Tuesday, August 4, 2009

dog days


The sun won't stop shining! It makes me want to take a nap every time I turn around. And since I don't have anything else on my schedule, I go ahead and have a nap.
I advise you to teach your humans about the importance of the nap. They'll be more relaxed and enjoyable to have around. Napping is one of many things humans can learn from us dogs.
Indoors or out, a nap is refreshing. Whether curled in a ball with your nose tucked, or flat out on your back with paws to the sky, you will benefit from a nap. As you nap you get to dream of digging for a ground squirrel, chasing a cat or barking at birds. When you awake, and after a good long stretch and yawn, you are ready to play chase, fetch and tug of war. Humans should engage in these activities more.
How to get your human to nap? The best time is when they are reading or laying on the couch looking at the TV. Plop down nearby. Be sure to breathe a long heavy sigh. It does not hurt to whimper gently as you get comfortable. This will get their attention. Now slowly roll your eyes up towards the human, be sure to look sleepy. Once you have eye contact, give a lazy yawn, smack your lips, sigh and close your eyes. Before long the book will drop to the floor and the TV will be talking to no one. You' ll hear slow breathing and soft snores. When they wake up you can count on a game of chase, fetch or tug of war. You win!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Wells Gray




A weekend camping with the kids means time with my lovely mom, Lola as well as peaceful guitar tunes!




















Watching the "Mushbowl", Murtle River














Sat. July 25
Helmcken Rim Trail
Approx 2 hours

easy level trail
soft trail bed
a few hikers and dogs
one wrong move and you're gone exposure-if you're overly frisky take a leash
shady forest
a flower
river for drinking

1 paw up





a flower










Sun. July 26
Trophy Meadows Trail
Approx. 1 1/2 hours

soft trail
clearcut, then shady forest
immense meadows of flowers and not one ground squirrel
a few streams for drinking
a few hikers and dogs, a leash would be good
be aware of unremarkable gray clouds
2 paws up




A bolt of lightning sent the humans to the ground and scared me out of my fur! We scampered a few feet out of the meadows and back into the trees to find we had nearly been the target. Glad I'm short! This blazing lightning strike extinguished quickly. We took our jangled nerves back to the parking lot.
Yikes

Monday, July 13, 2009

"K" Country




On the trails again




July 9/09
Chester Lake and Three Lake Valley
Peter Lougheed Prov. Park
4 1/2 hrs return





smooth trailbed to Chester Lake
taunting ground squrrels ( leash would be good)
rocky trail at 3 Lake Valley
streams and lakes
an umbrella could be useful
no people after Chester Lake
2 paws up



(I could use a raincoat, you know.)


July 10/09
Mt. Indefatigable, eastern outlier
Peter Lougheed Prov. Park
5 hours return
rocky, busy trail at the start
ground squirrel fiesta meadows
you may need a leash
no water until the tarn
windy up above
did I mention the ground squirrels?
3 paws up


(a grizzly discovery, it's not a ground squirrel))
July 11/09
Pocaterra Cirque Trail
Peter Lougheed Prov. Park
30 min. to scree slope and creek
mud bog supreme!
trail starts in a mossy, creek slope
uphill over a ridge
meadows and scree slope
this animal was not a ground squirrel
we left him to wander into the cirque
plan "B" as follows...
Raswon Lake Trail
Peter Lougheed Prov. Park
1 hour to the lake
smooth trail
Lakeshore walk
forest
a lake at both ends of the trail
too many people, dogs and kids
leash is essential, yuck
1 paw








(Yes, I'm coming.)










































Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Mountain Time

The typist has been away for awhile. I never blog when she is gone. I takes me too long...the opposable thumb thing makes the space bar a challenge.


The humans packed up the camper and we headed for the mountains. I was so glad to get on the trails again.













July 1
Geraldine Lakes, Jasper NP
5 hrs return


If you love to mud bog and swim, this is the trail for you!
mud along the first lakeshore
big time boulder hopping
good marmot sniffing
pika places
streams for drinking and lakes for swimming
Not many hikers
a couple of steep parts

2 paws up

July 2
Verdant Pass, Jasper NP
6 1/2 hrs return













only 2 other hikers on Astoria trail
we had the pass to ourselves
streams for drinking
lakes on the pass for swimming
grouse, meadow birds
some blow down
no boulder hopping
cold Hooker wind in the pass

3 paws up


July 3
Wilcox Pass, Jasper NP
5 1/2 hrs return












out of the forest fast!
lots of hikers and pups
bring a leash
not much water for drinking
great meadows for exploring
some snow patches to play in

3 paws up


July 4
Nigel Pass, Banff NP
6 hrs return
















a few hikers
horses!
great willowy avalanche slopes
streams for drinking
soft trailbed
sublime sniffing
lots of sky and peaks
sausage and cheese ( I like it!)

3 paws up (the good lunch figures in here)


July 5
Emeral Lakeshore Trail, Yoho NP
2 hours round trip














the water is the thing
whole lot of people on the sunny side
wear your leash for sure
swimming and creek walking
nice soft trail
muddy on the shady side

1 paw up (way too many people)






























Thursday, June 4, 2009

Squamish


May 30/09
Cheakamus Canyon
9k
3 hrs

easy trail
water at trailhead
water halfway
mountain bikes
a motor bike
people and pups at the lake
a friendly butterfly


1 paw up



May 31
Cougar Mountain
Ancient Cedars trail
6 k
2 hours

easy trail
some rocks and roots
few hikers
a stream at the trails end
nice shady forest
rock bluff for lunch and a view

1 paw up
















Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Lillooet
























May 16/09
Fire Lookout Trail
5 1/2 hours



lots of up
some rocks
pine forest
bunch grass
deer
grouse
no water
no hikers
2 paws up


I got to hike with my pal Howie!
Howie is good at Frisbee and fetch.










Down to the Fraser River!
Howie's humans were hiking, too.

















May 17, 2009
Peanut Lake Trail
5 1/2 hours

fir, then pine forest
grouse
no hikers
some patches of snow to play in
soft trail bed
water at the lake, around the edges only!
2 paws up














The lake was cold, but we got our paws wet anyway.



"A' enjoys the snow.









My buddy "D" says, "Surprise, you're on Candid Camera!"















May 18, 2009
Gold Mine Trail
2 hours

tangled
lots of trees down
sidehills
no hikers
no water
some rocks
no gold
1 paw up


Hiking with friends is the best.
We got to have a picnic at
Seton Lake before we had to go home.





Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Paul Lake

May 2, 2009
Gibralter Rock/Lakeshore Trail
Paul Lake Prov. Park
7k?

Soft trailbed
wide and level
lots of swimming
plenty of hikers

1 paw up




Camping is good. I do love to sleep in the camper with the humans. And of coures it's fun to sniff around the campsite. I found plenty of stuff to snack on while snooping around in the bushes. There are lots of trees down which makes a puppy playground for adventurous types like me. At the little pebble beach where we had lunch I found an orange golf ball, a tennis ball and the humans found a marble! What a bonanza!






Golf anyone?