where in BC?

Hello from italy!

I think I have to apologize as I have Nikon equipment and I'm posting in a Canon forum but I do heartly hope you will forgive me and you will help me anyway...

I'm going to British Columbia to take pics of the rare Kermode in September but before it, I would like to spend a week in the area of Prince Rupert (or also according to suggestions, in other areas which I can reach from Vancouver or Calgary, which are my two possibilities for the international flight).
The period is the second week of September.

Hubby and I are happy to camp and we don't fear some discomfort if this means to view wildlife in their environment.
And we like off the beaten path too.

Even if it's still under construction, here you can find some of my pics:
http://www.chiaramelon​e.com
And here too:
www.juzaphoto.com/p/Ch​iara.m

Looking forward to reading from you and thanks a lot!!
Chiara

You have some impressive work on the first link (especially for a Nikon). I'm sorry I can't be of any further help, I live about 10 thousend miles away from BC.

You've got some awesome shots! Nice websites

I unfortunately don't know too much about the area around Prince Rupert. A quick search gives me a tourism websiteand suggestions from TripAdvisor.

I am also not very knowledgeable about wildlife but I will give a couple suggestions on outdoor attractions to see around/near Vancouver.

Garibaldi Provincial Park is about a 90-120 minute drive away from Vancouver. It's right beside Whistler. I'd say hiking up just to see Garibaldi lake is worth it for just a day hike. There are other things to see in Garibaldi Provincial Park such as Black Tusk, the Elfin Lakes, and Taylor Meadows. You can camp there but there are fees. Check out the website for more info.

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is also a nice place to visit. It is north of Whistler. Their camping fees are effective through September according to their website.

Stawamus Chief Provincial Park offers a great hike as well. It is south of Whistler (closer to Vancouver). They recently built a suspension bridge there (images are not mine) and a gondola which apparently gives access to more trails according to their website.

If you're looking to stay closer to Vancouver, there's Grouse Mountain (many tourist attractions, need to pay to go up and down the gondola), Dog Mountain (great view of Vancouver), & Cypress Mountain (many many trails). If you're tired of mountains, then I wholeheartedly suggest visiting Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver.

Interested in anything else? This website lists several attractions in Vancouver.

As for Calgary, the only thing that comes up to my mind immediately is this place as shown by this photoblogger, Patrick Latter. He used to live in Calgary so if you check out his photo stories, you can see a whole bunch of locations that he visited that's just driving distance away from Calgary.

Hopefully, someone else can chime in and give some more suggestions

Have you browsed through Paul Nicklen's Bear: Spirit of the Wild
(National Geographic, ISBN-10: 1426211767 - ISBN-13: 978-1426211768)? You might find info on where he shot spirit bears.

If you are camping, bring a lot of waterproofs and warm clothes. It can snow in the summer,especially up in the mountains. Some great places by Vancouver is Stanley Park. Banff is great, as is Lake Louis and Jasper. If you are actually in Calgary and just want to go out for the day, Fish Creek Provincial Park is good, and Bragg Creek is about a 30 minute drive for Calgary. There are lots of good hiking trails there in the summer, and many great photo opportunities.

Ciao Chiara, you have some beautiful wildlife photos on your website!

if you do plan on stopping by Calgary, I would suggest renting a car and drive HWY 1 through the Canadian Rockies all the way to Vancouver.
Lots of sites to stop by Banff, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Lake O'Hara, Lake Emerald, Yoho, Jasper although it's out of the way.
If you plan on camping in the mountains bring warm clothes as it can snow there in September, we camped Lake O'Hara on the 3rd week of September last year and it was snowing and -1 C that night.

@jefzor: Thank you! I'm happy a Canonist like my pics :P

@VCY: Thanks for your reply! I'm looking for suggestions coming from personal experiences. Anyway thank you very much for taking the time to list so many websites for me!!

@nordlysBW: I know Paul Nicklen's Spirit Bear pics and I'm going with the same guide this great photographer went with

@PhotoMASTERZ and @taemo: Thank you so much for your suggestions, I was exactly looking for personal experiences on those locations

@taemo: And thank you for your very kind words on my pics!!

I personally never found the appeal of Prince Rupert. It is kind of a dirty town. If you are driving though it, on the way to PR, I would recommend spending some time in Smithers. If you are going to Calgary, Banff is a great place to go. The areas around Banff are some of the most scenic in the Rocky Mountain Range. If you are going to Vancouver, I would consider hopping over to Victoria & Nanaimo. Victoria especially is very beautiful. The further up the island you go, the more wooded & rustic it gets. There are some very majestic areas on the west side of the island as well.

It's a long drive from Calgary to Vancouver. If you visit all the nice places along the way you will never get to your ultimate destination.

Lake O'Hara is in Yoho park, about 3 hours west of Calgary. It can be spectacular in September with the changing colors. You should make prior arrangements if you want to visit. Access is by special (local) bus.

Let me know if you need any particular information about Calgary.