Wild About Jasper!

Despite the wild weather we've experienced this summer, we decided to be optimistic and plan for some camping in Jasper for the long weekend in August.  Turns out the weather was gorgeous, 30 degrees and nothing but sunshine!  Luckily being in the mountains meant we could find some relief if we climbed high enough :P

We weren't in the park ten minutes when we encountered our first animal jam. Several bighorn sheep were grazing on the roadside and several vehicles had stopped to take pictures.  It appears as if we are really close but I was using my telephoto lens from a nice distance away.  I don't agree with approaching wildlife, just to get a good shot...

This was not the last of them though.  Everywhere we went during our time in the park, we saw wildlife.  Elk, bighorns, grizzly bears and black bears.  Our campground, which normally doesn't have a bear problem, was being frequented by a momma grizzly and her two cubs.  They were loving the miles of buffalo berry bushes found around the campground.  Sunday morning we were woken by the sounds of fireworks, apparently one of the tactics used to move the bears on.  We were close enough (in our car) to see the bears herded out of the campground, across the highway, and into the deeper woods on the other side.  Gotta say, the cubs are pretty cute though.  It is easy to forget just how dangerous they can grow to be.  Surprisingly enough, we all felt very safe in our tent.  I think living here has helped me appreciate them in a different way now.  I wouldn't want to run into one but it doesn't scare me nearly as much to share the woods with them.

We revisited some of our favorite spots, Maligne Lake and Athabaska Falls.  And we discovered some new spots to enjoy.  Lake Edith was great for swimming.  Water was glacier cold but it felt awesome after such a heat wave.  Looking forward to our next trip there, we have lots of plans already.  Banff is beautiful too but it is Jasper that we are wild about!