Call us Crazy

On to Jasper... again!  Yes, in spite of spending four crazy days here at the height of a Canadian holiday, we find ourselves returning just a few weeks later.  We're feeling relatively certain that the park should have a fewer crowds and, more importantly, the elk should be in rut.

Rain continued to follow us, but as we drove into the park, we found both sheep and elk.  Two young bulls began to spar.

And while the park was still busier than expected, mostly with Europeans taking advantage of steep, end-of-the-season discounts, our end of the campground felt fairly empty.

After showers, we began hunting the big bull elk that often keeps his harem around the shower house.  Unfortunately, the park was expanding the nearby amphitheater and using backhoes and earth movers.  With all the noise, he must have left for quieter quarters.  We did, however, find one of his girls nearby, and she was kind enough to pose for us.

With more rain forecast for the rest of the day, we decided to go into town for a few provisions.  The skies were beginning to feel dismally grey again.  As I lay down to sleep, I prayed for a little relief from those rain drops that kept falling on our heads.

When I awoke the next morning and peeked out my window, I began to giggle.  God did, indeed, answer my prayer... the rain had definitely stopped... it had turned to snow!

We broke camp and decided to drive up to Maligne Lake, where we have found lots of wildlife in the past.  We spied a younger bull elk on the north end of the campground.  He peacefully munched on alder bushes as I took photos.

Our trip up to Maligne Lake was like driving through a Christmas card... the pines were layered in snow and flurries swirled around us.  By the time we arrived at the lake, the temperatures had risen enough for the snow to turn back into a misty rain.

On our return down the mountain, we discovered a herd of sheep and a half dozen vehicles parked around them.  It amazes me how close folks are willing to get to wild animals.  I have been chased around the car by a mother sheep on two different occasions.  They have a certain look in their eyes that makes me more than a bit wary.

My fellow photographers, however, seemed to have no such fear.  So I took photos of them...

Obviously these sheep were use to people.  These folks in the next photo had to put their car window up to keep the sheep from trying to crawl in with them.

When a tour bus arrived and its inhabitants spilled into the roadway so that they could also take photos, we took that as our cue to leave.  On our way back to the campground, we spied a coyote hunting near the road.  I managed to be shooting as he pounced on a mouse and swallowed it whole.

We rounded the corner leading to our campsite, looking closely for our elk.  We soon located him, resting deep in the trees.  It had been a great day for photos!

There was a noticeable chill in the air.  Misty rain came down steadily and we wondered if we would have more snow in the morning.  Again it felt like we were being driven south.  Tomorrow we head for Banff.

Banff on Dwellable