Vancouver and Bella Coola, Northwest Canadian Bear Safari
Our next big trip started in Vancouver on August 28th. Got into the hotel, Marriott Pinnacle in downtown Vancouver. Love traveling with The Big Journey from UK. Met at airport, and then welcoming drink at the hotel from Guide, So. It was after 8:00 pm., so then to bed. Next day hit the road running. After Breakfast and meeting fellow travelers, we have a bus tour of Vancouver.
Picture on Right, from corner to outside edge with the arched window is the narrowest building.
Next on the agenda after lunch was a harbour tour. This was no slow float. In order to get from one end to the other, it was wide open with s turns. Loved it.
After the harbour tour, we did stimulated "flyover canada". It was a great. Even felt the spray from Niagara Falls.
Then on to Dinner. Then to bed. Next day the adventure really starts in Bella Cooler, BC
Charter Flight to Bella Cooler. Only a 1 hr. flight.
Airport at Bella Coola
On way to Lodge, stopped to by chance see our first bear. No luck, but beautiful territory.
After checking in, on to the first drift boat ride. Hopefully, bear. The pinks salmon has just started running upstream to spawn. The group before us had not seen any bears until the last day.
First sighting was just after we took off. We missed the one at the launch site since we were the first boat out. This one was nicknamed Bentear. You'll note his left ear is mangled, probably in some fight. He's the alpha male of the Atnarko River.
Second siting. Another male. This was just across from the viewing platform.
If not looking at Bears, Then the eagles will do. This is a large juvenile. Great perch looking for dinner.
Great bear swimming in the water.
After we get back to the lodge to clean up for supper, this bear is just strolling through the lawns.
The first sampling of what our dinners would be like. Scallops for an appetizer. Then fish for dinner. Great food and great service. 3 courses every evening. We did have to pay for our alcoholic beverages.
On the 3rd day, before the planned "Nature Walk" and before breakfast, we headed out to the viewing platform. Lucky us.
We had two bears. But when Bent Ear showed up, the second one left. Alpha male strikes again.
When we got finished with breakfast, we were gifted a visit from a mother and her cub just in the yard of the lodge. If we had been at our cabin, she would have walked between our cabin and the next one.
Any nature walk here is a moderate hike. Not hard, but diffidently not a walk. Our naturalist was a young man, Sam. Not bad to look at, but was very knowledgeable. Explained about how the salmon are the lifeline of the area. A single salmon lays 2,000 eggs, and if 2 live and come back up the river to spawn, then the area will survive.
Since we were actually on the edge of the Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, the hikes we took were in that park. It's the largest provincial park in Canada. This was the Kettle Pond trailhead.
The path was not clearly marked and Sam liked to go cross country. Pretty, but overcast and gray. But in this area, you go no matter the weather.
When we got back for lunch (it was supposed to be a full day hike, but since the weather was bad, we had our sandwiches out at the viewing platform) For lunches if we were not in the lodge, we would order our sandwich customized for us from a menu the night before.
That afternoon, we hiked the river trail. It was closing the next day due to danger because of the bears.
After the trail, we went to the new bear viewing station that requires a guide with you at all times. and of course another bear. The guide thinks it was a female, but couldn't be sure. She was fishing and we got several good shots. Also was a group of Mergansers there.
Don't know how Bob got this brown tone, but it's really neat.
On the 4th day, we took a Valley Tour and then a helicopter ride. It was interesting and fun. First we went to the rain forest.
Nest we visited the Petroplyths and heard the history of the First Nation People.
Next we went up in the Helicopter. Views of the glacier lakes and glaciers.
Our next stop was Clayton Falls in Bella Coola.
Back to the lodge and then to the viewing platform.
And then to our dinner of Duck.
Really good and I didn't think I liked Duck.
On day 5, the 2nd of Sept., the plan was a drift and then a hike. We were able to vote on what we wanted and it was decided there would be 2 drifts that day. Meaning lots of bear sightings.
I don't know if I mentioned it, but Momma Bear will not have anything to do with males until after the cub is weaned and leaves the den. Could be up to 5 years between cubs. The male, of course, wants any female around, and will kill the cub if he can to get the mother to mate. This female is on one side of the river and Bent Ear, the alpha male is on the other. The mom is really leary.
Bob and I were in the front boat, but the boats behind us was even charged by the Mother bear since she had been threatened and was upset. The guide yelled and shared her off. Gwen was in the front of the boat and nearly jumped out.
Second drift later that day. We again saw Bent ear.
Eagles were great too.
On Sept. 3rd, we had a choice of a long hike or a shorter easier hike. We opted for the long hike that took us up the road to Hickman Pass. We hiked to Crystal Lake, 20 km. on Rainbow Ridge. There had been a fire 10 years before so the forest is slowly recovering.
When we got back to the Lodge, we didn't get to go to the bear viewing platform since the mother and her cub were in the yard. Reports all day were that she had been acting strange all day.
For dinner that night, it was Rack of Lamb and Key Lime Pie.
Great Meal.
Then back to Vancouver the next day. Great Trip with fun people and food.
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| China Town |
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| Narrowest building in Genus Book of World Records |
Picture on Right, from corner to outside edge with the arched window is the narrowest building.
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| Totem Poles in Stanley Park |
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| First Nation Totem Gate |
After the harbour tour, we did stimulated "flyover canada". It was a great. Even felt the spray from Niagara Falls.
Then on to Dinner. Then to bed. Next day the adventure really starts in Bella Cooler, BC
Charter Flight to Bella Cooler. Only a 1 hr. flight.
Airport at Bella Coola
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| Transportation for the week |
On way to Lodge, stopped to by chance see our first bear. No luck, but beautiful territory.
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| Lodge porch, meeting place for excursions. Inside is dining area. |
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| Our cabin for the week. one on left |
After checking in, on to the first drift boat ride. Hopefully, bear. The pinks salmon has just started running upstream to spawn. The group before us had not seen any bears until the last day.
 |
| Les and the drift boat we went out in. only 4 in this boat. |
First sighting was just after we took off. We missed the one at the launch site since we were the first boat out. This one was nicknamed Bentear. You'll note his left ear is mangled, probably in some fight. He's the alpha male of the Atnarko River.
 | |
| This is the bear watching site at the resort. We're passing it on the river.. |
Second siting. Another male. This was just across from the viewing platform.
If not looking at Bears, Then the eagles will do. This is a large juvenile. Great perch looking for dinner.
Great bear swimming in the water.
After we get back to the lodge to clean up for supper, this bear is just strolling through the lawns.
The first sampling of what our dinners would be like. Scallops for an appetizer. Then fish for dinner. Great food and great service. 3 courses every evening. We did have to pay for our alcoholic beverages.
On the 3rd day, before the planned "Nature Walk" and before breakfast, we headed out to the viewing platform. Lucky us.
We had two bears. But when Bent Ear showed up, the second one left. Alpha male strikes again.
When we got finished with breakfast, we were gifted a visit from a mother and her cub just in the yard of the lodge. If we had been at our cabin, she would have walked between our cabin and the next one.
Any nature walk here is a moderate hike. Not hard, but diffidently not a walk. Our naturalist was a young man, Sam. Not bad to look at, but was very knowledgeable. Explained about how the salmon are the lifeline of the area. A single salmon lays 2,000 eggs, and if 2 live and come back up the river to spawn, then the area will survive.
Since we were actually on the edge of the Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, the hikes we took were in that park. It's the largest provincial park in Canada. This was the Kettle Pond trailhead.
The path was not clearly marked and Sam liked to go cross country. Pretty, but overcast and gray. But in this area, you go no matter the weather.
When we got back for lunch (it was supposed to be a full day hike, but since the weather was bad, we had our sandwiches out at the viewing platform) For lunches if we were not in the lodge, we would order our sandwich customized for us from a menu the night before.
That afternoon, we hiked the river trail. It was closing the next day due to danger because of the bears.
After the trail, we went to the new bear viewing station that requires a guide with you at all times. and of course another bear. The guide thinks it was a female, but couldn't be sure. She was fishing and we got several good shots. Also was a group of Mergansers there.
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| looking for the fish |
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| catching it, look carefully |
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| enjoy! |
Don't know how Bob got this brown tone, but it's really neat.
On the 4th day, we took a Valley Tour and then a helicopter ride. It was interesting and fun. First we went to the rain forest.
Nest we visited the Petroplyths and heard the history of the First Nation People.
Next we went up in the Helicopter. Views of the glacier lakes and glaciers.
 |
| see the sea lions on the logs |
Back to the lodge and then to the viewing platform.
Really good and I didn't think I liked Duck.
On day 5, the 2nd of Sept., the plan was a drift and then a hike. We were able to vote on what we wanted and it was decided there would be 2 drifts that day. Meaning lots of bear sightings.
 | |
| 2nd Bear Viewing Platform. We had to have a guide with us to go to this one. |
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| Watching |
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| Serching |
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| Reward! |
I don't know if I mentioned it, but Momma Bear will not have anything to do with males until after the cub is weaned and leaves the den. Could be up to 5 years between cubs. The male, of course, wants any female around, and will kill the cub if he can to get the mother to mate. This female is on one side of the river and Bent Ear, the alpha male is on the other. The mom is really leary.
Bob and I were in the front boat, but the boats behind us was even charged by the Mother bear since she had been threatened and was upset. The guide yelled and shared her off. Gwen was in the front of the boat and nearly jumped out.
Second drift later that day. We again saw Bent ear.
Eagles were great too.
On Sept. 3rd, we had a choice of a long hike or a shorter easier hike. We opted for the long hike that took us up the road to Hickman Pass. We hiked to Crystal Lake, 20 km. on Rainbow Ridge. There had been a fire 10 years before so the forest is slowly recovering.
When we got back to the Lodge, we didn't get to go to the bear viewing platform since the mother and her cub were in the yard. Reports all day were that she had been acting strange all day.
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