Host: Laura Rutter When: June, July, August Length of stay: to be arranged; several day trips are available, as described below Fee charged: $125 (Canadian funds)/day, which covers cabin accommodation and all meals. Laura's hikes are provided for free for interested guests. Program Outline: On your hiking trips, as appropriate occasions arise, Laura will teach the basics of wildflower identification and appreciation.  Specific topics covered will include: Using field guides Using field marks Names and classifications Keeping records, notes and life lists Informal instruction takes place while hiking approximately 3 km through subalpine boreal forest and 3 km on a steep alpine meadow. Visitors will see evidence of animals found in our area (deer, elk, moose, sheep, goat, bear, wolf, cat, marten, fox and porcupine are common). Laura pays special attention to identifying animal scat, tracks, habitats and behaviour. During June, migratory songbirds come back en masse to our area. Background Notes: The cabins are located in a secluded valley along the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies, adjacent to Jasper National Park (east backcountry boundary) and vast, undeveloped Willmore Wilderness. The cabins sit at an elevation of 5000 ft, with the peak of the alpine meadow at 6300 ft. The Willmore mountains to the north and Moosehorn mountains to the south are well over 7000 ft. Visitors can walk on what used to be an ancient inland sea in search of seabed fossils more than 267 million years old; touch a possible dinosaur track left in mud before the front ranges were elevated; see the aftermath of glacial presence and demise on the landscape. An idea of the hikes available can be acquired by looking at the descriptions of the Seep Creek, Munn Creek, Rock Lake Lookout and Binocular Ridge Hikes in Laura's Wilderness Hiking proposal. Visit Practicalities: Visitors should bring: Day pack - can be provided by the 'Escape Binoculars and/or camera Insect repellant - can be provided by the 'Escape Rain gear Waterproof hiking shoes Visitors can drive to the cabins using a detailed map sent via FAX or snail mail upon booking. The alpine meadow hike departs shortly after breakfast, depending upon weather conditions. If it's raining (high probability in June), we won't be able to reach the top of the meadow due to exceptionally slippery footing. We'll cover the basics of hiking in this area prior to departure, particularly with reference to bears. NOTE: My two bear dogs and surrogate guides, Ruff and Tumble, accompany us on this hike. The first 3 km of the hike is gently uphill through a boreal forest carpeted with moss, and we'll identify and talk about every interesting plant, animal and bird spotted. The next km or so finds us on a dry creek bed, where ancient seabed fossils and a possible dinosaur track can be found. The steep climb to the top of the alpine meadow can be seen from the creek bed, and looks deceptively short. The grassy slope is covered in alpine wildflowers, and we'll stop often to identify different ones (and catch our breath!). We'll lunch at the top of the meadow, enjoying the spectacular view of Willmore Wilderness and the geological forces which created the Hoff Range. This is a good opportunity to watch for Rocky Mountain Goat, Big Horn Sheep, Bald and Golden Eagles. A short hand-over-fist climb allows visitors a view of Jasper National Park and the peak of Mt. Robson (100 miles away) on a clear day. We'll retrace our route back to the 'Escape, talking about what we've seen and discovering things we may have missed. Back at the 'Escape, visitors can indulge in a hot shower and relax in their cabin before dinner. Caution Flags: June is typically our rainy season, with a high probability of rain (or snow) at some point during the day/night, but June is the best time for birdwatching. July and August are warm (20-30 C) with the occasional thundershower. Mosquitos start in mid-May and go until the first killing frost (first part of September). Horseflies are bad for 3 weeks between mid-July and mid-August. The berry season typically starts mid-July and extends to mid-September, so visitors must be aware of potential bear presence. On the bright side, we have no poison ivy or poison oak, thistles, snakes, ticks, chiggers, fleas or black flies! APPENDIXES: Appendix 1: About the cabins, referred to as the 'Escape Appendix 2: List of wildflowers previously seen in this area Appendix 3: List of birds previously seen in this area Appendix 4: List of trees & shrubs/ berries seen in this area Appendix 5: List of wildlife seen in this area