Bluerock

Trip Date: July 2013

It was time to go camping!  We'd only been out once this year already and needed to get out of town for the weekend.  The timing was perfect because Krista, Christine's cousin, and her boyfriend were passing through Calgary on their way to Australia.  They wanted to get out and do some camping before moving to the Land Down Under!  We chose the Bluerock Campground, a favourite of Dan's when he was in high school.  It's a little confusing because the Bluerock Campground isn't actually found in Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park, it's in the neighbouring Sheep River Provincial Park, both of which are part of the Kananaskis Country park system.  The campground is about 110km southwest of Calgary along Highway 546 in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.  This was the first time I'd ventured to this part of the province and I was looking forward to it.  

Christine and I got an early start on Friday morning and headed out to the campground before everyone else.  We reserved sites and then did a short, but enjoyable hike.  We did the Bluerock Creek Interpretive Trail, which is a 2km out-and-back trail that winds through the site of an old logging camp.  The elevation gain is minimal and the trailhead is located right in the campground. 

Beautiful mountain scenery

This Red Squirrel was watching us closely from his perch

Christine and Mt. Hoffman

Mt. Burns

There were so many deer in the campground!  They would just wander through the campsites like they owned the place!  We had three dogs in our site and the deer could have cared less.  Here's a fawn crossing the road closely behind its mother.  The girl's face in the background is priceless!

A mother Mule Deer and her young fawn

I think I caught this buck going to the bathroom!

We were able to get fairly close to the animals, which made for some neat photos

This Mule Deer spent a lot of time foraging for food next to our campsite, which drove the dogs bonkers!

The Sheep River after the awful floods of 2013

Sheep River Falls

Another small waterfall immediately below Sheep River Falls

Ryan standing on a rocky outcropping

The falls

Downstream below the falls.  The waterfall is hidden back and to the right of the rocky cliff

Kola sitting beside the river

Ryan, Ashley, me, Chris, Nath, and Dan

Some more aftermath from the floods

Even part of the highway was missing!

Kola looks a little cold!

Guess who's back?

I'm always amazed at the size of their ears

Rome patiently watching the deer

Ryan cuddling with a puppy that was walking through the campground with its owner