Spring Bear Viewing

In May and June we offer bear-watching, nature and wilderness experiences far from the beaten track.

We typically see multiple black bears, many other types of wildlife, and we often see grizzly bears.

Spring is a vibrant season and the long days allow us to roam far and wide.

We usually head up into hidden valleys, sometimes along trails that we have fashioned ourselves, or walk or snowshoe into the sub-alpine just as the snow is melting.

These higher-elevation forays often allow us to spot black bears, marmots, ground squirrels and sometimes grizzlies feeding on fresh grasses at snow line.

On some of the evenings you are with us we may head out again after dinner. The warm spring evenings can be a great time to see shy animals that only emerge as the sun begins to set.

Apart from bears we have many other wild animals around us. Animals we see fairly regularly include coyotes, elk, porcupine, moose and beavers.

Among our rarer sightings are wolves, lynx, bobcats and cougars as well as members of the weasel family ranging from the least weasel to the wolverine, our rarest animal.

The spring is also the best time to see our rich bird life.

You will see many of the songbirds that gather in our garden and you may also see bald eagles, various woodpeckers, jays, and different types of hawks. In the alpine we often see the Clark’s Nutcracker and the Grey Jay.

You will almost certainly see dozens of hummingbirds who return after wintering in central America, before heading further north.

A typical day will see you waking up in your own luxury cabin by the river. We serve breakfast in the main house.

After breakfast we head out for the day. We may take you into the sub-alpine to go bear-watching, spotting for bears that have recently emerged from denning. Or walk into a remote wilderness valley to view bears feeding on grasses and flowers.

We are located in the inland temperate rainforest, the only one of its kind in the world.

We will walk among trees that are a thousand years old and take in the beauty of the virgin land as it was before modernity arrived.

Some of the locations we go to are among the most beguiling in western Canada. And since we mostly use our own trails we rarely see another person.

We serve dinner – always freshly-cooked from local ingredients – early evening in the main house. On one night of your holiday, we will light the campfire and barbecue by the river.

As well as bear-watching, there are many other layers to what we do.

On one of your days with us we will also show you images of rare animals that we see on our network of trail cameras such as wolves, cougars and bobcats.

We are currently engaged in a multi-year science project, for which we have received some federal funding, to help develop facial recognition software for bears.

We are also heavily engaged in lobbying and conservation work, aimed at ensuring that bears have a place on the landscape for centuries to come.

Our guides are trained and certified animal trackers and, for those of you with an interest, we will show you how to interpret the signs on the forest floor and explain what they tell us about animal behaviour.