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esmith
01-17-2018, 12:46
Hello, I am thinking about and hoping maybe we can pull a group hang together in Alberta this summer.

With Hennessy on one side of us (BC) and LSOH on the other (Saskatchewan) there must be a good community building here in Alberta.

I'm not really set up for -40 yet so I'd like to suggest a Spring/Summer hang, Somewhere in the foothills west of Red Deer so it is pretty equal distance for both Edmonton and Calgary. Abraham lake area maybe or one of the provincial campgrounds.

Anyone interested in something like this?

Cheers!

Hiker Boy
01-17-2018, 13:32
Hello, I am thinking about and hoping maybe we can pull a group hang together in Alberta this summer.

With Hennessy on one side of us (BC) and LSOH on the other (Saskatchewan) there must be a good community building here in Alberta.

I'm not really set up for -40 yet so I'd like to suggest a Spring/Summer hang, Somewhere in the foothills west of Red Deer so it is pretty equal distance for both Edmonton and Calgary. Abraham lake area maybe or one of the provincial campgrounds.

Anyone interested in something like this?

Cheers!Make it August and I may be able to play. I visit my in-laws in Edmonton in August every year.

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esmith
01-17-2018, 16:42
OK, Why not August.

Tikker
01-17-2018, 16:51
I'd like to suggest a Spring/Summer hang, Somewhere in the foothills west of Red Deer

I'd be down for this. I've got a brother in Lacombe

kicking myself for not doing the Winnipeg one last year

time wise, as long as I know a month (more is better) out, I can probably do it

Tyroler Holzhacker
01-17-2018, 17:00
Aren't Canadian brown bears/grizzlies a threat in Saskatchewan like they are in Glacier National park in Montana?

Firesong
01-17-2018, 17:36
There is an Alberta Hangers FB group you can post on as well. We went out to the Abraham’s lake area last fall to hang out. Hike, freak snow storm / wind etc lol

Firesong
01-17-2018, 17:40
Bears are awesome. They only eat the people feeding them from their cars.

esmith
01-17-2018, 18:00
I have been camping around the Alberta Rockies for 20 years now and while there is bear activity, it's very safe.

Thanks for the info on the Facebook Group, I will check that out for sure.

Tikker
01-17-2018, 21:30
Aren't Canadian brown bears/grizzlies a threat in Saskatchewan like they are in Glacier National park in Montana?

only to invading yankees

01-18-2018, 21:43
I would be interested!


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esmith
02-14-2018, 13:43
There is an Alberta Hangers FB group you can post on as well. We went out to the Abraham’s lake area last fall to hang out. Hike, freak snow storm / wind etc lol

I think I watched a video of this hang last night. Kinglet Lake?

Looked like fun. Even with the wind.

Firesong
02-15-2018, 18:24
I think I watched a video of this hang last night. Kinglet Lake?

Looked like fun. Even with the wind.

I don’t think the windy part at camp was video’d. We got up and out of there. It was brutal but still a fun time!

Hiker Boy
02-15-2018, 18:43
4.5 hours from Edmonton huh? Well it looks scenic and if it's fun I'm still in if Rachel Notley hasn't banned BC hangers by then and I can get the visit with my inlaws to coincide timewise.

Firesong
02-15-2018, 20:59
4.5 hours from Edmonton huh? Well it looks scenic and if it's fun I'm still in if Rachel Notley hasn't banned BC hangers by then and I can get the visit with my inlaws to coincide timewise.

The whole area is beautiful and you can camp anywhere!

esmith
02-16-2018, 11:34
As James mentioned, it is a beautiful area and the entire area is public crown land so we can pretty much camp where we like.

The areas off the side of the David Thompson Highway along the lake side are becomming pretty popular with all campers and are getting a lot of use. I think if we hiked in along the cline river ravine a bit we could get away from the bulk of the people around.

Lets keep the discussion going and see what we can pull together.

Cheers!

esmith
02-16-2018, 11:38
Here is a link with some info about the area I mentioned.

https://www.trailpeak.com//index.jsp?con=trail&val=12012

Cheers!

Firesong
02-17-2018, 10:07
We head out there every second year. Usually for a week at a time. It’s beautiful. We do try and avoid long weekends though. Lots of trails and the evenings cool down which I love for sleeping. Mountains are great!

snidetripod
02-27-2018, 16:15
Oooooooo. I would maybe be in, still need a tarp, but if the weather is clear....

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esmith
02-28-2018, 12:26
Well, I sure am open to planning it so you ARE in.

I honestly can't wait to get out. I hung the hammock in the house and slept in it last night.

I'll be getting out every weekend I can this season. There is no reason we couldn't do a few group hangs.

Cheers!!!

Tyroler Holzhacker
02-28-2018, 12:56
only to invading yankees

Yeah, like you Canucks invaded Hollyweird, and the NHL, EH?

Tikker
02-28-2018, 16:02
invaded the NHL? it was always ours chief ;)

OlTrailDog
02-28-2018, 21:02
The bright spot about griz in Canada is vegetation makes up the primary part of their diet. (Or salmon for the coastal brown bears). Contrast this to the Yellowstone ecosystem bears where red meat can be a substantial part of their diets. Bottom line is you are probably at less risk up north than around the Yellowstone ecosystem bears.

Around 2002 my backpacking friend and I made a foray into Robson and the Katwah. Incredible and immense country. More bear sign in the Katwah than you could shake a stick at, vegetation scat. The only folks around that country were a couple of friendly and helpful miners near the entrance and a couple of friendly and helpful bear researchers at a cabin back in the Katwah. The head researcher was a fellow by the name of White and his forte was identifying and studying bear movements by scat DNA versus the more invasive dart and radio collar methods used around these parts.

Tyroler Holzhacker
03-01-2018, 09:59
invaded the NHL? it was always ours chief ;)

Yeah I'll give Canada Hockey domination cred. We do have our moments though, like the miracle on ice in 1980, and most recently, the Women's ice hockey final in Pyeongchang was indeed a thriller that could have gone either way. We do love our neighbors in the Great White North.

Tyroler Holzhacker
03-01-2018, 10:05
The bright spot about griz in Canada is vegetation makes up the primary part of their diet. (Or salmon for the coastal brown bears). Contrast this to the Yellowstone ecosystem bears where red meat can be a substantial part of their diets. Bottom line is you are probably at less risk up north than around the Yellowstone ecosystem bears.

Around 2002 my backpacking friend and I made a foray into Robson and the Katwah. Incredible and immense country. More bear sign in the Katwah than you could shake a stick at, vegetation scat. The only folks around that country were a couple of friendly and helpful miners near the entrance and a couple of friendly and helpful bear researchers at a cabin back in the Katwah. The head researcher was a fellow by the name of White and his forte was identifying and studying bear movements by scat DNA versus the more invasive dart and radio collar methods used around these parts.

That makes me feel a little better. Do most Canadians pack bear spray or a firearm as defense from bears in those parts. I know Alaskan back packers pack firearms to deal with wild animals, but also most of those are hunters as well. I am just the casual hiker and prefer not to pack anything hotter than bear mace. YMMV.

esmith
03-01-2018, 11:48
Last year I did some camping with a friend that is former military and he had a pretty big shotgun with him. That is the first time I ever camped with someone packing a gun. You can pack it on Crown land (Public Land) but a lot of trails cross betweek various national parks and you can't be bringing them there so he was pretty much limited to car camping.

I have a can of bear spray, pretty expensive stuff considering I have had it for years, never used it and it's expired now. I've paid a price in carrying it around alone.

I recently got a set of bear bangers/Flares for this season. Much lighter and smaller and I really think it will be all I need if I even need to use them.

As for hockey. Kudos to the American girls gold medal win, I watched the game and they put in the effort and got the reward.

Dissappointing for sure in Canada but good hockey is good hockey no matter who wins!

Tyroler Holzhacker
03-01-2018, 14:31
Thanks for the advice. I think its far more hassle to schlep a firearm into Canada through border security than bear mace. To me a firearm is a liability for the kind of hiking I do, and I do my best to stay away from Grizz country. That being said, it would be an intense experience to camp among the wild animals in Canada with only mace though...Do you hang your food or use a bear vault?

That was a great hockey game, no matter who won. I do enjoy the NHL a bit more with the intensity they have. By the way, the NHL should be called the Canadian Premier League, as you Canadians dominate the league with total # of Canadians in the NHL, even though only 7 of the total NHL teams are in Canada. Coincidentally, Canadians lead the NHL in all stats combined..Very impressive. Much respect to Canadian hockey prowess for sure. USA has second best stats for most players in the NHL. Most of our players are semi Canadian anyways, as they live near the US/Canadian border, and many "U.S." players are here on Green cards from Russia, Sweden, etc. It has become a very international sport, but Canada is always at the top of the hockey stats, and always will be.

esmith
03-01-2018, 15:01
At some of the provincal Car Camping campgrounds there is are bear vaults sometimes provided and in the backcountry sites there are poles with pullys you can use to hang your food and trash.

If you are rough camping then bring the zing it and hang it PCT style where ever you can find a suitable spot. I'm flexible with all three methods depending on what is available.

When I camp, I see a lot of Squirrels, Those guys are everywhere and highly active and visible during the day. I typically have my dog with me which is a game changer.

She will let me know if ANYTHING is getting to close to camp so I sleep very well in the wild. If I was alone I imagine I would feel differently.

We do Hockey in Canada like you guys do baseball in the USA. Every kid plays street hockey growing up and most boys play ice hockey on a team at some point.

I like the no Pro rule at the olympics this year. The girls gold medal game was some of the best hockey I have seen in a while, and I'm in Edmonton... The oilers spent the year crapping all over the ice... Even with Connor McJesus on the team!!

Hiker Boy
03-01-2018, 15:47
I carry bear bangers and bear spray...neither of which airlines have been happy with when I have traveled. Never had to use the spray but my hand was on the holster when I had a bear paralleling me on the trail about 25 yards distant. I have used the bangers on two occasions and it did the job.

OlTrailDog
03-01-2018, 18:45
I don't know what the current situation is, but when I would venture up to CA to partake of your beautiful back country I couldn't take my pepper spray across the border. But I could purchase it in CA. I finally got fed up with that sound and dance and smuggled my spray across the border. Oops, I meant to say I had a 'friend' who use to do that. :cool:

Tyroler Holzhacker
03-02-2018, 09:23
Even Keanu Reeves (Canadian with US green card) played goalie growing up in Canada. His nickname was "The Wall". BTW, he has a cool new motorbike company in LA called Arch Motorbikes. A bit out of my price range unfortunately as they start at $78k USD.

Tikker
03-03-2018, 14:04
Do most Canadians pack bear spray or a firearm as defense from bears in those parts.

bells and bear spray are the norm. I've not personally seen anyone with a gun just hiking/camping

OlTrailDog
03-03-2018, 19:53
... I typically have my dog with me which is a game changer.

She will let me know if ANYTHING is getting to close to camp so I sleep very well in the wild. If I was alone I imagine I would feel differently....


My pillosophy is the best sleeping pill in the back country is a can of pepper spray and a couple of border collies :lol:

esmith
06-08-2018, 16:52
Well, with the camping season underway I thought it might be a good time to dust off this thread and see who might be interested in pulling it together.

August or September perhaps? Anyone have any suggestions?

Tikker
06-08-2018, 17:37
i'm 50/50. Had fun at the Manitoba hang, but obv dependent on location since it's again, an 8 hour drive, likely