Saturday, September 11, 2010

Mount Louis

Megan:  This one is for you - the pinnacle in the background is Mount Louis.  The view is from along the trail to Sundance Valley.
The signs are out in Banff right now for bears and there were supposed to be two in this area.  They are feeding on Buffaloberry which is a red or yellowish berry that grows on a shrub. We saw lots of berries, and I saw some that looked like they might have been picked over, but no bears.  To avoid bear problems you are supposed to:
  1. make lots of noise so you don't surprise the bears and travel in groups
  2. carry bear spray and know how to use it (I carry it and I know how to use it)
  3. watch for signs of bears and be especially careful around Buffaloberry patches
  4. if you see a bear, back away slowly and leave the area - never run

You are also supposed to "rat the bear out" as Dave says and call Parks Canada.  But as I said, I didn't see any.  Buffaloberries are edible but quite bitter as I found out by trying one berry.  They are also called Soapberry and were whipped into a foam with other berries added for sweetness by native Americans.

1 comment:

Megan said...

Mount Louis! I love it. I continue to really like the white frames. Love the green in this picture.

I laughed hard at Dave and "ratting out" the bears. That is so Dave. You should write more on your blog, Dad.