Bears in the Bugaboos - Canada

Canada is famous for its wildlife, so we were constantly on the lookout for anything moving. Anything that is, from the abundant deer and squirrels to the elk, the elusive moose, and of course the bear. One of the first things you need to do before hiking is to equip yourself with some bear spray. Having never held a weapon before, (although US customs would probably disagree) it was a little overwhelming to carry around such power at your fingertips, even if it was just in the form of capsicum or pepper spray. We needed some practise. With Pam and Dale as our outdoor ed teachers, we headed out on a hike up “Observation Peak” with the intention of letting off some old bear spray; old so ineffective, but good to practise. The practise went well, but we also found that summer around Banff can involve four seasons in one day. On the way up it snowed; yes it snowed! – in summer, and at the summit the sun shone; then on the way down it blew a gale, and we were back in shorts down the bottom. The Canadian fauna is surely a hardy bunch.

Bears generaly dont eat humans, but, they are omnivores and the grizzly has on occasion dug their claws and teeth into the odd person, perhaps because of fear, perhaps because of hunger, or maybe just because they were having a bad day, - and their victim was having an even worse one. So, it helps to be alert and careful. Walking in groups of 4 or more is recommended (there have never been attacks on groups that size or bigger) along with making alot of noise so that the bears are not surprised to see you. After months in the French alps learning to be a light on my feet, quick and efficient in the mountains... I now find myself stomping around, kicking rocks, shouting and singing random songs and generally making random inarticulate comments. ... the bears need to know that we are coming.

So scared was I in fact, the first few times we went into the forest that I wouldnt let Nic go ahead more than a metre. Hikers coming from the opposite direction would look in distaste at the way the peace had been disturbed. Ironically it was songs by Canadians they would hear.... a repotoire of Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams ... they still didn’t like it. But the bears were nowhere to be seen. We did manage to spot lots of other wildlife ... plenty of deer, elk, marmots and squirrels, so after photographing those creatures in the first day or two, by the time we arrived at the Bugaboos I had well and truly put the camera to bed. The bear and the moose remained elusive. (Tragically the moose’s defence is to stand majestically still which of course means they are sometimes killed by cars... if they haven’t already been killed by men going “into the wild” to live.)

Ahhhh the bugaboos. There is a 50 kilometre four wheel drive track to get there, then you need to wrap your tyres up with chicken wire to ensure the porcupines don’t get stuck into the rubber at night. The walk in takes a few hours, or a few more if you have heavy gear, but when you get there. Woweeeee! There are towering spires, a climbing delight, Superb. Unfortunatley for Nic, I am just not that great at crack climbing yet, so climbing at the “Bugs” will have to be for another trip.

Much to our delight though, driving out of the Bugs, we saw a bear eating berries on the side of the road. A bear, a real bear which when he heard the car, stood up on his hind legs, and ran like the wind across the road and into the bushes. So quickly in fact that there was no time for ooos or ahhhs or photos or posing.... besides Nic did just as advised and kept driving. But what a magic encounter, a bear in the wild.

Later we learnt he was “only a black bear” – not a real grizzly, as he didn’t have a hunch on his back, and he wasn’t brown, but rather black, but, nonetheless we saw a bear in the wild, and he looked scarey. So even if I get fed up with my parents, decide to give all my money to Oxfam, abandon our car, reject consumerism and society itself, I am not going into the wild.