cdiver2 Goldmember  1,033 posts Likes: 84 Joined Feb 2012 Location: Safety Harbor Fl More info | Feb 06, 2013 09:00 | #1 In July August I will be doing a road trip from Glacier Nat park - Banff Nat park -Jasper Nat park and back to Glacier. I would love to see some grizzly bears along with some great landscape shots. We are not up to any long hikes or climbs, any suggestions on must see/do on the trip.
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gotak Senior Member 949 posts Joined May 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada More info | Feb 07, 2013 23:17 | #2 Only been to banff so these is all about that park.  I found out later that black bears are actually the more dangerous bears. A grizzle only attacks to defend itself or cubs. A black bear attacking a human is likely going to try and eat him. So you can play dead with the grizzle but the black bear will just start eating you alive. 2) Lake Louise of course is the big famous place to go. Nice to walk around it but you'll want to get some elevation to get a different perspective. I found that photos taken from the lake level doesn't properly give a sense of what it's really like to be in the mountains. I think there's a ski hill a bit away from lake louise you can go up on and get a photo of the lake and the hotel next to it. Really puts the size in perspective. 3) The Columbia ice field is worth a go but it feels a bit like a tourist trap but unless you are well versed as mountaineer it's likely the only way to get onto the glacier without too much danger to yourself. Again when I was there I wanted some elevation but I had a broken ACL at the time so climbing anything was out of the question. 4) Sulfer mountain next to Banff it self. Easy way to get a lot of elevation and take the whole town in. And good place to get some shots of birds and rodents interacting with people. I got these there:   5) We found ducking into random roads seems to be productive. Especially if you see large number of cars and buses going into those areas. We found a nice restaurant in the middle of no where doing that. And a large rock bridge as well. 6) Rent a decent car the corolla we had was horrible in the mountain, no power plus when you are going down hill you are constantly thinking if your brakes could last the distance. http://bubble-trees.com/
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cdiver2 THREAD STARTER Goldmember 1,033 posts Likes: 84 Joined Feb 2012 Location: Safety Harbor Fl More info | Feb 08, 2013 07:16 | #3 Thanks gotak. Good information there re the small roads, looking on Google Earth and maps show very few small roads. Going off on the small side roads is what I usually do on road trips and not bother with the tourist traps. Bears are one of the things I want to photograph (glad you reminded me about the spray). What is the bird in the photo?
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gotak Senior Member 949 posts Joined May 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada More info | Feb 08, 2013 14:12 | #4 It's one of these: http://bubble-trees.com/
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mine1 Goldmember  1,289 posts Likes: 5 Joined Jun 2012 Location: Kalispell Montana More info | go to the Many Glacier section of Glacier national park (it is on the east side of the park) that is where most of the grizzlys are found in the park, I saw 15 of them in a few weeks last summer (all driving to and from my hikes, none on the hikes themselves lol), there are also a few very easy hikes around there (the swiftcurrent nature being very easy and popular). They also have rangers come out to the parking lot there with scopes, and they find many animals that way for you. For me I have the best luck finding bears just driving up the road and looking for tons of cars stopped in one place. Good luck hope you enjoy Glacier as much as I do (I live here and love it). http://www.flickr.com/photos/81190407@N08/
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samsen Cream of the Crop  7,468 posts Likes: 239 Joined Apr 2006 Location: LA More info | Feb 08, 2013 15:48 | #6 Nice. Weak retaliates,
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cdiver2 THREAD STARTER Goldmember 1,033 posts Likes: 84 Joined Feb 2012 Location: Safety Harbor Fl More info | Feb 08, 2013 16:00 | #7 Thanks again gotak and thank you mine1 just what I wanted insider info on where to find the bears.
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mine1 Goldmember 1,289 posts Likes: 5 Joined Jun 2012 Location: Kalispell Montana More info | in the park especially on that side there is really usualy only the option of one road. the road i was talking about is just the paved highway (if u want to call it that) that leads to the many glacier inn. it is only like 9 miles long i think . now as far as getting caught somewhere u arn't supposed to be, that is all clearly marked (just make sure you don't pull off the road onto the grass, that is a big nono here), it is not Alaska, or even northern Canada, but it is one of the densest populations of grizzlys in the world right in that area, as well as many moose, sheep, goats and deer to shoot there as well, might even get lucky enough to see a wolf or mountain lion out in the daytime there. As far as no strenuous hikes go, just make sure you read the trail description (there are many very easy hikes in glacier but also many very hard ones) http://www.flickr.com/photos/81190407@N08/
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cdiver2 THREAD STARTER Goldmember 1,033 posts Likes: 84 Joined Feb 2012 Location: Safety Harbor Fl More info | Feb 08, 2013 20:16 | #9 Thanks, I did not know about not pulling off the road, if I had seen something I would have done just that. I looked up Many Glacier Inn and it looks a possibility for us. We usually do not book in advance but phone around for accommodation at the end of each day as we travel so we can stay longer if we want to. So what is it like in July/August are we likely to not be able to find accommodation if not booked in advance?
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mine1 Goldmember 1,289 posts Likes: 5 Joined Jun 2012 Location: Kalispell Montana More info | Honestly in that part of the park you would probably have to book in advance. you could stay on the other side of the park at those times of year (because of the much larger population), but if you are really there just for the animals the manyglacier side of the park is the place for you. there is another motel by many glacier inn (a cheaper one, which would be easily found when searching that area) and there are a few towns within driving distance that would have more reasonable priced accommodations. and u can just pull off the road at many spots where you see a pull off (even if it is a small one) but pulling onto the grass in a national park is a big nono (you know, they are trying to preserve the habitat not run it over). while you are here make sure to make the drive across the going to the sun road (Logan Pass) it is only open for 3 or so months a year and is the main attraction in the park. http://www.flickr.com/photos/81190407@N08/
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cdiver2 THREAD STARTER Goldmember 1,033 posts Likes: 84 Joined Feb 2012 Location: Safety Harbor Fl More info | Feb 16, 2013 20:05 | #11 Thanks mine. We are booked into the Manyglacier Inn for a night at this moment and still looking at other options.
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