Camping at Saturday Night Lake.

1)Seamus setting off on the trail to Saturday Night Lake.
2)Our tent!
3)Our fire! We are amazing at making fire. We kept it burning all afternoon and evening. I feel like a proper Canadian now.
4)Along the hike.
5)Me at Saturday Night Lake at 7am.

On Friday, Seamus and I went hiking and camping backcountry in Jasper. We really wanted to do this in the Rockies while we were here, and this was our only chance because Waterton was so snowy. It was such a good (and scary) adventure! This is prime bear country, so I spent the whole time panicking that we were going to be eaten by bears, even though the statistics of getting hit by a falling tree are far greater. So, you'll see dear readers, that I am not complacent about bears per se, just not that excited when I see them now. I'm still really scared of them, and take good precautions to avoid being eaten. I spent our whole camping time terrified a bear would come to the campsite...but it didn't! Unless there were a whole gang of them partying outside our tent during the night.

Anyway, we hiked up the lake in the HOT sunshine, built a fire, cooked a meal, and relaxed (or, as much as I could relax, given my bear concerns). It stayed warm until we went to bed, around 10pm, but unfortunately, we had not anticipated how cold the ground would be (it makes sense given the six months of cold winter we get around here). So, the air temperature wasn't too low (it got to about zero) but the ground was FREEZING. We didn't sleep much, but at least it took away my bear worries. I think I was so cold I was hallucinating. At one point, I asked Seamus if we were dying. But WE DID NOT DIE. Neither bears nor hypothermia could find us. Ha!

Our campsite was semi-primitive, which means it had a drop toilet, fire pit and bear pole. There were no other campers there, so we were all alone. Being at one with nature, and all that. It was good, if a bit scary. Seamus is a good camping partner! He always came to the toilet with me (because being approached by a bear when you have no knickers on is always the worst). He carried all the equipment, sang songs with me all the time (you're meant to make noise so bears know you're there) and did all the manly things around the campsite. I am a good firewood collector though.

More about Jasper tomorrow. Off for breakfast now.