When: mid-May to mid-June

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. The birding hikes are provided only if the guest is interested, and they are for free.

Program Outline:

On these hikes, you can learn:

• Basic birding techniques
• Songbird identification
• Using field guides and marks
• Names and classifications
• Using common and scientific names
• Keeping records, notes and life lists

Informal instruction takes place while walking along the Munn Creek trail, which meanders through a subalpine boreal forest and along the rushing, crystal-clear waters of Munn Creek. In addition to the spring migratory songbirds, we'll typically see evidence of this area's other inhabitants (deer, elk, moose, sheep, goat, bear, wolf, cat, marten, fox, porcupine, and predatory birds are common). Laura pays special attention to identifying animal scat, tracks, habitats and behaviour.

You can get a fair idea of other hikes we can take by checking out Laura's hiking proposal, and looking at the descriptions for:

• Seep Creek
• Rock Lake
• Wild Hay River
• Mountain Shadow Trail

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.

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 'Escape cabins using a detailed map sent via FAX or snail mail upon booking. 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.)

We'll walk through the forest along the Munn Creek Trail, stopping at sites known to be favorites of the songbirds. We'll identify and talk about every interesting plant, animal and bird spotted. Entirely at the discretion of our visitors, we'll continue meandering up Munn Creek until guests have had their fill! Back at the 'Escape, visitors can indulge in a hot shower and relax in their cabin before dinner.

Caution Flags: Springtime in the Rockies is typically wet and cool, so full rain gear (britches and jacket), warm clothing, and rubber boots are highly recommended. Munn Creek can change overnight from a mild, babbling brook into a raging torrent carrying boulders and uprooted trees. We won't be able to cross Munn Creek during raging spring melt conditions, so we may need to do a little "bush-whacking" in order to access birding sites. Bears are out of their dens by mid-March (Grizzly) or the first part of May (Black). Depending on the spring, bears may be in the valley bottoms foraging for roots and insects, so visitors must be aware of potential bear presence. Mosquitos can be an annoyance.

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