On behalf of our staff and all of the sponsors of our 2010 Reader Photo Contest, we are very pleased to announce that the winner of our Early Bird Prize Package is Darren Robinson of Powell River, British Columbia.

Darren’s entry, entitled ‘Through the eyes of the mountain guide’ is listed as image #131 (as of today) on this page of our web site:
Keep in mind we’ll be uploading more than an extra 50 more submissions made August 1^st to August 12^th only, and the general contest will be closing next year, end of March 2011!!

Our Early Bird Prize Package has a retail value of $1,635 and includes:

• Two nights Bed & Breakfast Package in a Fairmont room for two adults with complimentary recreation equipment rentals valid through to March 31, 2011, courtesy of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Resort Hotel. Surf up their site at www.fairmont.com. The Fairmont is a very well known and respected brand in the Canadian Rockies and includes such other properties as the Château Lake Louise and the Banff Springs hotels. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Resort is a pet-friendly family hotel and it was named the 2009 Environmental Hotel of the Year based upon their commitment to hotel-wide composting, waste diversion, and a constant commitment to all things green. And a $6 million dollar renovation, just winding up will feature a new 10,000 square foot full Fairmont Spa, new health club, art gallery, a selection of boutique stores, and a redesigned coffee shop.
• In addition to these superior accommodations, Darren will also receive a Columbia Icefields Parkway Motorcycle Tour plus commemorative tee shirts for two people courtesy of Jasper Motorcycle Tours. Check out all of their tour packages at www.jaspermotorcycletours.com.
• Evil Dave’s Grill (www.evildavesgrill.com) will provide Darren with a $50 Gift Certificate for their dining pleasure and the “Everything But” store has donated a $50 Gift Certificate with which Darren will be able to purchase clothing or souvenirs of this memorable experience.  And Darren is sure to enjoy an autographed copy of “Jasper-Robson: A Taste of Heaven”, written by Don Beers and courtesy of Pine Bungalows.

And a gentle reminder to continue to submit your photo entries. Our Photo Contest runs straight through til March 31, 2011, and we still have some superb prizes to give away, including:

• Gold Medal Package: A brand new Canon EOS Digital Rebel T2i EF-S High Definition video camera and accessories with a retail value of $1,800, courtesy of The Camera Store in Calgary. The Camera Store opened in 1996 to better serve the western Canadian market. They are full line dealers for the entire range of conventional and digital photographic equipment and supplies and they have the knowledge base to back it up!  They can make your photographic experiences easier and help improve your final product. Most commercial photographers, photo students and avid amateurs in Calgary rely on The Camera Store for all their needs.
• Silver Medal Package: A portable outdoor campfire and accessories. Ideal for campers.  Easy & safe to use. Courtesy of Campfire-in-a-Can. Their portable campfires are designed with you, the outdoor enthusiast and RV owner in mind. From backyard to the beach and beyond, their environmentally friendly, easy to use and safe outdoor fire pits give you a warm, welcoming campfire experience anytime, anywhere. It’s the premium-quality portable campfire you can count on – from their family to yours.
• Bronze Medal Package: A large print of the Crowsnest Pass image that appears on page 14 of the 2010-2011 edition of Experience the Mountain Parks. Plus two “Share the Experience” tee shirts. The print is courtesy of the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit, Heritage & Museum Division, Government of Alberta and the tees are courtesy of CMI Publishing.

Congratulations to Darren and many thanks to our sponsors and to all those who entered our 2010 Photo Contest, so far. Remember, you have until March 31^st to get your entries in to be eligible for our Gold, Silver and Bronze prize packages!

Happy trails!

Bob Harris
Publisher of Experience the Mountain Parks
Tweet me at http://twitter.com/BHarris_Calgary

Thank you for your awesome participation but moreover for your patience!

So unless there have been a few submissions “falling through the cracks”, I mean submitted directly to The Camera Store or by mail to CMI Publishing, our early bird count stopped at 621 612 photos, and 4 videos submitted, yes I said 621 612!
(Honestly we’re still sorting out some submissions that couldn’t get through the last three days. So the final count should be around this announced number.)
As a matter of comparison there were (only) 115 submissions in all of 2009. Almost a five-fold in a matter of a few weeks!

That means a few things to us;

You are more and more to come to this website, come back on a regular basis, so like it. So please before going, leave us a comment. This is your website, help us make it better.

From all over the world, you came to visit us as you trust this website, and you like it. Furthermore, we’ve seen an amount of professional work mixed with family photos submitted to Experience The Mountain Parks second-to-none. Interestingly enough it means we attract professional photographers or not alike!

Your participation to this contest went mainly through our website. As we didn’t expect such a participation, some of you had difficulties submitting their artwork. Our server went over capacity a few times and we apologize for the inconvenience it caused to some. As an aside we’ll publish the contestants full list pretty soon.

So you might wonder, with such an amount of contestants, what are my chances of winning?

Well this contest is far from being over; there will be more monthly opportunities to win amazing prizes. Don’t forget your submissions up to March 2011 will be entered for the gold, silver, and bronze packages.

But this isn’t what’s important to us and we hope for you too. What we like the most (like you) is to see your stories and experiences shared here.
So, you’d like to go further on, but where to go from there?
Let us know, share your experiences, stories, through your photos, videos, drawings, or send us your written stories. We’ll publish them. We’d love this, and we’re sure you’d like to read the stories from others.
Some of you might wonder as well where is this (feature) or that? We promised a lot, and trust us, we’ll deliver!
It says in the Wisdom of Confucius:
“It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.”

Last but not least, some of you still didn’t provide any captions for their photos. You need to provide them to be considered for the contest!!

Good luck all!

Here we go, the early bird contest just closed its doors an hour and a half ago, at midnight mountain time, but it’s not over…these entries, along with your future ones will be competing for the gold, silver and bronze prizes!! 

This general contest closes March 31, 2011, midnight M.T.!

 – The Gold Prize package is valued at $1800 retail value: a full camera outfit from
The Camera Store, Calgary.

– The  Silver Prize package is a portable outdoor campfire & accessories from
Campfire-in-a-can.

– The  Bronze Prize package includes a beautiful print of the Crowsnest Pass and
two Experience The Mountain Parks tee-shirts.

Lastly, there will be more opportunities to win, through monthly chances, up to the end of March 2011, More exciting prizes are coming. Just follow Bob on Twitter to know more. Almost 5500 are following him already.

So, what’s the competition like in the early bird contest? We’re still in the process of wrapping up, and uploading your submissions. However we can tell you there are between 550 and 600 photos submissions, along with 4 videos.

Some of you sent us corrections/additions to their photos captions. We’ll work on these in the next hours. All photos we received before yesterday, 1 hour and a half ago, are safe. We’ll be publishing as a separate list the names of the early bird contestants.

Important note:
Some submissions have been sent with no captions, no indications of where it was shot. We’re displaying these photos for your enjoyment, but they won’t have a chance to participate, unless we do receive these captions in the next 24 hours. A simple text file is enough.

We had an overwhelming response to our photo/video contest… (updated on July 25) 289 submissions in a few weeks only!

It’s still time to submit your entries for the early bird prize package: a retail value of $1635, including a 3-day getaway to Jasper, Alberta, with room, meals, motorcycle tour and more.
See by yourself in details:

– Two-night B&B package for two adults with complimentary recreation equipment rentals from the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
– An escorted tour to the Icefields Parkway for two people plus commemorative tee-shirts from Jasper Motorcycle Tours
– $50 gift certificate for your dining pleasure at Evil Dave’s Grill
– $50 gift certificate from the Everything But store, perfect for clothing or souvenirs.
– An autographed copy of “Jasper-Robson: A Taste of Heaven” by Don beers, courtesy of Pine Bungalows.

If you wish to be part of the general contest, you still have got time, loads of time.
Contest closes March 31, 2011, midnight M.T.!

 – The Gold Prize package is valued at $1800 retail value: a full camera outfit from
The Camera Store, Calgary.
– The Silver Prize package is a portable outdoor campfire & accessories from
Campfire-in-a-can.
– The Bronze Prize package includes a beautiful print of the Crowsnest Pass and
two Experience The Mountain Parks tee-shirts.
More opportunities to win through monthly chances up to the end of March for other prizes, just follow Bob on Twitter like more than 5200 are!!

The Big Wild is a conservation movement founded by Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
Watch their 92-second video to get the low down on The Big Wild.

Excerpt from thebigwild.org website:

“… Infographics really come in handy when you want to highlight fun facts and empirical evidence as it relates to scale and impact.
The Big Wild infographic features biodiversity in North America and compares Canada to the United States and Mexico…”

Press release excerpt:

Alberta designates grizzly bears a threatened species

Population and habitat mapping provide key information

Edmonton… The Alberta government has designated grizzly bears as a threatened species in an effort to better protect the bears and sustain the provincial population.
The designation is based on cutting-edge population research and habitat data, as well as a recommendation from the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC), a group of stakeholders including ranchers, industry, academics, wildlife managers and conservation interests…”

Read the full press release here.

—————————————————————————————————————————

The Government of Alberta, Parks Division, concocted some short videos explaining how to avoid bear encounters and what to do in case of a bear encounter. Remember, Alberta and British Columbia are “bear countries” after all.

First video transcript:

“As park interpreters, we meet a lot of people who want to know what to do if a bear attacks.
But focusing on bear attacks really misses the point when we talk about bear and human safety. And it actually turns bears into something they aren’t.
Bears aren’t savage killers!…

About the only thing the bears in the Rocky Mountains viciously tear apart are wasps nests, ant hills and the roots of plants that make up their diet.
That’s right! About 75 to 90% of a bear’s diet is made up of plants–the rest being insects, ground squirrels, and the occasional dead animal.
By learning and practicing a few basic safety procedures while in bear country, your visit to the wilderness will be safe and enjoyable.
And by reducing conflicts with bears, you’re also helping to protect them.
You’ll also be protecting yourself and other wilderness visitors.”

Second video transcript:
“The first and most important thing to remember about bears in the wild is that like any other wild animal they can be unpredictable. You’ve entered their home…
So when hiking, biking, or riding a horse it’s important to let them know that you’re there.
Make plenty of noise especially when you’re near steams, hiking through dense bush or when approaching a blind corner. But bear bells aren’t loud enough.
We recommend loud conversation, singing a song, or the good old-fashioned “Yo Bear!” at regular intervals.
When vehicle camping, make certain to keep your food locked in your vehicle — even when you’re only away from your site for a few minutes, or when you go
inside your tent or trailer. Remember bears can smell food that’s in a cooler, so lock your cooler in your vehicle.
Dispose of your garbage and food scraps in sealed bags in a bear-proof bin.
And get rid off your dish or wash water by dumping it in a campground toilet.
In the backcountry, cooking and eat at least 100 metres from your tent. And never put any food, toilet article, candy, or anything else that has

a scent into your tent. Even toothpaste smells like food to a bear.
Store your pack in a backcountry locker, on a pack rack, or suspend it on a rope between two trees.
If you see a bear, the first thing to do is to give him some space.
Remember, this is the bear’s home and you’re just the visitor.
All you have to do is back away slowly, return the way you came, or take a wide detour around the area.

The bear doesn’t want to be around you anymore than you want to be around the bear.
By the time you get back home, you’ll have a really great story to embellish.”

“The death of a female grizzly bear that was struck by a train near the Banff townsite is once again raising concerns about how safe the iconic species is from human activity in the national park.” (Calgary Herald)

The Alberta Wilderness Association has an interesting take on how to draw attention to this specific topic. The AWA launched a campaign of satirical ads, along with a new website called “No More Grizzlies” trying to attract strong attention from the public. They even developed an online game rewarding players for killing bears!!

Here’s their website foreword.

Pretty strong message, isn’t it?

Now let’s take a look at some of the posters the AWA is using:

We would like to get you opinion on this. Is it effective? Do you think it’s a good idea? Is it the best way to draw attention? What’s your take on this? This campaign is definitely controversial, but is it going too far? Do you think shocking is the way to go?

In the past they used some other techniques, considered softer, certainly not as controversial. Below are some posters they produced. We found them on their website called “Save the Grizzly“

 Again, we’d like to get your opinion and your comments on this.

Incidentally, a cougar nicknamed Doug died of natural causes a few weeks back, after living happy days for a decade or so in the Bow Valley. This is a great example showing that wildlife -in this case carnivore-  and humans can co-exist in close proximity when conditions are optimal.
On a broader scale, though, the question remains whether we can live in harmony with the wildlife while keeping it wild?

In our opinion, some answers are achieved through local initiatives, such as the Bow Valley Wildsmart approach.

About The Friends of Kananaskis Country:
The Friends of Kananaskis Country Cooperating Association was incorporated as a not-for-profit and registered charity in 1996. Working in partnership with Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, we are interested citizens cooperating for the benefit of Kananaskis Country and its visitors.
The Friends of Kananaskis Country is a member of a community of caring that values and protects the natural and cultural landscape.
Their mission is to enhance, protect and share the unique natural and cultural experiences of kananaskis Country through a community of caring and public participation.
This not for profit organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors with a diversity of backgrounds and skills. All have a passion for Kananaskis Country. They ensure that every one of their programs and projects center around the concepts of: Education, Participation, and Protection.
Each year The Friends of Kananaskis Country produces a poster set featuring one animal and a complementary scenery photograph.

Below are the 2010 posters. They are 24 by 18 inches large (or 18 by 24 inches). Hurry, it’s a very limited edition!

Frightened fawn | Photo by Robert Berdan

North end of Mount Rae from Little Highwood Pass Area | Photo by Heinrich Lohmann

Thank you for your support to this great organization and a great cause!

Banff & Whistler make it in the top 10, in the world, respectively #4 and #5!

See by yourself here.

In the world category, the winners are:
#1 Queenstown, New Zealand
#2 Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, U.S.A.
#3 Masai National Reserve, Kenya
#4 and #5 We know already, Banff and Whistler
#6 Interlaken, Switzerland
#7 Lake District, U.K.
#8 El Calafate, Argentina
#9 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
#10 Zermatt, Switzerland

But guess what? In Canada, we got 6 winners in either Alberta or British Columbia:
#1 Banff National Park, Alberta
#2 Whistler, British Columbia
#3 Vancouver Island, British Columbia
#4 Canmore, Alberta
#5 Jasper National Park, Alberta
#6 Mont Tremblant, Québec
#7 Niagara Falls, Ontario
#8 Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
#9 Whitehorse, Yukon
#10 Golden, British Columbia

More than half of Canadians say they can’t afford a summer vacation this year and those who can take time off are planning to stay close to home, according to a new survey released May 4. The study, commissioned by Frito Lay Canada and reported on in Canoe.ca’s ‘Money’ news website, found more than 50 per cent of respondents believe they don’t have the money to get away and 75 per cent say they either won’t take any vacation time this summer at all, will stay near home, or will vacation within their own province. A TD Canada Trust spokesperson said the poll suggests that Canadians are worried about putting money aside for a vacation, but setting a budget and savings goals and trimming expenses can help, even starting as little as eight weeks before a summer holiday or day trip. For the study, Lay’s teamed up with the Canadian Tourism Commission ahead of its “Lay’s Chip Trips” campaign which will offer discounts on hotels, car rentals, amusement parks and more.

• Specifics to trips in Alberta here.
• Specifics to trips in British Columbia here.