Sunday, June 16, 2013
Where Grizzlies Roam
For the past week I had been debating as to whether or not, I should go up to Red Deer for the Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club (CAARC) picnic and hamfest, or head out to Kananaskis Country where the winter gate on highway 40 at Kananaskis Lakes would be opened for the season on June 15, allowing for travel from highway 1 south to Highwood House, and then out to Highway 22 at Longview.
In the end I decided to forgo the hamfest and drive highway 40 over the Highwood Pass, as I have been itching to make this drive, one of my favorite drives in southern Alberta.
There was also a good possibility of seeing wildlife, and I would be bringing my long lens along just in case of that possibility.

The drive across the city proved uneventful with few vehicles on the streets, and once I left the city behind, highway 1 also proved to be lightly travelled. I made good time on my drive west, and time passed quickly as I listened to my favorite satellite radio station channel 112 on Sirius XM radio while sipping on chai tea.
Once I reached highway 40, I pulled over and got my camera gear ready for action, as there would be no time for that, if I came up on any wildlife feeding along the highway. In the past several weeks, I had it on good authority that a female grizzly with her 3 cubs had been feeding in the vicinity of the ranger station just off of highway 40, and I felt there was a good possibility that they could still be in the area. At this time of the year, when the grizzlies are out and about, they can be found in the valley bottoms, as the high-country is still loaded with snow, and not much is growing. They also can be spotted feeding along highway 40, as the roadside ditches and meadows are like a smorgasbord for wildlife, and grizzlies in particular, what with the roots of sedge, horsetail, and cow parsnip that put in a early appearance.
With the time coming up on 5:15am, and sunrise due in a few moments, all thoughts of sunrise were forgotten as movement out my drivers side window caught my attention. I realized that I had found those elusive grizzlies, as I could make out the mama grizzly and her 3 cubs moving through brush about 50 meters away, and they were moving parallel to the highway in the direction that I was travelling. I quickly rolled down my window and placed my heavy bean bag over the open window sill. With my camera and long lens in place, I pulled to a stop somewhat ahead of where I had first spotted the grizzlies. As they moved through the brush parallel to my position, I could hear them in the still of the early morning, and I was getting glimpses of them, but nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing photograph worthy.


I continued driving south on highway 40, and upon reaching the junction to the lakes, it was nice to see the winter-gates hanging open as I began the climb to the Highwood pass. Just short of the pass, I spotted a young male grizzly feeding on the west side of highway 40. He looked up at me as I slowed for a look-see, but I continued on, as he was a nice looking young grizzly, but I was still riding a high from having observed and photographed the mama grizzly with her 3 cubs. so this young male grizzly would wait for another day.


Pikas do not hibernate and for this reason they must gather and store enough food supplies to last the winter, when harsh weather limits their foraging options. During the warmer months of the year, Pikas spend much of their time stashing extra plants. They cut large amounts of fresh grass or various plants with their sharp teeth. The carry bundles of cuttings in their mouth and stash them in storage locations. These storage piles are either nestled within the rocks or are located near their dens in big mounds or "haystacks" not unlike a rancher gathering hay for the winter months.
I had just got back to my truck that I had parked just off the shoulder, when a passing motorist stopped to tell me that there was a grizzly with her cub just back down the road a ways. I quickly threw my gear in the truck and drove down to where this female grizzly and her cub were feeding near the road. This female grizzly proved to be a younger grizzly than the previous grizzly with the 3 cubs that I had photographed early. Still, this mama grizzly was a very fine looking bear with a beautiful cub, that she kept a close watch over, while they fed on dandelions and other succulents
Earlier, I had noticed that the road up to the little Highwood pass, located below the Highwood pass was closed due to bear activity. It became apparent that this young female grizzly and her cub were probably the reason, as they were quite close to this junction, and they continued to move in that direction. After they had moved through the bush near a small picnic area bordering the beginning of the road that leads to the little Highwood pass, I made a quick pass through the parking area, and noticed that they probably spent a lot of time nearby, as everywhere I looked, there were grizzly bear scats lying about. I checked out some of the scats which were reasonably fresh, as they were a dark green in color, indicating the scats were recent and that they had been feeding on plant material, although they would turn black within a few hours.
Back in my truck, I drank the rest of the chai in my thermos, and decided to call it a day. I did drive over the pass a ways, but had turned around after checking out some of the nearby streams that awaited my return with my flyrod. I would save the south end of highway 40 down to Highwood House for another day. Besides, I figured that a stop at Boulton Creek at the lakes was in order, as I knew that I could get a nice cup of tea and something to eat before heading home.
A glance at my watch showed the time to be 10:00 am, and although it was early for most of the nature lovers riding in the vehicles that were now streaming down highway 40 in to Kananaskis Country, they were to late to have experienced the real Kananaskis Country!
Remember...the photos expand
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