Every Friday we feature an inspirational travel photo of a Canadian destination taken by one of our readers.
Why we chose it: In the Prairies, land and sky can blur together in winter. This snapshot of an elk herd on the snowy horizon illustrates just that, in Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park in southwestern Alberta (map). Winter can be a fantastic time for wildlife-viewing in Canada without the crowds—of humans, that is. (more…)
Marc Télio on a polar-bear expedition in Canada last year.
Native Montrealer Marc Télio was just 23 when he opened a travel company specializing in high-end trips to Canada and Alaska. Seventeen years later Entrée Destinations continues to offer travelers the highest standard in service and unforgettable experiences, like helicoptering into a remote lodge in Manitoba for a polar bear photo safari or cruising British Columbia’s Gulf Islands by yacht. For some of us, these spectacular tours will be filed under “Canadian inspiration”, since they don’t come cheap. But in life and in travel, as Marc says, you get what you pay for.
Photo James Wheeler
By Tim Johnson
A place where the mountains meet the sea, Vancouver Island’s beauty is known the world over. At times wild and untamed, the Island can be equally refined and sophisticated as well as quirky and interesting. Traversing the two-lanes that link British Columbia’s capital with its best-known surf town is a pleasurable experience—especially if you make time for lots of stops along the way.
Modes of Transportation
Travelling from south to north is the best way to tackle this drive. You can steer your own car onto a ship operated by BC Ferries and sail onto the Saanich Peninsula near Sidney, or fly into the Victoria International Airport—also near Sidney—and rent a car from there. Then get on the Trans-Canada and head north to Parksville, then west on BC Highway 4 to Tofino. Split the drive into at least two or three days.
Roadside Attractions
Take a little time to explore Victoria, a lovely city carved out of the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. Have a look at some Orcas as they swim and breach by roaring out into the Salish Sea on a zodiac with Prince of Whales, the city’s premiere whale-watching outfit, browse the shops near the city’s picturesque Inner Harbour, or take a cute little water taxi and go for fish and chips at Fisherman’s Wharf.
And when you’re ready to roll, head over the Malahat Drive (the winding section of mountain highway that connects the Saanich with the rest of Van Island). Stop in the charming village of Chemainus, which is painted with dozens of murals celebrating the town’s history and heritage, and browse their local artisan shops. Spend a little time in Parksville, home to some of the best beaches on the island and perhaps the warmest seawater in Canada—dramatic ties create a giant beach, the sun heats the sand, and when the tide rolls back in the sand heats the water, making for a pleasurable swim. There are also a number of interesting diversions in the area, including the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, which rehabilitates wounded and orphaned raptors (hawks, eagles, raptors) and black bears. Browse The Old Country Market in Coombs—it’ll be the building with goats eating tall stands of grass on the roof. Inside there’s a café and rambling store that sells everything from hammocks to Quebec cheese to bread baked right on site.
Then head west, over the mountains, to Tofino, about 2 ½ hours west of Parksville, a lovely stretch of highway that winds past lakes and snow-capped peaks. Stroll along famous Long Beach, a mystical place strewn with driftwood and lapped by Pacific waves, some of which are ridden by wetsuit-clad surfers (inquire in town about a lesson).
Eats
Victoria may seem like a strange place for Southern barbeque, but you can find authentic, mouth-watering pulled pork at Pig BBQ Joint, located right in the heart of town. En route north in Mill Bay, fuel up at the original outlet of Serious Coffee, which opened more than a quarter-century ago and paved the way for the small chain of coffee shops that has become an island institution. Please note that they also feature some pretty serious brioche, in all its gooey goodness. A little further up the road, and a little off the beaten track, have some lunch at Genoa Bay Café, where you can munch on fresh Salt Spring Island mussels or West Coast seafood chowder while taking in the view of a charming harbor filled with small boats, skirted by mountains and dense forest (it’s worth the drive). And in Tofino, chow down on fish tacos or a hearty burrito at Tacofino, a cheery orange food truck in the back parking lot of a surf shop just outside of town that has become the stuff of legend by feeding thousands of surfers.
Sleep
In Victoria, lay your head down in style at the Fairmont Empress, perhaps the city’s most recognizable landmark, with its ivy-covered facade and air of English sophistication. At the midway point of the trip, relax at Parksville’s Beach Club Resort, which sits directly on the water and features large, comfortable rooms, a spa, and an excellent steakhouse. And in Tofino, Long Beach Lodge features spectacular sea views and more than enough comfort to rest your adventure-weary bones.
Playlist
Spinning a few songs by the Aussie activist rockers Midnight Oil—the band that did more than any other to save the old-growth forests of Clayquot Sound—is a must. Listen to Nelly Furtado in Victoria—her hometown—and as you travel over the Malahat, put on some Hot Hot Heat, who hail from nearby Shawnigan Lake. And while they’re not exactly from the Island, it seems appropriate to hold a little tribute to the rockers of the Pacific Northwest who popularized grunge rock all those years ago—Seattle’s Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and, of course, Nirvana.
Every Friday, we will be featuring a travel photo from our readers that inspires you to explore Canada. We want to showcase your adventures whether it’s of a park, a city scape, nature or an interesting character. Join our Flickr Group so we can easily find you. In exchange for use of the photo, we will credit your name and link to your photo. If you have a particular theme that you would like us to showcase, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
Loon, Rushing River Provincial Park, Ontario Photo: coollessons2004 (Flickr CC)
Dine and paddle on gourmet kayaking tours with Edible Canada
August 12 to 14 or 26 to 28
If undercooked burgers, burnt marshmallows and stale potato chips are your idea of perfect camping food, then this weekend getaway is not for you. If, on the other hand, you like the thought of fine BC wines paired with locally sourced meals prepared by a chef, then read on. Edible Canada welcomes paddlers of all abilities on gourmet kayaking weekends throughout the summer. Participants paddle through the beautiful Gulf Islands, seeing bald eagles, blue herons and harbour seals along the way. Choose your preferred level of roughing it—either beach camping or B&B accommodations—but be sure to book early, as these popular trips sell out every year with eager gastronomes and oenophiles.—Sheri Radford
Wildlife in Yukon Territory proves elusive
By Andrew Findlay
Autumn comes early in the Tombstones, painting the tundra in jewel colours. Photo by Robert Postma, courtesy Government of Yukon
Mist rolls across a landscape turned crimson by the chill of approaching autumn. It’s the middle of August; fall arrives early in the north. For most of the morning a friend and I have followed a small but elusive herd of woodland caribou through the alpine tundra of Tombstone Territorial Park, about a 90-minute drive north of Dawson City.
The mountains around us, black and brooding obelisks, live up to their ominous name—the Tombstones. Underfoot, there is a thick spongy carpet of mosses and lichens, delicate sieve-cup lichen and fluorescent reindeer lichen. For caribou, lichen is often breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We pause behind a ridge, lowering our bodies close to the ground, and watch. The swish of air through thickets of willow tricks my eye into perceiving the movement. Are those legs or the spindly stalks of willow shrubs?
I came north to see wildlife beneath the expansive skies and the virtually people-less landscape of the Yukon. At 186,272 square miles (482,443 square kilometers) the territory is almost twice the size of the United Kingdom, yet has a population of just 40,000, most in the capital Whitehorse. A similar number of people would be crammed into a single London borough. That’s why the Yukon has a special magnetism for people fatigued by the frantic trappings of modern life, a place to be humbled by landscape so vast that technology and the other distractions of civilization seem inconsequential in comparison.
Up here in the wild Tombstones, life for now has indeed been reduced to a few simple essentials—staying warm and scanning the horizon for animals. The mist rises, lowers, then rises again and suddenly they appear, a half-dozen caribou, black snouts aimed in our direction, their grazing interrupted by the scent of humans carried on the breeze. That is life as prey, constantly alert to clues and signals in the environment; survival depends upon it. Then just as quickly as they appear, the caribou vanish like the ultimate illusionists into the swirling mists of the temperamental mountain weather.
A week earlier I had gone in search of Fannin’s sheep, a Yukon wildlife anomaly, in the Anvil Range above the town of Faro that sits smack in the centre of Yukon. For thousands of years before lead and zinc put this region on the map, Fannin’s sheep ranged the adjacent mountains.
The story of their origins is infinitely complex. Initially scientists considered them to be a distinct sub-species of wild sheep, along with others found in North America—Stone’s and Dall’s, or thinhorn sheep, and the Rocky Mountain, California and desert bighorn sheep. Research has shown that Fannin’s are genetically Dall’s sheep, but with unique dark-colored flanks and mottled white neck that came about through the effects of interbreeding and isolation, before and during the last ice age that ended some 10,000 years ago.
Today more than 2,000 Fannin’s sheep spend their summers in the Anvil Range north of Faro and winters in the lightly snow-covered forests near the Pelly River.
Though I managed to spot a few Fannin’s sheep high on a windy ridge in the Anvil Range, the glimpse was fleeting. Wild sheep are loath to grant predators the advantage of height and I was no match for these creatures of the mountains.
I have more luck with the woodland caribou. The sky has lifted and for the first time I see the razor-cut tops of the Tombstones. As we descend toward the valley bottom we cross a patch of old snow, dimpled with caribou tracks, and then we see them again briefly gathering on a hillock, wary as always. And that is the last trace we see of those animals, swallowed like us by the vastness of the Yukon sky and landscape.
Elk in Winter; image courtesy Jasper Tourism
We often see elk along the Icefields Pkwy just south of Jasper and bighorn sheep along Hwy 16 just east of town. At other roadside venues we’ve spotted coyotes, moose and mountain goats, and on rare occasions cougars, wolves and woodland caribou. Joe Urie of SunDog Tours suggests that the best way to get a glimpse of Jasper wildlife is in the company of an experienced guide. “Many Jasper guides have their own wildlife ‘hot spots’, secret places they keep closely guarded. Guides provide insights on the animals and ecosystems, making sightings more than just a photo opportunity,” he says.—Alison Baird
This park combines art, heritage buildings and fun activities for the family
By Kendra Wong
Deer Lake Park lies in the heart of Burnaby. Photo by Marie Ishikawa
STATE OF THE ART
Learn about Burnaby’s history through paintings, sculpture and ceramics by local artists at 1 Burnaby Art Gallery and 2 Deer Lake Gallery. Catch Canadian pop rockers Hedley performing Sep. 11 in the amphitheatre at the 3 Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.
TIME TRAVEL
Travel back in time at the 4-hectare (10-acre) 4 Burnaby Village Museum, which educates people of all ages about urban villages using costumed townsfolk and real-life demonstrations. Take a leisurely ride on the old-fashioned carousel, or stop by the Burnaby Centennial to pick up themed candy, books and trinkets.
Qualicum Beach scallops at Hart House Restaurant. Photo by Hamid Attie
WHERE THE HART IS
Visit eight rustic houses for a hands-on experience of Canadian life in the 1920s. The Mathers House offers 20th-century art studios and a pottery-making store, or check out the 98-year-old Anderson House. One of the heritage houses currently functions as the elegant lakeside 5 Hart House Restaurant, serving Pacific Northwest fare.
FUN IN THE SUN
Get up close with turtles and beavers in a pedal boat, kayak or canoe from 6 Deer Lake Boat Rentals (604-839-3949). Search for rare birds, including great blue herons and bald eagles, in the wildlife-viewing tower, and photograph beautiful rhododendrons in Century Garden. Don’t forget your water bottle when venturing along one of the many hiking trails.
Drive eastward on Hastings Street and take Highway 1 east until exit 32. Or take the SkyTrain to Metrotown Station, then hop aboard the #144 SFU bus.
Courtesy Travel Alberta
The large, curled horns of the male Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep can weigh up to 14 kg (30 lbs), more than all its bones combined! Rams use their horns as a status symbol and weapon when fighting for dominance or mating rights. Combatants rear up and charge at up to 32 km (20 mi) an hour. The clash of horns echoes through the mountains as the encounter repeats (sometimes for hours) until one ram submits and walks away. Murray Morgan of Jasper Adventure Ctr suggests watching for bighorn sheep by the Athabasca River bridge where Maligne Rd meets Hwy 16. —RM
Wildlife of the Canadian Rockies: A Glimpse on the Wildside
Canmore author John Marriott has photographed animals since he was six years old—find his Wildlife of the Canadian Rockies: A Glimpse on the Wildside at local bookstores. His top picks for wildlife viewing are:
1 Lake Minnewanka Loop: Bighorn sheep (especially at the Lake) and elk
2 Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Castle Mountain: Deer, coyotes, bighorn sheep and elk
3 Bow Valley Parkway between Castle Mountain and Lake Louise: Black and grizzly bears
4 Vermilion Lakes: Bald eagles, waterfowl, elk and coyotes. Try sightseeing by canoe
5 Icefields Parkway between Weeping Wall and Columbia Icefield: Mountain goats and bighorn sheep
Do you have great photos from your travels in Canada that you'd like to share with us? Submit them to the Where Canada Flickr pool and they'll show up here.
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