Last Sunday we went out for our weekly winter exercise. This time we went snowshoeing which is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this beautiful country. It's simple great cardio exercise and we especially love the quietness. Snowshoes are light, easy to travel with and a great way to hang out with people.
We chose a spot near the little village of Rolla, about 10 miles north of the city, which has great bush trails and fields with sweeping views all the way into Alberta. It's beautiful there.
We had just about completely crossed a field when we saw something big moving in the tree line just ahead of us. It moved like a coyote but was a lot bigger. We had our binoculars and camera with us.
It was a Gray Wolf. Even though common sense told us t
hat he would not bother us, being out in the middle of a field in deep snow with a wolf watching us was scary exciting.
We stopped and watched the wolf, and the wolf stopped and watched us. We figured we would just wait for it to make the first move and after several minutes the wolf turned and resumed his travels away from us.
When we got home, I looked up Gray Wolves on the Internet and found that there are estimated 7,500 in BC. Life isn't easy for a wolf. Living on large and small game, they only have a 10% success rate with their hunting and so live by feast or famine. I also learned that they often travel 200 kilometers in a day.
A friend told me that a Gray Wolf had been spotted about 30 kilometers from here; maybe it's the same one. The mystery is whether or not there is a pack around.
Whether a local or a visitor, it's important to keep eyes and ears open when you are out an about in the country. There are a lot of wild animals living here. Cameras & Binoculars and a cell phone are a good idea. It's also a great idea to mention to someone where you are going.
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