Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/510262
pack horses carry gear. The Muskwa- Kechika is the largest remaining wilderness in the Rocky Mountains and one of the most varied wildlife ecosys- tems in North America. Since these rugged trips can last up to 12 days, you must be in excellent physical shape. Why? You'll be doing it all, from helping to catch and saddle your horse to pitching your tent and assisting with campfire meals. Ride with Sawchuk, seeking grizzly and black bears, wolves, mountain goats, Stone sheep, elk, wolverine, caribou and moose. Guaranteed, you'll see tracks, rub- bings and other wildlife signs. What about more accessible wilder- ness? Famous for its icefields, Kluane National Park covers more than 22,000 square kilometres in the Yukon Territory. Near Kluane, Dalton Trail Lodge offers superb eco activities, fishing, gourmet meals, plus some of the best "drive-by" wildlife watching I've ever encountered. Two nights in a row, just by driving at dusk, I spotted grizzly and black bears, a mother moose with two calves, deer, red fox, and most surprisingly, a lynx. Best wildlife viewing is in May and June because wildlife is moving into summer feeding grounds. Northern Saskatchewan presents another sort of wilderness in Prince Albert National Park, where rolling hills and poplar forests, lakes and grasslands pro- vide a completely different habitat. Here, Gord Vaadeland of Sturgeon River Ranch leads gentle overnight horseback outings in search of the only free-ranging herd of plains bison still within their historic range in Canada. Watch for deer, red fox, coyotes, wolves and many birds. Québec's Gatineau Park is 20 minutes north of Ottawa. Its 361 square kilometres of forests and lakes provide habitat for black bear, wolves, coyotes, red fox, marten, mink and more. Friends of Gatineau Park offer guided programs, such as "Snowshoe Under the Stars," during which guides explain animal behaviour in winter. HOWLING WITH WOLVES Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park is internationally renowned for its serene lakes, paddling and camping opportuni- ties—and August wolf howls. What are these? Visitors assemble in an outdoor amphitheatre to hear an illustrated talk on the ecology of wolves in the park and then accompany a guide to a scouted location where they may hear wolves respond to howls uttered by the guide-interpreter. It's a magical, spine-chilling thrill to hear a pack respond at night under a canopy of stars twinkling overhead. Better yet, why not time your visit to combine a paddling trip in Algonquin searching for moose with Voyageur Quest? BIRDING FESTIVALS Due to Canada's diverse ecosystems and climates, birding is immensely varied. And with the migration of species, there's always reason to celebrate. In the Yukon Territory, there's April's DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2015 16 TOP TO BOTTOM: Experience a Voyageur Quest adventure in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park. Canadian Tourism Commission Located about 200 kilometres southeast of St. John's, Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve is one of Newfoundland and Labrador's major seabird colonies. Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Take in the vastness and beauty of Saskatchewan on horseback. Tourism Saskatchewan/Greg Huszar Photography