Signposts

The most informative signpost that we saw during the trip:

The most confusing signpost that we saw during the trip:

Staat Stats 2011

To summarize our 2011 adventure, here are a few Staat Stats:

Miles travelled:  17,026

Miles travelled on gravel roads (including 4-wheel drive roads):  2,740 (mas or menos)

Days on the road:  85

Days in Canada:  47

Days in States:  38

States visited:   13

Canadian Provinces visited:   2

Canadian Territories visited:   2

Consecutive days with rain:  12

Lowest recorded temperature while camping:  24 degrees

Nights in motels:  9

Nights with friends and family:  7

Nights in camper:  70

US license plates seen:  All but Rhode Island (yes, even Hawaii!!!)

Flat Tires:  0 

New Chips in Windshield:  5 (we replaced the original windshield this spring with a cheap one made in China... lesson learned!)

Cheapest gasoline per gallon:  $3.159 per gallon (Tulsa)

Most expensive gasoline:  $7.299 per gallon (Muncho Lake, BC, Canada)

Average price per gallon:  $4.85 per gallon  (NOTE:  Last year's HIGHEST gasoline price paid was $4.66 per gallon!)

Photos taken:  3,772 (not including those deleted!)

Home Again, Home Again, Diddly-Dum

We are happy to be home!  After arriving around 5:30 yesterday evening, we are now in the midst of unpacking, laundry, and settling back into life in a real house!

For those who have been trying to comment on the blog, I think that we have fixed the problem.  You should now be able to comment without registering first.

In the next several days, we'll post the Staat Stats, as well as other information about the end of our trip.  We thank each of you for joining us on our continued adventures!

Warp Speed

We have travelled from South Dakota to Wisconsin... Wisconsin to Rolla... and now Rolla to Tulsa, in a matter of a few days.  Tonight, we sit in a hotel room and are happy to report that both David's mother and brother are doing well.

The transition back into the cities and their traffic has been difficult after nearly two months in the "bush."  The air conditioner in our hotel room tonight feels stuffy.  We have grown accustomed to sleeping in the chill of the night air with nothing but stars and coyotes.  It feels odd to be surrounded by all the normal accoutrements of modern living.

We leave early Tuesday morning for our final push home.  Several friends have already warned us that the very landscape in South Texas has changed because of the drought.  What will we find awaiting us?

Suenos dulce... sweet dreams, dear friends.  Our next post signals the end to this year's adventure.

Our Last Stand at Custer

South Dakota’s Custer State Park and its wild donkeys were a favorite stop for us last year.  We thought that it would be a great end to this year’s trip before traveling on to visit David’s mother and brother, then on to home.

Custer is essentially a wildlife park.  It has a bison farm with an annual round-up.  Pronghorn antelope, turkeys, and sheep are plentiful within its boundaries.  And its donkeys are anything but wild, practically demanding handouts from visitors.

Unfortunately, the park’s campsite reservation process is so convoluted that you can only stay in a site one night without reserving online or making a phone call between 9 am to 2 pm. 

On this trip, we arrived after five at the campground and were too late to reserve the next night’s stay by phone.  After the camp hosts told us the available sites, we set up camp, then drove to the neighboring lodge to abscond internet service in order to reserve our site for the second night.  During the process, however, we discovered that in the last year Custer had not only raised their rates 25 percent for campsites and day passes but, in addition, were charging nearly an $8 penalty fee for nonresidents.   As a result, if we booked online, our camping site fee rose from an already high $24 to $32 a night.   

We have traveled across western Canada and all but one of the 50 states.  In all of our travels, we have always been treated as guests… never have we been charged a fee because we are nonresidents.  While we love Custer State Park and South Dakota, we now feel like commodities rather than welcomed friends.  And with Roosevelt and its wild horses only five hours north (and with campsites costing only $10 a night!), in the future, I know where we will stay!

As a result of the additional costs, we opted to stay only one night before heading towards home.


We leave you one last time with photos of those crazy “wild” donkeys of Custer:

Roosevelt Revisited

Roosevelt has fast become one of our most favorite national parks.  With its rugged terrain, a beautiful climate during autumn, and a wide variety of animals (including wild horses!), the park is a true gem.  We were excited to arrive and set up camp.  This was our second visit to Roosevelt, and we wondered if we would see more of the wild horses that we photographed last year.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

I became immediately worried, however, when we discovered that the park had hired a helicopter to dust herbicides for a non-native weeds infestation.  It quickly became obvious that the horses were spooked and would be very difficult to locate.  

To my delight, however, we found the Coal Vein herd on our first morning in the park.  The Coal Vein herd is led by the white stallion:  the first wild horse that I ever photographed.  Although he was as beautiful as ever, he was limping badly.  (Later, when I blew photos of him, it appeared that he had a terrible gash on his inner left/front leg.  I don't know if he received it in a fight or fell.  I pray that he will heal completely.)

When we found the Coal Vein herd, I was excited.  I was in a fairly good position to take photos, and the light was perfect.  Slowly, I inched closer to the herd, using the sage for partial cover.  The horses were obviously aware of me but continued grazing peacefully. 

Suddenly, the sound of the chopper came tremendously close, startling us all.  The horses went on high alert. 

The chopper rose out of a gully not more than a hundred yards from us.  The herd spooked and ran, trying to get away from this noisy red beast.  

I was heartbroken on many levels.  It was so difficult to watch the stallion limping to keep up with the herd.  I had lost the perfect photo op.  I also knew that the herd was so spooked that they would probably head to the backcountry.  If they did, I knew that we wouldn’t see them again.

The chopper continued working from sun up to sundown over the next several days.  As a result, on Thursday we did not see a single animal other than bison and prairie dogs.  I was terribly disappointed, knowing that as long as the chopper was around that horses would be scarce.

The bison remained on the move during our entire visit, seemingly completely unconcerned about the noisy chopper.  A herd of over 60 bison crossed the road in front of us one morning.  We watched a herd of about 30 cows and calves walk across prairie dog town to graze on the other side.  We also had several herds walk right through the campground.  (Please read our “What’s More Crazy:  Running with the Bulls or Showering with the Bison?” post for the exciting details of one of those forays!)

We spoke about leaving the park earlier than scheduled because of the chopper.  Thankfully, however, one of the park rangers told us that the spraying finished Friday afternoon.  By Saturday, we were seeing horses again, as well as other animals.

Saturday evening, we discovered a herd that we hadn’t seen last year.  The herd had two young colts.  It was great fun to watch them play together.  The dark colt seemed to be an imp, instigating all sorts of mischief in the herd.  The second colt was precious and had one brown eye and one blue.

 Sunday morning, we found my roan stallion and his herd with the skirted mare again.  It was so wonderful to see them.  

We also discovered a huge red stallion that is primed to take his place as leader of a pack of his own.  This stallion may well be the brother of the colt we had seen earlier.  They both are the same color, have similar markings, and each have one blue and one brown eye.

 On our last morning at Roosevelt, we had an amazing interaction with another stallion.  We got up early to make the wildlife loop before breaking camp.  Early while driving the loop, we spied a herd that had two white horses in it and pulled over to see if it was the Coal Vein herd.  The horses were so far away that we needed binoculars. 

We jumped back into the truck and drove about a quarter mile up the road to see if we could get a closer view.  We couldn’t, so we returned to our original position to watch from a distance.

As soon as we set up with the binoculars again, one of the white horses stepped away from the herd and disappeared around a hill.  We quickly dismissed this horse because he had a salt and pepper mane.  Over the next several minutes, David and I stayed in position, trying to determine if the remaining white horse was the white stallion. 

I heard the distinct clopping of hooves.  When I looked up, to my utter amazement, the horse with the salt and pepper mane was walking right up the road towards us!  It quickly became obvious that he was the stallion of the herd, coming to check us out.  

The stallion walked slowly in front of us, looking us up and down, stopping no more than fifteen feet from the truck.  Then he walked past us, sniffed some flattened horse poop in the middle of the road, and dumped on top of it, as if to say, “this is my territory.”  He made another purposeful circle around and trotted back to the herd.  Wow!

It was difficult to head back and break camp.  Although it was time to go, I wanted so badly to continue interacting with the horses. 

Again, Roosevelt did not disappoint.  And again, we are planning our next return.  The herds are familiar to us now and have become part of our lives.  Also, the story of the white stallion needs an ending… hopefully a happy one.  Will the red stallion take over a herd or steal several mares to build his own?  Hopefully, we will discover the answers on our next adventure to Roosevelt… and, hopefully, that adventure will come again very, very soon!

What’s More Crazy: Running with the Bulls or Showering with the Bison?

We had... shall I say... a very exciting afternoon here in Roosevelt National Park!  


After we made the wildlife loop looking for animals, David and I decided to get our little shower unit out and clean up.  The park was fairly empty, so we figured that it was the perfect opportunity.  We joked that there was a bison herd across the road and about 100 yards from the camp.  Were they too close?  Little did we know…

I took my shower without a hitch.  During David's shower, however, we had a little "incident."  

Just after David got into the privy tent, I noticed that the bison herd was moving closer.  Unbeknownst to us, our campsite was located right on their grazing path.  Mid-shower, I warned David that the herd was now grazing about 20 yards from our camp.  

About that time, a fellow from Minnesota that we had chatted with earlier in the day came into our site to take photos of the bison gathering around us.  I tried to discreetly tell him that David was showering.  He was kind enough to move off, however, in the process, he startled the herd.  The bison began trotting into the meadow next to us.

By now, the bison were only ten feet from me, most of them looking very nervous.  I told David, “Now would be a very good time to be finished.”

He thought I was kidding.  I unzipped the tent a little so he could see for himself.  Looking out between my legs, all David saw was bison.  Needless to say, he finished his shower in record time!

Thankfully, Roxanne was in the back of the truck, but the hatch was open.  Not sure where I was needed most, I figured that David was basically in a blind inside the little tent, but Rox was exposed.  As most of you know, Rox has a special affinity for bison.  Should she decide to jump out of the truck to join them, I figured that things could get nasty in a hurry.  I quickly handed a towel to David and snuck over to drop the hatch on Rox.  

About that time, the entire herd moved into our site, probably 40-50 of these enormous beasts.  I’m now tossing clothing over the privy tent.  David is dressing as quickly as he can inside, while I'm standing in front of his little "blind," totally exposed.  Let me tell you, when a massive, 2,500 pound beast stares you down, it can really get the adrenaline going!

David now had his pants on, and I handed him his T-shirt.  He said, "Forget the shirt," grabbed it, and we both edged behind the shower and under the awning of the camper.  

Bison were flowing on both sides of the camper now, as we were trying to edge ourselves closer to the protection of the truck.  

Then a wacky Californian lady drove up in her Volkswagen van to take a picture, cutting the herd off from one of their routes. David yelled at her that she was pushing the herd into the camp.  She just laughed and started taking pictures.  

It was really getting dicey now, because the herd's only other escape route was less that fifteen feet wide... right between the truck and the trees where we had the little privy tent and straight through Oz's awning... with us in the midst of it all!

Our campsite... the privy tent, with Oz behind it and the Xterra to the left.

We started yelling at the woman to move on... she was very perturbed, but did roll forward.  About that time, the gentleman from the trailer across the road from us stepped out to take photos.  Unfortunately, he was wearing red.  The herd spooked totally at this point and started running through our camp.  Thank heavens, they chose to go around the picnic table rather than through Oz's awning!  

The remaining herd continued to flow on either side of our camper.  Bulls stopped to grunt warnings at us.  Several mothers stared us down.  After about fifteen minutes, however, it was all over. 

To get a little idea of how close the bison came, here is a short video that David took of the stragglers in the herd:

My family seems to be aficionados of bovine this year.  Our nephew ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, this summer.  Now we’ve showered with the bison in Roosevelt.  Talk about an adrenaline rush!  Wow! 

A member of our bison herd... up close and personal... with a face full of cockleburs.

Tonight we’re feeling glad to be alive and happy.  I just LOVE a good adventure!  :)

Back in the USA!

We are happy to report that we are back in the good ole’ U.S. of A.  It feels wonderful to be home again!  

From Jasper, we drove to the Waterton/Glacier National Peace Park, spending one night on the Canadian side and two nights at Many Glaciers Campground in Glacier National Park. 

The weather was warm in Waterton but all the campgrounds were closed except for one.  As a result, the park was packed on Saturday night.  We seem to be closing campgrounds and parks as we go.  Most campgrounds have already turned off their water, in an effort to winterize their lines.  A majority of the lodges, shops, and restaurants have already closed.  With weather and autumn colors this wonderful, it is hard to understand!

Waterton Lake

We hiked a little in Waterton and let Roxanne take a dip in the lake before heading over to Glacier.  Our first night there, a front came through, pelting us with wind and rain. 

The gale force winds stayed the next day.  Sleeping in our canvas camper was quite an experience.  The wind would roar up the canyon, shaking the camper and lifting the awning (which, thankfully, David had staked very well!).  After one gust would billow the tent around us, we could hear another gust muster strength in the distance until it, also, roared over us.

We saw very few animals in either park.  However, we did see something in Glacier that was new for us:  mountain goats!  Although they were hundreds of yards away, I am happy to have these photos to show you…

On our second day in Glacier, we took the drive up to Logan’s Pass, a favorite drive for us.  We knew that the road was closed at the top.  We were disappointed to discover half way up that we had to follow a pilot car the rest of the way.  With all the construction, there was no wildlife to be seen.

That evening, however, we found a brown bear grazing berries on a hillside not far from our campground.  Although he was over 50 yards away, it was wonderful just to watch him.  The wind was so strong that I was having difficulty holding the long lens steady.  David set the tripod up for me, but I had to hang onto it and the camera to keep the gusts from ripping the gear from my hands.

Brown bear in Glacier National Park

David has come down with the sniffles.  With the weather report promising more gale force winds and chill for the next several days to come, David and I packed up Oz and decided to head for North Dakota.  I am excited… my wild horses await me!  

Many Glaciers at Glacier National Park

Many Glaciers at Glacier National Park

Jasper and Banff National Parks

In many respects, it has been difficult coming “out of the bush” after nearly a month.  After encountering so few people for miles at a time and the quiet of Wood Buffalo, it is jarring to the senses to come back into “civilization,” particularly a tourist area. 

David and I have been coming to Jasper and Banff National Parks in Canada since 1987.  It remains one of the most beautiful areas we have ever seen.  Over time, however, it has also become more accessible and more crowded… or at least it certainly feels like it after our being in the bush for nearly a month!

We camped at Whistler’s Campground and were disappointed to find our favorite camp area full of other campers.  After setting up Oz, we decided to take a stroll to the shower house to see if we could find our bull elk from last year.  The grounds around the amphitheater showed ample evidence that the elk were still in the area. 

As we neared the shower house, I spied an elk cow in the woods.  She was obviously distracted, looking off into the distance.  I thought that she was concerned about a gentleman loading firewood into his pickup.  Then we heard an elk bugle very close by, and we saw the bull heading straight towards her.  Beyond the cow’s shoulder, we could see a bull elk competitor also making advances towards the cow.

David, Rox, and I backed towards the shower house as the man with the firewood, drove his truck behind the bulls.  Unfortunately, one of the park rangers decided to back his truck into the mix, nearly cutting us off from our escape route.  The cow rushed passed us, brushing within ten feet of our position, with both bulls in pursuit.  Thankfully, the larger bull pushed her towards the meadow and the competitor followed.  We never felt in danger; we were just intimate witnesses to the rivalry that goes on during rut.

There were other folks also in the shower area.  The park ranger immediately got out of his truck and followed the bulls out into the meadow to retrieve two campers who were walking out to get a closer look.  Within moments, two other park rangers arrived.  They were equipped with some sort of air rifle and a hockey stick draped with red and orange flyers.  Their job was to scare the elk from the area in an effort to keep the camper and elk activity separate.

Keeping both people and animals safe must be a daunting task.  While the national parks remain the best places to view wildlife, it also seems that over time people have lost respect for these animals and the danger they present.  Perhaps it is more a testament to our increasingly urban lifestyle and the resulting disconnect from nature.  Last year’s visit to Yellowstone and the chances people took there with wildlife was a shock, particularly how close some got to those enormous plains bison! 

Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park

The same has been true here in Jasper.  Not only have we witnessed dozens of people walk right into an elk’s harem, we also saw a man get out of his vehicle and walk within ten feet of a mother sheep and her baby.  We witnessed a crowd of people actually running up to a black bear for photos at Maligne Lake.  No wonder the incidences of animal attacks is on the rise in our national parks!

The next morning, we found the bull and his harem closer to the road.  We were able to take some good photos until a tour bus stopped and blocked our view. 

The competition

Victorious bull elk

That evening, we drove up to Edith Lake and found a beautiful bull grazing.  We watched him for some time before a man drove up in his car, got out and fumbled around for his camera, then started walking towards the bull.  Last we saw the man, he was dressed in shorts and flip flops, chasing the bull across the road and into the woods.

Thankfully, our Indian Summer has returned... so much so that we are actually wearing T-shirts during the day rather than layers and layers of clothing!

We left Jasper and headed towards Johnston Canyon.  For two wonderful nights, we have stayed in our favorite cabin.  Although the weather has been mild, David has been building fires in the fireplace.  We drove into Banff yesterday to pick up groceries for a wonderful supper of salmon and asparagus. 

This morning we treated ourselves, staying in our pajamas late, having coffee, and cooking breakfast.  We spent the afternoon hiking to the top and bottom of beautiful Silverton Falls.  Tomorrow we will head towards Waterton.  Our plans are to stay there a few days before re-entering U.S. soil via Glacier National Park.  Our journey home continues.

Top of Silverton Falls

Hike to top of Silverton Falls

Jasper on Dwellable

Heading South

Our Indian Summer ended abruptly.  The evening that we left Wood Buffalo, we set up camp in the chill of an evening rainstorm at Twin Lakes. 

From there, we traveled on to Grande Prairie.  Throughout our trip, we had been puzzled at the lack of migrating birds we had seen.  About an hour north of Grande Prairie, however, we found the geese.  We saw hundreds of them, gleaning fields to prepare for their long flight south.

We opted to spend the night in a motel at Grande Prairie.  In addition to our relishing hot showers, the Xterra needed an oil change, we had laundry to wash, and shopping to do.  It took us until around 2:30 to finish all our errands. 

We decided to drive on towards Jasper National Park but had difficulty finding a good campground along the way.  The first one we stopped at was situated less than a hundred yards from a railroad track.  The second had over a dozen trucks and horse trailers in it, obviously a staging ground for outfitters. 

Finally, we arrived at Pierre Grave Lake Campground and found a beautiful site.  Unfortunately, however, it was so cold that we huddled in Oz rather than hike around the park.  By morning, the temperature registered 31 degrees inside the camper.  We discovered that Rox’s water bowl had frozen over and the condensate on the inside of Oz was frost.  I was so cold that my leg muscles hurt from being balled up in the sleeping bag.  It was not a pretty sight breaking camp that morning!

David suggested a hot breakfast, so we drove into Hinton before heading on to Jasper.  Once in the park, we went straight to last year’s campsite, hoping to once again be in the middle of the bull elk’s harem and wondering what new wonders we would see there.

Are We the Weeds?

While in Wood Buffalo National Park, we encountered an extraordinary comment by our guide.  When I asked her if hunting was allowed in the park, she told us that it was and offered this reasoning:  humans had been part of this ecosystem for over 10,000 years and remained a vital segment of Wood Buffalo National Park.

I admit that it took several hours for her profound statement to soak in… here at Wood Buffalo National Park, humans are considered part of the ecosystem, not separate from it.  David and I have been wrestling with this statement ever since we heard it.

It is truly a phenomenal concept… could it be that humans belong?  How long has it been since any of us have felt that we belong?  As environmental concerns grow, humans are most often considered the culprit… the perpetrators… the weeds.

Several years ago, David and I had the opportunity to host Dr. Jay Richards during a presentation on his phenomenal book and DVD, The Privileged Planet, which he co-authored with nuclear physicist, Dr. Guillermo Gonzales.  During a candid conversation about man’s position in our world, Jay told us that the ongoing battle can be summed up in this one question:  Are we (humans) the weeds?

So what is a weed?  I found these interesting quotes about weeds...

“No matter what definition is used, weeds are plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh their good points, according to man.”  Dwight D. Ligenfelter, Assistant Extension Agronomist, Department of Agronomy, Penn State University

“But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else.  In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit.  Weeds are people’s idea, not nature’s.  Anonymous

At Wood Buffalo National Park, humans definitely are not the weeds.  The First Nation people have hunted this area for over 10,000 years.  They are spiritually bound to this land and use it and its resources for subsistence living. 

There are those who will caution me at this point.  They will tell me that these are ancient traditions playing out in current times.  We cannot compare this to the environmental concerns of today.

I beg to differ.  In 1949, no more than sixteen whooping cranes lived in the wild.  Scientists,  environmentalists, and ordinary folks from two countries worked together to bring this beautiful bird from the brink of extinction to a viable flock of over 300 in 2011.  Wood Buffalo National Park and Texas’ Aransas Wildlife Refuge became sister homes for this endangered bird.  As a result, these joint efforts by humans have, in fact, saved a species.

Are humans the weeds?  In some cases, one could definitely argue the point that we are… however, with the whoopers and the Wood Buffalo ecosystem, one could also argue the opposite position as well.  Has the industrial revolution and our migration to cities taken us further and further from our connection to nature?  

I remember a quote from a visit to the University of Alaska museum last year that speaks directly to the disconnect that can happen when we live in cities:  "We all die and go back to nature eventually.  When we are in the city, we tend to forget -- we don't really think about it.  But nature reminds us it's not a sad thing.  It gives us energy.  Nature has a kind of power to encourage you to live because Nature teaches -- you are going to die."  Michio Hosino, Alaska Airlines Magazine, August 1991

Could our transition from a rural to urban society cause a disconnect with nature?  And as a result of that disconnect, have we become the weeds?

For me, the Bible offers the purest answer to the question.  It tells us that man was given dominion over this earth in service of man and for God’s glory.  That means that humans have been given the distinct opportunity for dominion over the earth in God’s work… not to exploit it… not to sacrifice it on behalf of ourselves… but to caretake it and to bring God glory. 

And God blessed them (humans) and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.  (Genesis 1:28, Amplified Version)

It is truly an astounding proposition.  What would it look like if each of us worked in concert with our world’s vast resources to bring glory to God?  Could the whooping crane success story be a small testimony for future endeavors in bringing Him glory? 

For the first time since I was a child on a small cattle ranch in south Texas, I feel like I belong.  I will be ever grateful to Wood Buffalo National Park for offering a glimpse of what being part of an ecosystem might look like for all of mankind.  

Indian Summer at Wood Buffalo

We truly did not know what to expect when we arrived at Wood Buffalo National Park.  Tucked away in a remote area on the border of the Northwest Territory and Alberta, it seemed almost inaccessible with just one road skirting the north side.  We knew only that this was the nesting grounds of my whooping cranes.  Would it look like the coastal plains of Texas?  Curiosity and all the markings of an Indian summer pushed us eastward.

A flashing road sign offered our first glimpse into this unique national park:  “Caution.  Watch for Bison and Sinkholes next 120 km.”  Bison we certainly could understand… but sinkholes?  An interpretive sign further along the road offered an explanation.  Ground water often erodes the soft bedrock, particularly in the northern section of the park, creating underground caves.  When the cave roof collapses, the result is often a very deep sinkhole.

Agnus Sinkhole, Wood Buffalo National Park

Within the first hour of our traveling the park road, we encountered a small herd of wood bison and a muddy-faced black bear.  Excited about other animals we might see, we pushed on towards our first campsite at Little Buffalo River, hoping that the campground would still be open.

Little Buffalo River Campground was open, and we were the only visitors for the night.  The aspen grove next to our site was ablaze in color. 

Temperatures dipped into the high 30s that night.  Our last post tells of the miraculous Northern Lights we witnessed in the wee hours of the morning. 

When we awoke, we broke camp and drove into Fort Smith to visit the Wood Buffalo National Park Visitor’s Centre.  Fort Smith is a working town.  Long a center for trade among the First Nation peoples, Catholic missionaries arrived in the early 1800s.  The town has a rich heritage of First Nation and European cultures (primarily French).   

At the visitor’s center, we learned that Wood Buffalo National Park is a true gem in the crown of Canada’s national parks.  The largest national park in Canada, Wood Buffalo is larger than the entire country of Switzerland.  It is known as an ecological masterpiece and World Heritage Site, a status bestowed by the United Nations indicating that it forms part of the heritage for all humankind. 

Wood Buffalo’s geology consists of a myriad of typography, including boreal forests, salt plains, and the largest fresh water delta in the world.  Its wildlife includes the endangered wood bison, black bear, wolves, moose, and beaver.  Each spring, nearly 200 species of birds flock to this area to nest, including the endangered whooping cranes.  Out of all thoee birds, only 19 different species have adapted to stay through the long and extreme winter months.

We watched a wonderful documentary about the park.  I was fascinated to learn that the whoopers nest on the fresh water delta along the enormous Great Slave Lake in Wood Buffalo, building nests in areas marshland so boggy that it deters predators.  It also surprised me that they nested in what appeared to be fresh water.  The whooper’s wintering grounds lie on a sliver of Texas coastline.  Why would they choose a wintering ground on salt water?  A check with a park ranger confirmed that salt from the ancient ocean bed leeched through the gypsum bedrock, making the entire delta brackish.

I asked if hunting was allowed in the park.  Our guide explained that it was and offered this explanation:  humans had been part of the ecosystem for over 10,000 years and remained a vital segment of Wood Buffalo National Park.

Armed with maps and suggested hiking trails, we decided to push further south and camp at Pine Lake Campground for the evening.  We found an interesting interpretive hike about the red-sided garter snake, the most northern snake to be found in the Americas.  These reptiles winter deep in the karst crevices and caves.  Each spring they emerge and gather in huge mating balls, later having live births.  As we finished our hike, we met a park ranger giving a tour to a small group of people.  She held one of the snakes and offered for both David and I to hold it as well. 

Red-sided garter, Wood Buffalo National Park

On our way back to the parking lot, we rounded a corner and met a wood bison not more than 20 feet in front of us.  All four of us stopped short, shocked to encounter one another.  Thankfully, the bull turned heel and plowed through the woods away from us.  It is one thing to encounter one of these enormous creatures in the comfort of your vehicle.  It is entirely different to come upon one so close on foot! 

We drove on to our new campground, encountering another bull along the roadside.  It was yet was another reminder of why these creatures are considered the largest land mammal in North America!

Wood Bison, Wood Buffalo National Park

Rox was delighted to have a swim that afternoon in Pine Lake, an ancient sinkhole that formed this beautiful lake.  Again, we were the only campers for the evening. 

That evening, David said, “Listen.  Have you ever heard such quiet?” 

It was true.  Again, we felt like the only people on earth.  Not a sound touched our ears.  I was use to quiet on the ranch when I was a child, but this was different.  There were no crickets or frogs.  This was true silence.  It was wonderful.

The following morning, we broke camp again to drive back up to Little Buffalo where we had stayed our first night in the park.  We spied a large black bear and were surprised when she placed her front paws on a tree, as if she planned to climb it rather than run away as others had done.  As I began shooting photos, I caught movement in the corner of the lens.  She had a cub and had already sent it up a tree! 

Mother Black Bear, Wood Buffalo National Park

Black Bear Cub at Wood Buffalo National Park

As David brought the truck to a complete stop, the mother bear dropped to the ground and positioned herself under the cub.  She was obviously prepared to defend him at any cost.  Not wanting to stress her, we stayed only a few seconds more.  As we drove off, she gave cue to the cub to drop down and the pair immediately disappeared into the bush.  It was an amazing sight to witness!

Mother black bear defends her cub at Wood Buffalo National Park

Relishing the continued warm days, we hiked a section of boreal forest later that morning, hoping that the trail would lead to the salt plains.  After yesterday’s encounter with the wood bison, we sang a rather lame rendition, “Buffalo Gal Don’t You Come Out Today,” to make any critters aware of our presence! 

Later that afternoon, we hiked another trail down to the salt plains, an ancient seabed bordered by boreal forest and wetlands.  Salt mounds piled on the corners of ponds and dusted the dried earth in this strange place.  Footprints of both birds and mammals tracked in the crusted and cracked mudflats.  Areas that rose several feet above the salt plains offered an oasis for different plant growth.

Salt mound at Wood Buffalo National Park

Salt Plains at Wood Buffalo National Park

Salt Flats at Wood Buffalo National Park

The next morning, sand hill cranes flew in formation above us, heading home to Texas.  We felt it was an omen that we, too, should be heading southward.

Sandhill crane migration from Wood Buffalo National Park

We wanted to take one more interpretive hike that told about the whooping crane nesting grounds.  Across the road and about a hundred yards from the trailhead, however, we spied an enormous black bear, grazing berries.  Needless to say, our hike was rather short and sweet, taking photos of the interpretive signs rather than taking time to read them.  We had absolutely no interest in answering that proverbial question, “why did the bear cross the road?” 

As we exited Wood Buffalo National Park, both David and I spoke about the wonders we had been blessed to see in this exceptional and odd place.  This park is definitely on our “we have to come back” list!

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