation.  A pleasant way to pass the rest of the afternoon.

The "back of the bus" gang

On the way home, I hung out with the "back of the bus gang" enjoying some more liquid refreshment.  And I learned a GoPro camera, although great for outside action shots, doesn't do so well capturing indoor images.  Oh well, I had fun trying!

Although I only held up for half a day, it was still great to be back on the bus.  Missing all my skiing friends, it was wonderful to reconnect.  Here's to more fun Thursdays - and a huge dump of snow on our mountains! 


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday and Wednesday Around the World.

Seagulls and Shipwrecks

Lately I've had a fascination with the Oregon coast.

Looking across the Columbia River to Washington

Normally on the mountain this time of year, I never visit the ocean beaches.  But still barred from skiing, in early January, I set my sights westward.  It all started with an excellent New Year's Day afternoon at Cannon Beach.  That trip whetted my appetite for further exploration.

Seagulls in flight

The following weekend, I convinced my hubby to join me for another coastal excursion.  Having spent most of the fall salmon season fishing at the mouth of the Columbia River, Roger wanted to show me his favorite lucky spots.  We headed to Fort Stevens State Park, on Oregon's north-westernmost tip.

One is more friendly than the others

It was a dismal, rainy day.  The minute we left home, dark clouds opened up, and continued to follow us most of the drive.  Arriving at Fort Stevens, Roger picked the furthest road west, where vehicles were allowed to drive onto the beach.  It was nice to explore the shoreline from the comfort of our truck.  With raindrops still pelting the windows, I didn't venture far from it's warm, dry interior.

Squabbling over stale popcorn

Drab, low-lying clouds obscured most views.  Across the Columbia River's wide channel, I could glimpse Washington's Cape Disappointment.  The Astoria Bridge was barely visible through the fog (if you look real hard you can kinda see it on the far right of my first photo).  A lone fisherman's boat bobbed in the waves.

I caught one guy in flight

A huge flock of seagulls provided some afternoon entertainment.  They were gathered near the water's edge, all lined up in rows.  Venturing closer to get some photos, I disturbed a huge flock, and had fun trying to capture them in flight.  Roger found a bag of stale caramel corn in his truck, and trying to attract the gulls, scattered it across the sand.  The birds came in droves!  Being a lazy photographer, I stuck my lens out an open window, and got some great shots of seagulls fighting over the loot.

Jetty overlook

After several minutes of seagull-watching, it was time for a change of scenery.  Back on Fort Steven's main road, Roger turned down another side road to see where it led.  We came upon a parking lot next to a huge jetty.  A short trail led to an elevated viewing platform.

Where the Pacific and Columbia meet

What could we see from on top?  Of course Roger and I had to find out.  Grabbing both my DSLR and GoPro cameras, I scrambled after my hubby.  The platform gave a wonderful panoramic view of the very place where the Pacific Ocean meets the mighty Columbia River. 

Wild waves

A tall jetty stretched far into the horizon, providing protection for ships as they entered or exited the Columbia Bar.  This is an especially treacherous part of the ocean, earning it's nickname as the "Graveyard of the Pacific" for the large number of shipwrecks that have happened over the centuries.

We had a grand time watching waves crash into the jetty's rock-lined shore.  I tried out my new GoPro camera, and captured a bit of wave action.  Check out the short video above.  I was pleasantly surprised by the sharpness of this footage, despite being shot in such dark, gloomy skies.

Peter Iredale shipwreck

Speaking of shipwrecks......there was one final attraction I wanted to see.  One of Fort Steven's beaches bears the rusting remains of an old sailing ship - the Peter Iredale.

The ship's hull is nearly rotted away

It took some searching down the state park's many side roads to locate the correct beach.  We'd almost given up, when I spotted a small sign that said simply "shipwreck" with an arrow pointing down a road.  Following it to the end led us to a waterlogged parking area.

Water rushing through the hull

Climbing to the top of a sandy dune, I spotted what was left of the ship.  Only it's rotting hull still visible, the rest of the ship had long weathered away, blasted by harsh winds and ocean waves.

Rusted remains

The Peter Iredale ran aground on October 25, 1906.  It had sailed from Mexico, bound for Portland, with a crew of 27, including two stowaways.  As the ship waited for a pilot to guide them across the Columbia Bar, a strong wind blew it into the breakers.  The Iredale ran aground, hitting so hard that three of her masts snapped from the impact.  Luckily, no one was seriously injured, and the crew were quickly rescued.

Tiny shorebirds

Since that day, the Iredale has remained stuck in the sand.  An immediate tourist attraction, crowds of people flocked to the beach to view it's wreckage.  Over a century later, these rusted remains continue to draw many visitors.  A picturesque bit of history, it's an often-photographed landmark.  I walked around the beach, snapping photos of the rusting shell from all angles, until heavy rain, and an aching foot, forced me back to Roger's truck.

Shipwreck reflections

Although the weather was less than cooperative, it was still great to get away and see some new sights.  Oceans, beaches, rivers, waves, seagulls, and shipwrecks.  My coastal itch was satisfied - at least for another week!


(Note to my readers:.  I like to make leaving a comment as easy as possible, but two spam attacks in as many days has forced me to activate comment moderation.  Sorry for the inconvenience.)


Sharing with:  52 Photos Project and Saturday's Critters