June 2010 • Vol. 18, No. 3 Vol. June 2010 • AWA Fireweed and Crowfoot Mountain PHOTO: © D. LOBAY LAKELAND: A LIFELONG ODYSSEY IN A LAND OF WONDER / 4 ON THE TOP OF ALBERTA / 7 THOUGHTS ON “BEING:” GET OUT THERE! / 10 A WELCOME TO THE DISABLED / 11 BLIND AMBITIONS IN THE ROCKIES / 14 Editor: C ONTENTS Ian urquhart JuNE 2010 • VOL. 18, NO. 3 Graphic Design: Ball Creative Printing: FEATURES WILDERNESS WATCH Colour printing and process is sponsored by Topline Printing 4 LAKELAND: A LIFELONG ODYSSEY 21 UPDATES IN A LAND OF WONDER 7 EXPLORING ALBERTA’S MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENTS WILDERNESS THINKING ABOUT NEW GEAR... 10 THOUGHTS ON “BEING:” 23 GET OUT THERE 24 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS 11 DISABLED CITIZENS: WELCOME THEM INTO THE CONSERVATION 28 RECALL OF THE WILD COMMUNITY ALBErta WILDErNESS EVENTS 14 BLIND AMBITION: THE ROSS Association WATSON MESSAGE “Defending Wild Alberta through 16 NORTH AMERICA’S ORIGINAL 30 AWA SUMMER HIKES, TOURS AND Awareness and Action” FREQUENT FLIERS BACKPACKS PROGRAM Alberta Wilderness Association is a charitable non-government organization dedicated to the completion of a ASSOCIATION NEWS protected areas network and the conservation of wilderness throughout the province. To support our work CLIMB AND RUN FOR 17 with a tax-deductible donation, call WILDERNESS 2010 (403) 283-2025 or contribute online at AlbertaWilderness.ca. Wild Lands Advocate is published bi-monthly, 6 times a year, by Alberta COVER PHOTO Wilderness Association. The opinions expressed by the authors in this Derald Lobay describes his stunning cover photo in these words: “Surrounding publication are not necessarily those Bow Lake in Banff National Park are extensive tracts of willows. Mingled of AWA. The editor reserves the right with these willows are immense clusters of fireweed. Waiting for the rising sun to edit, reject or withdraw articles and to completely illuminate the east face of Crowfoot Mountain, all I had to do letters submitted. was to wait for a lull in the wind in order to capture the flowers without any Please direct questions wind blur. More of Derald’s photos may be found in his gallery on the Images and comments to: Alberta Camera Club website www.imagesalberta.ca (403) 283-2025 • [email protected] Subscriptions to the WLA are $30 per year. To subscribe, call (403) 283-2025 or see AlbertaWilderness.ca. Box 6398, Station D, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2E1 (403) 283-2025 AWA respects the privacy of members. Lists are not sold or traded in any manner. AWA is a federally registered charity Toll-free 1-866-313-0713 and functions through member and donor support. Tax-deductible donations may be made to AWA at Box 6398 Station www.AlbertaWilderness.ca D, Calgary, AB T2P 2E1. Ph: (403) 283-2025 Fax: (403) 270-2743 E-mail: [email protected] www.AlbertaWilderness.ca [email protected] GET OUT THERE! Spring is over and I am eager to put the June issue of the Wild Lands Advocate – AWA’s recreation-focused issue – to bed. This spring, like most seasons for environmentalists, was filled with applause and frowns. On a positive note, AWA succeeded, yet again, in delivering a very successful Climb and run for Wilderness on April 17th. The event raised nearly $120,000 for wilderness conservation. But, just over one week later, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deepwater Horizon tragedy began. Eleven workers died and tens of millions of litres of oil erupted into the Gulf after the Deepwater Horizon platform exploded and sank. Although Alberta is a continent away from this tragedy this ecological disaster should remind us just how important it is for government to regulate industry appropriately. Disasters aside – the tone of our stories here focuses more optimistically on the intrinsic value of wilderness recreation. Tom Maccagno, who I had the privilege to meet more years ago now than both of us may like to admit to, offers you a thoughtful exploration of Alberta’s Lakeland region. He has loved this region for his entire life and, if you read his words, you will share that affection. Steve Patten takes you to the land of eagles on Alberta’s peaks. What drives people to go to those altitudes? – Steve offers you one answer. I adapted the title for this editorial from Paul Sutherland’s piece “Thoughts About Being.” Getting out there into nature is absolutely vital. If some of us are not prepared to do that then our chances of realizing more protected spaces arguably shrink. Who belongs in nature? That is a provocative question underlying this issue’s focus on recreation. This spring saw AWA, supported by a grant from Mountain Equipment Co-op, propose to introduce new immigrants to Alberta to several of the province’s outstanding natural areas. New Canadians represent an important potential source of political support for AWA’s work and this initiative is AWA’s first pro-active step to bring more new Canadians into the pro-wilderness tent. Dr. ross Wein, president of the Alberta Abilities Lodges Society, urges us in his article to see the disabled as another important constituency we should be courting. The story about ross Watson, the blind mountain climber who reached the summit of Mount Logan, demonstrates that if society will give more opportunities to the disabled great accomplishments are possible. This issue introduces a new addition to the departments’ section – advice on “gear.” Jennifer Douglas offers a few suggestions about White-breasted nuthatch PHOTO: S. COuLSON types of outdoor equipment you might want to consider tossing into your backpack before you venture out into Alberta’s wild spaces this summer. As well, three members of the Images Alberta Camera Club offer their thoughts about capturing some of nature’s beauty this year with your camera. May the next several months bless you with good weather, good companions, and some truly remarkable recreational experiences! - Ian Urquhart, Editor LAKELAND: A LIFELONG ODYSSEY IN A LAND OF WONDER By Tom Maccagno Nature has endowed, sprinkled the Lac La Biche Touchwood Lake Country with incomparable lakes. Make your dreams Resplendent come true, come off the beaten path. See Lac La Many hued Biche, Beaver Lake and Shades of green Touchwood Lake in their Marching primitive solitude and silent grandeur. You will Boldly say “incredible, marvelous, To the bewildering, astounding.” Water’s Edge, Lac La Biche Journal, 14 Speckled with September 1932 Silvery birch, Balsam Fragrantly Wafting F EA In the air, T URES Summer breeze, Dancing over The rare white adder’s mouth orchid PHOTO: T. MACCAGNO Sparkling waters Soaring upward very child is born with what of Canada toads on a warm June day Towards rachel Carson described as a which announced the coming of summer, “sense of wonder.” A child is not the maniacal cry of a red-necked grebe, Shadow bedecked E conscious of this and may lose this gift the calls of a family of loons, pelicans Distant hills, WLA June 2010 • Vol. 18, Vol. WLA June 2010 • during adulthood if he or she does not gracefully skimming over the surface Silent sentinels consciously exercise this endowment. of the lake, the sparkling diamonds My parents instilled a love of the lakes as a breeze rippled over the water, the Of passing and the woods (they are inseparable) at spectacular dive of an osprey, and a Seasons, an early age. I have vivid memories of stately blue heron standing near shore. Changing family outings to nearby Beaver Lake Sometimes we also saw a beaver or bear and on vast Lac La Biche with its inviting or moose or deer from the boat. I learnt And Changeless, beaches. Although Beaver Lake was a to identify the different species of ducks. Offering mere 5 kilometres (3 miles) away this Over 20 species of ducks can be seen on No. 3 A Clue, trip, on little more than a dirt trail, could Lac La Biche. Memories and landscape be a real adventure and challenge if it became inextricably intertwined. My love, rained. My sense of wonder was not only Memories infused what the landscape was Of infinity. frequently aroused by these trips but in like and the landscapes gave rise to the time it became an essential part of my precious lasting memories. 4 being. How I remember the boat trips to Lakeland is unique. It is the only Spruce Island and exploring it when my lake-district in Alberta. Lakeland is in - Tom Maccagno (Tom’s poem parents made camp and lit a campfire. I the Boreal Natural region, one of the first appeared in the June 2002 can hear and see in my mind the many six natural regions in this province. The edition of Wild Lands Advocate. distinct sounds and sights provided by Boreal Natural region has the greatest these marvelous outings – the trilling diversity of any of those seven regions, by a lake were regarded as idiosyncratic. “One species, ‘Sarracenia purpurea’ Why did anyone need a small parcel of (Pitcher Plant), uncommon to Alberta land when there was so much wondrous was found during the field survey. Other nature at your doorstep? uncommon or rare species may also be When I went away for my studies as present, however, the likelihood of finding well as early in my career I always kept these species is low.” my ties with the Lakeland region. This I could have wisecracked then and said period in my life kindled an appreciation that the low likelihood of finding them is of Lakeland that is difficult to articulate. I what must have made them rare. However, believe it must be experienced. New ways given what my years in Lakeland had to better acquaint myself with Lakeland taught me, I was incredulous when I came with new talents and skills, e.g.