Run for the border!

One spectacular sunset over Marias Pass

Mail pickup

On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, I finally picked up my mail package from the post office in East Glacier. I'd gotten to know the postmistress there, and she was quite familiar with the "General Delivery" process since the post office is used for CDT hikers. It's a very convenient location with the Amtrak station just across the road.

Horses grazing free!

I also returned books to friends, and mailed some postcards. Any future mail for the next month or so will be from Canada and will cost more!

Last look at Glacier

I almost had an accident on the way out out of Glacier. The road is good, but somewhat twisty. I came around a bend, and there were HORSES all over the road. It was a good thing I wasn't going too fast!

They startled, and ran off the road as I pulled over, then calmed down and started to munch at the side of the road. Since there was nothing really growing there, I think maybe they were eating the dirt for the salt absorbed from the winter. The most adorable border collie mix (res dog) bounded up to my car to greet me as I took the picture. He was so cute that I found myself reconsidering having a dog along... he even ran after N0MAD as I drove away.

Glacier NP view and reference drawing (with blue!! sky)

I wanted to finish my big Glacier view drawing, and have a last look at the site and the stretch of road at the south of Glacier NP. There was blue sky, and less snow from when I started the piece almost a week before. 

Pine siskin

I said goodbye to the little birds, the hawks, the pickup trucks, trailers rattling by, and tourists.

It is kind of funny to sit in one place and watch people as they stop. EVERYONE who stopped took photos. Some come and just snap a picture, some take more care at composing. A few take selfies.

You do kind of wonder what happens with all of those photos – digital photography is a BIG business!

Last US meal, trying to use up eggs, cheese and fresh peppers

Finishing food

I'd worried about the food thing after having read through the complete 30-page Border Crossing booklet that I'd gotten at the Alberta visitor center in West Glacier. The rules are very specific and extensive. NO chicken products; NO unprocessed eggs (hard-boiled would be okay); NO dairy (except small amounts for "children"), but some cheeses are okay (but no cheeses containing meat!); specific requirements for fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc.; specific amounts of meat, alcohol (2 bottles of wine only OR a larger bottle of "hard" liquor), ... the list goes on. Even "home-baked goods" need to be declared.

In order to be prepared, I made a list of things to declare, among them pepper spray, camp fuel for the stove and 1 bottle of wine... I even wondered if I'd have to take the kayak off the roof so they could inspect it.

Border crossing into Canada

...And there was no problem. 

Drove up to the Canadian border station, handed over my passport, and answered questions about who I was, where I was from, what I was doing and where I intended to go. Then got a lot of advice about where I SHOULD go, as the officer I was talking to had lived in the Yukon and was very familiar with the area. He told me all about the animals I would see: caribou, eagles, Kermode "spirit" bears, moose, Dall sheep, and more.

Really nice gentleman, and when it appeared that 10 minutes might extend to 15 minutes, I asked if he wanted to see anything, but he waved me through, saying, "No, I'm done with you!" 

I even got him to stamp my passport!

Bear crossing the road

Animals in Waterton!

I couldn't believe it, but within an hour of being in Canada, I saw so many animals! 

It was like the border control guy was calling them:
- two bears crossing the road (first seen on this trip),
- four elk with babies,
- some deer,
- a coyote,
- a sandhill crane,
- lots of little birds and rodent ground squirrels, and
- a pair of northern harriers.

I was in a bit of shock, seeing so many wild creatures one after the other!

Most of these were seen at a wetlands area near the entrance to the park. Wetlands are great places to look for all sorts of animals, especially at dawn and dusk. With the long days, dusk can be a long time away, but there was definitely a lot of wildlife, even at 5pm. I got the scope out, and it was good for seeing the coyote, crane and elk. I couldn't find the bears again, but one guy who stopped said that the bears were seen swimming the river (and stopped traffic).

Wetlands area in Waterton NP

One of the best ways to see wildlife — especially for someone driving alone without a spotter — is to watch traffic. If it's stopped, there might be something worth watching for!

Male harrier soaring and on the watch for dinner

I used the binoculars to view the harriers. They were a little too close and moving too fast to use the scope — I kept losing them! I did practice taking pictures of them with the camera, though, and that was interesting and not something I've tried before.

And they are just fun to watch, hunting and calling to each other.

I stayed in Waterton Village overnight, but found out there was going to be a "Bears & Blooms" walk on Saturday, so decided to leave and explore the coal country in the Crowsnest Pass area and return over the weekend.

It was a good call.