Sunday September 13, Viva’s…still

Sunday September 13, Viva’s…still

“We’re going on a bear hunt”!!!! The kids story book kept ringing in my ear as we set off at 9 with Viva to meet one of the neighbours and try and see if we could find a grizzly. The berry bushes are lush at the moment and there have been quite a few sightings of bears amongst them. We drove along the backroads following the creek but no luck, but an amazing drive through this wonderful country. Rolling hills, golden paddocks where the crops are being harvested, and the majestic mountains rising straight up. We did see a coyote and a woodpecker attacking a telephone pole, so all was not lost.

Home for lunch and set off again with Kate and William to Waterton National Park. Viva knows it really well as she worked for the Park for about 4 years. On the way we spotted a Greathorn Owl sitting in a window of an old school, and managed to get quite close for a photo.

We had been told that bears had been sighted up Red Canyon, and sure enough we finally found one, a very big black bear grazing on berries about 50 metres above the road. We couldn’t get over how big it looked, and he was in such good condition, his coat shining and rippling in the sun.

Everyone was out enjoying the wonderful weather and we walked up the canyon, good to have some exercise.

Back into the little town of Waterton and and icecream on the shores of Waterton Lake, before checking out the picturesque Prince of Wales Hotel that sits in a prime spot overlooking the lake. Went looking for a moose on the lake at the golf club, he had gone, but spotted a skunk…from a distance!!!

Home to a cold beer and a relaxed evening. We have really enjoyed our stay here catching up with Viva and her family and also experiencing life in this small rural community.