Dolomite Pass in the Northern end of Banff National Park |
The bears
move down from the pass towards us at a slow pace. We are thrilled
at the site of these two bears as they amble down along the
river and begin to sniff out marmots in burrows beside orange
lichen-covered rocks.
The sow
begins to dig furiously with her powerful claws and arms, causing
dirt and vegetation to fly out behind her. They continue digging
and move closer. We discuss our situation and decide that it's
time to let the sow know we are here. We slowly stand and begin
our noisemaking by yelling, shouting and clapping our hands.
The sow turns, looks at us and starts running back up the stream
with the cub close on her heels. They disappear behind a knoll
at running speed.
Now we
know we aren't alone in the pass. I sleep somewhat uneasily
that night with my ears open. I once had a black bear step through
the roof of my tent onto my face on a camping trip, but that's
another story from a different time and place...
In the
morning I drag myself out of my sleeping bag after an uneasy
sleep and slowly unzip the door to our tent. I have a feeling
that something is out there. I poke my head out of the tent
and take a quick look around. It's a beautiful morning. I turn
my head to look behind the tent towards the trail and catch
a glimpse of something moving. My heart races as I see an out-of-focus
grizzly bear. I try to focus my sleepy eyes and finally realize
that a wolverine is looking directly at me and me at him. As
our eyes meet from 30 metres apart the wolverine speeds off
the trail and runs up through the pass. Before my wife can poke
her head outside our tent the wolverine has sped across the
pass and is racing up the scree slope at the foot of Cirque
Peak. Wow! Two grizzlies and a wolverine - this is incredible!
 We spend the day poking around the meadows in the pass with
the marmots and hiking above the pass to the north for a spectacular
view of the whole area. It is from this vantage point that we
spot two golden eagles soaring high above us. We get our binoculars
out and sit and observe. We also scan the terrain for any sign
of those two bears. We don't see them or any sign of them...
... until
later that evening when we are just finishing my specially prepared
gourmet backcountry burritos with fresh jalapeno peppers. One
of our friends spots a speck coming through the pass from the
Mosquito Creek area. We wait expecting to see another speck,
but no other one appears. We realize this is a smaller bear
than the sow but too big to be the cub. This bear follows the
same path down the pass and toward the river where it, too,
begins to dig for ground squirrels or marmots. This must be
a good place for dinner. We sit and observe and again make noise
when we feel the bear is getting close enough.
 Oh No!! Bad news! The bear is running towards us! The good news
is that its ears are pointed forward - an indication of
curiosity. Nonetheless, my heart rate has increased
considerably. The bear stops at the river and stands up on its
haunches to get a better look and smell. It then turns and runs
parallel to the river and somewhat away from us - what a relief.
He finally
ambles over to a snow bank and just sits down and watches us
watching him. He looks like a three year old - bear that is.
He probably weighs around 80 kilos with a head twice the size
of mine. Not quite like my three year old son who barely weighs
15 kilos.
We watch
each other for five minutes before the bear gets up and ambles
down the pass and then straight up the mountainside to the east.
He disappears into the gray limestone rocks five hundred metres
above us.
We are
amazed at the bears climbing ability. A park warden once told
me that he ran into a grizzly bear on the peak of one of Banff's
mountains. Needless to say they were both quite surprised. As
we are - three grizzlies and a wolverine. What next?
One of
the joys of the wilderness experience is not knowing what to
expect - you never know what or who you are going to run into...
in the heart of the wilderness.
|
Both
black and grizzly bears inhabit front and backcountry
areas of the Canadian Rockies. Your safety is your own
responsibility. In order to minimize encounters with bears
that could endanger your life and that of the bear, please
follow these suggestions:
- Make
plenty of noise to ensure you will not have a surprise
encounter with a bear - whistle, sing, clap your hands
or holler every now and again, especially when travelling
through thick brush, near streams, on avalanche slopes
and through berry patches.
Clapping
and making noises like the classic pig call (soooouuuEEE)
tend to travel farther in windy, noisy (creeks are surprising
noisy) enviros.
- Keep
your eyes open for any sign of bears - tracks, diggings,
poop
- Don't
take pets into the backcountry, they may provoke a bear
attack.
- Hang
all food, garbage, pots and pans, toothpaste, etc. from
bear cables (in designated campsites) or from solid
trees or cliffs.
- In
random camping areas sleep well away from your cooking
area and camp at least 10 metres off the trail.
- Where
fires are permitted, burn all combustible garbage completely
and carry out everything else.
- Never
put garbage down a pit toilet as it may attract bears
to the campsite.
A
quick check with your local park visitor centre will usually
have 'bear hot areas' - most parks are closing areas where
significant bear activity is present.
Keep
a clean camp - do not leave anything out while you are
away from the area - I've seen bears eat toothpaste, soap,
tinfoil, SOS pads, deodorant, entire tubs of margarine,
etc. Campground bears know what coolers are - that's where
the food is kept... so place them inside your car when
not in use.
If
you do encounter a bear on the trail - stay calm (yes
I know...), talk to them, yell at them (to ensure they
can hear you ... tell them all about the lovely berries
you saw 20 miles to their right...) Bears tend to stand
up on their hind legs when they encounter you - don't
be alarmed - they are trying to smell you.
Things
to remember:
Climbing
trees (if required) are good if you can manage it - most
of the branches on the predominant spruce and pine here
in the mountains that can support our weight are about
8 feet up.
Most
bears can run at about 35 miles/hr (that's about 55 km/hr
for those of us in Canada) and can maintain that speed
for several miles. Yes they get slowed up running downhill
on slopes in excess of 20 degrees - unfortunately so do
we....
Bears
will NOT usually follow you up a tree UNLESS it's a black
bear mom whos cubs are nearby (she's just doing her job)
- she'll go away to take care of her cubs when she's satisfied
you're not a threat. Hopefully you haven't picked the
same tree her cubs have climbed up.
Remember
grizzlies have a good 8 - 13 foot reach (depends on size)
so climb high. I have also watched a grizzly climb a tree
where the lower branches allowed it to pull itself up
by its forearms.
Bear
spray is a defensive measure only that is to be sprayed
directly into the face of the bear if they are charging
at you --- p.s. it's usually only effective at a range
of about 8-10 feet... I know they claim 30 but wind, your
shaking hands, etc....
Guns
are not allowed to be carried in any national park.
Provincial parks do not allow guns either*
(*except in a very few designated seasons and areas
for hunting purposes)
If
a bear - after you have told it all about the easy snacking
in the next valley - won't go away --- it's time for you
to go away.
If
the bear is walking towards you on the trail ->
get
off the trail as best and as far you can without falling
off a cliff or such -> more than likely the bear wants
the trail... hey beats crashing thru the bush - that's
why we made them.
If
the bear is standing it's ground (i.e pawing the ground,
smacking it's lips)
It's guarding something - most likely something to eat
--- back away talking to it --- keep going back down the
trail until you can not see the bear anymore --- go back
to the park ranger/warden office and tell them what behaviour
you saw (the pawing of the ground, etc... so they know
you're not just a freaked out hiker who 'saw a bear' and
can investigate).
Above
all remember - they are not out there waiting for
you like Ninja Bears... more than likely you will have
more trouble with the dang ninja squirrels.... just follow
some common sense rules like making noise when you can't
see so you do not surprise a bear, tell them all about
yourself if you run into one, and keep calm.
Truthfully
I'm more nervous in the big city than out here.
|
 One Night: Healy Creek; or Mosquito Creek; or Paradise Valley
Two Nights: Dolomite Pass; or Mystic Pass; or Glacier
Lake
Three Nights: Healy Creek - Healy Pass - Egypt Lake -
Whistling Valley - out via Red Earth Creek
Four Nights: Mosquito Creek - Molar Pass - Fish Lake
- the high route to Pipestone Pass - Isabela Lake - out via
Dolomite Pass
Ten
Nights: Mosquito Creek - Fish Lake - Clearwater Pass - Clearwater
River - Peters Creek - Divide Creek - Red Deer River - Red Deer
Lakes - Skoki Valley - Deception Pass - out via Boulder Pass *** NOTE - this is a trip for experienced
backcountry travellers who are used to off trail navigation,
river crossing, and self sufficiency.... it is a gorgeous trip
but YOU WILL BE ON YOUR OWN WITH NO SUPPORT - CELL PHONES DO
NOT WORK HERE... and Wardens rarely patrol this far back in
the park...
If you
don't have your own vehicle you may be able to get to and from
the trail head you have chosen with one of the local transportation
companies. Check their schedules and requirements before heading
out. Some trails are accessible by walking from the Town of
Banff and the Village of Lake Louise.
Patton, Brian and Bart Robinson, The Canadian Rockies
Trail Guide, Summerthought, Banff, Canada, 1986
Pole, Graeme, Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies,
Altitude Publishing Canada, Ltd., Banff/canmore, Alberta, Canada
Potter, Mike, Backcountry Banff, Luminous Compositions,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2001
Potter, Mike, Hiking Lake Louise, Luminous Compositions,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1999
Wherever
you go you will need to be prepared. This checklist will give
you some idea of what I feel are important items to take with
you on your backpacking experience.
Wilderness
Pass - available from National Park Information Centres
Tent, Poles, fly, pegs
Sleeping bag and mattress
Rain gear
Shorts and long pants
Sweater
Gloves
Jacket
Comfortable hiking boots
Socks (thick and thin)
Change of clothes
Hat for the sun and a wool hat or equivalent for the cold
Waterproof matches and fire starter
Map and compass
Camera and film
First-aid kit
Mosquito repellant
Bear spray
Knife, spoon and fork
Cup and bowl
Camp stove and repair kit
Fuel
food and nylon stuff sack
Rope for hanging food bag - at least 10 feet off the ground
and 4 feet from the tree trunk
Flashlight or headlamp.
|
IN ESPAÑOL!
IN DEUTSCH!
IN ENGLISH!
The trail to Helen Lake (6 kilometres or 3.4 miles) is one of the best
places to observe wild flowers. The alpine bloom usually begins in early
July and features indian paintbrush of all shades of red, pink and burgundy,
as well as bright yellow glacier lilies on the avalanche slopes and purple
gentians popping their little heads up through the grass at trailside. 
As the four of us make the moderately strenuous climb from Helen Lake
up into the pass I feel I am being watched and see a marmot poking his
head out from behind a rock before he scurries into his burrow. Once at
the pass we find a spectacular view of Katherine Lake and Dolomite Pass
below us. That's right. Dolomite Pass is lower than the unnamed pass we
just crossed. 
