Second Camera Check & Hoodoo Hall

Trip Date: May 2015

One day over the May long weekend, Rome and I headed back out to Devil's Gap in the Ghost Valley to check my trail camera again.  It was such a beautiful day that I decided to head into Banff National Park and hike up Hoodoo Hall, which is something I hadn't done in quite some time.  If you'd like a little more information, please read my previous post about Hoodoo Hall.  

I couldn't have been happier with what I captured on my camera.  I had several first time appearances by Moose, White-Tailed Deer, Red Squirrel, Grizzly Bear, and what appeared to be a Lynx or a Bobcat.  It was tough to tell since the photos were taken in the dark, but it seems to be a small cat of sorts.  I also had the mainstays from my First Camera Check; Snowshoe Hare, Coyote, and Grey Wolves.  Here are a few of the better photos from this camera check...

The first photo I captured of a Moose

A great shot of a black Wolf looking right at the camera

This Grizzly Bear just looks miserable, walking head-on into the wind and rain

There is a collection of photos posted on my Facebook page if you're interested in seeing the rest of them.

After swapping memory cards and changing the batteries in my trail camera, we entered Banff National Park and headed towards Hoodoo Hall.

The entrance to Hoodoo Hall

Looking back from where we came from

Hoodoo Hall is a spectacular canyon in Banff's backcountry.  It's steep, narrow walls and unique rock formations make it an appealing attraction for those who know about it.  A cluster of hoodoos can be found a short distance inside the canyon, hence it's name.  They almost seem out of place in the Rocky Mountains; like they were transported from Alberta's badlands.  

The hoodoos of Hoodoo Hall

Another shot of the hoodoos

We continued hiking up the canyon until we reached a fork in the road.  We opted to take the left-hand trail and worked our way up and over larger boulders as we followed a quickly flowing stream.  

Hiking through the narrow canyon

This large boulder seemed oddly out of place, but made for an excellent spot to stop and have lunch

Rome enjoying her surroundings

After lunch we turned around and started making our way back to the car.  I am unsure how far we hiked this day or how much elevation we gained as I forgot to turn on my app.  I am also uncertain whether the app would have even worked inside the canyon's walls.  I guess there's always next time!

This Red Squirrel and I had a bit of a staring contest before it scampered away

It will likely be a couple of months before I can get back out to Devil's Gap to check my camera again, but until then stay tuned for more adventures outside.