Driving through the Canadian Rockies.
In today’s post we are going to have more photos from the Canadian Rockies National Park, taken on June 1
st and 2nd. Like I said before, the late snow and ice meant it wasn’t good for landscapes but I got very lucky and got a bunch of wildlife photos! Banff and Jasper National Parks are famous for their abundance of wildlife so it was no big surprise to see all the game down on the road. The late spring also meant that the mountains were still snowed in but the lower valleys were wide open and green. So there were many Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats right down on the roads.
Mountain Goat. This is one of the very few times he looked directly at me.
There were 8 goats in this herd and they just hung around feeding and playing for a very long time. This youngster kept mama busy!
We mainly saw them in the far north end of Jasper National Park where the road had steadily dropped from the high country and is at a much lower elevation and was greening up nicely. After a long hard winter wild animals are forced into near starvation, so in the first part of spring they are very hungry. The ones we saw were 100% focused on feeding and didn’t even notice all the cars that stopped on the road and people that were out walking around (including me) and taking pictures of them; I didn’t have to hurry for any of these shots. The animals were by the side of the rode for at least 30 minutes and I only left when I got bored!
They have no fear of humans, and are in no hurry to go anywhere. This young sheep stood in the road for at least 5 minutes holding up traffic.
They are also just switching from their winter to summer coats, so you’ll see in a lot of the photos their coats are very spotty and mangy looking. That’s typical of every spring. Another reason you’ll see them right alongside the road is it’s kept clear of trees so it gets full sun and extra water from the runoff from the paved road. All together that means there is an abundance of desirable plants growing for them right on the side of the road. Since it is nearly always illegal to hunt right from the road, they also know it’s a safety zone for them until fall, when they know it becomes a death zone!
This is one of the few times this Big Horn Ram even glanced at me.
Storms coming.
While we were at the Mosquito Creek campsite in Banff NP, we had a raven that was absolutely fascinated by us and so familiar with people he came right up and jumped up on one of the picnic table seats while we were sitting at the one opposite of him. We thought he was just an amusing pest, but he got the last laugh! I had just made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sat it down to put the peanut butter and jelly away; by the time I got back, he had swooped in, stolen the sandwich and flown away without me ever seeing him! I was more impressed than angry so I made myself another one and kept a closer eye on it this time!
Thief!
You gotta admire his daring! He knew a good lunch when he saw one.
All in all I think I can say that so far this has been one of the best times of my life. We spent a full week in both Zion and Grand Tetons National Parks and they were relaxed, pleasant and in a great campsite. Best of all, both gave me wonderful photo shooting times; my favorite thing in the world! The time in the Canadian Rockies were less than I’d hoped for but the many wonderful wildlife photos I got more than make up for it. Judy and I are so good together we are getting along splendidly. It’s just flat been wonderful!
One of many black bears we saw.
That isn’t to say it’s all been great, life never works that way. But I’ll tell you more about that in my next post. Same bat time, same bat channel!
Herding the young goats.
Yummy!!!
Really great pictures Bob!!!! Keep ’em coming.
Thanks Dan, no worries about a shortage of pictures!
Bob
Great photo’s!
Thanks Bob, There’s a lot of luck to it!
Bob
So glad to hear your having a great time. Just wondering if you had to do it over again if you would wait another week or so for the weather to warm up a little more before you left for the Canadian Rockies.
Scott, no, in fact we are slightly behind schedule. The goal of the trip is spending time in Alaska and early June is the best time to do that. I can always get back to the Canadian Rockies, but I doubt I will ever drive to Alaska again. So it’s the priority. August and September are the best times to see the Rockies so the tentative plan is to go down get the van from you, hopefully shoot the wildflowers in the Tetons, then go back to the Can Rockies for fall in early September then stop by the Tetons again for fall in September-October, then back to the desert. Judy will be at work in September, so she won’t go to the Can Rockies.
Best laid plans eh?! My plans are about as sure as yours are–except I know mine will be on land!!! You don’t even know that!!
Bob
I just love your pictures! Jealous of that camera, I’m going to need to get one of those! Great to hear that things are going well, the trip is going smoothly and you still like each other! We miss you guys, can’t wait to see you again soon. Have fun, safe travels! Hugs & kisses xoxoxo
Thanks Kyndal! We sure miss you too!! We will get to see you this winter won’t we!
Bob
Wildlife is my most specific reason for wanting to learn photography, and these pictures show why. Gorgeous results don’t always depend on difficulty level, I guess. Thank you very much.
Calvin, any good point and shoot with a long zoom could have taken all these photos with the animals this co-operative! I love the control and freedom a DSLR gives me, but I also love the convenience of my Nikon point and shoot (AW 110 and cost $250) and it takes incredibly good pictures! Once I get caught up I’m going to do a post on photography.
Bob
A little bittersweet…cuz I really wanted to go…but you’re doin’ a great job. Keep clicking that camera. Thanks.
Your day will come Openspaceman!
Bob
Who doesn’t like a pb&j sandwuch?!
CAE, apparently ravens do to!
Bob
Thief, well that is just so dang funny.I am glad this trip is going so well. I am enjoying it as you post. I also want a camera like that. Someday, when I get to make that drive.Why do you say you won’t be driving it again? OH how is your pup holding out? keep the post coming. Hi to Judy.
Linda, there are so many places I want to see and it’s so expensive that it seems unlikely I will drive there again. Flying is so much cheaper!
Bob
When I went up several years ago, we stopped in banff and did some site seeing. I was the only one that went to the edge and looked down near the top of the canyon. Probably not the smartest thing, and possibly illegal in canada, I don’t know.
I’ve had a bluejay do the exact same thing! Raccoon raids are not so amusing. And I’ve had mice drill holes through bags up in a bear cache to get at the trail mix. Clever mice!
Ming, they are resourceful little creatures!
Bob