Whistler Museum :: Collecting, Preserving, Interpreting and Documenting Mountain Life http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php This page contains the blog. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:27:58 -0700 http://ubertor.com/?v=1.0 en Bear & Wildlife update for July 21 http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/15 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:56:15 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/15

Bear and Wildlife Viewing Update for Wed, July 21

Michael Allen, Bear Researcher/Senior Guide 698-6709

 

MID-SUMMER BEAR ACTIVITY IS HIGH!

6am and 6pm tours are seeing 7-17 bears!!

 

Bear Activity Synopsis:

With the late May-late July breeding season winding down bears are shifting to opportunistic insect foraging (while still grazing). Bears tear apart tree stumps and rotten logs and flip over rocks in search of concentrated carpenter ants and larva. Ants give off a scent so bears can detect their presence by sniffing along logs/stumps and debris piles. Subterranean beehives/nests can also be found giving the bear a rich reward of carbs and proteins by consuming larva, honeycomb, and the bees themselves. The bears tough dual layer coat prevents serious stings to their body but, bears do feel stings to the face and mouth...still, the reward is too great. With 6 mothers in accompany of 11 cubs total, bear families are the most frequently seen bears on trips. Cubs are 6 months old now and weigh around 25-30 lbs. All cubs are still accounted for but, resident mom Elly was separated from her daughter for only 2 days only to re-unite with a limping cub. Cubs are tough and moms are good nurses so we'll keep an eye on the cub's progress. It's common for cubs to sustain bumps and bruises while crazily climbing up and down trees all day. While male bears are beginning to disperse for post-breeding foraging, they still are a considerable threat to cubs. Young, contending males that are not fathers (because they lack status) pose the greatest risk to bear families because dads do not kill their own offspring. I did see a handsome, black face adult male last week that I had not seen in the ski area this year. If the warm, sunny weather continues, bears should have berries at mid-mountain elevations by mid-August.     

 

Trip Highlights:

Jeanie ripping apart a 2-meter deep log pile to feed on a buried beehive

Beautiful blonde Brownie and 2 wrestling black cubs

Large male Skinner did 14 somersaults on a snowpatch to entice play with small female at 6000ft.

Alpha male Slumber grazing his secluded valley amongst snowpatches

Late evening bears in the orange glow of the setting sun

First Columbian Black-tailed deer fawns on Whistler Mountain

Short walk to winter bear den

PLEASE REMIND GUESTS TO WEAR A COOL LONG-SLEEVE LAYER FOR BUGS AND PROPER FOOTWEAR...NO FLIP-FLOPS!

 

4-year old maturing female launches her defense against the playful

large male Skinner at a cool subalpine snowpatch on Blackcomb Mountain

(M. Allen 7/2010).
Jul21 

]]> What makes BC so great? http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/13 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:36:48 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/13 See you there!
 ]]> Bear & Wildlife update for July 6 http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/12 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:30:34 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/12 Bear and Wildlife Viewing Update: Tues, July 6

 

6am and 6pm tours are seeing 10+ bears

Bear sightings continue to be consistently the highest of the last 3 years!

12pm is better on cooler, cloudy and/or rainy days

 

Other wildlife seen on tours...Coastal Black-tailed deer and newborn fawns, coyote, red-tailed hawk, grouse and newborn chicks, and snowshoe hare.

 

Bear Activity Synopsis:

July begins the second half of the bear's breeding season...this is the dangerous half when males shift their search for girlfriends to mothers with cubs. Moms do not breed when they have cubs but, if males are successful in killing cubs, mothers would then respond to their own biological drive and accept males about 15 days later to replace cubs. Mothers defend cubs by keeping cubs close to large trees for climbing and fighting off approaching males. We have 11 newborn cubs in the ski area and are still 11 for 11 cubs! Bears are beginning to search for insects to supplement their grazing diet with animal protein. Bears tear apart tree stumps and rotten logs for concentrations of carpenter ants/larva and tear into beehives for larva, honeycomb, and the bees themselves...it's great to watch mothers and cubs rip into tree stumps! Bears continue to move to cooler, mid-mountain elevations to graze new, easily digested green-up and we are seeing bears climb high into large cottonwood trees for catkin feeding...a truly memorable experience! 

 

Berries are ripening in the valley...keep your fingers crossed for a warm, sunny summer!

 

Blackcomb mothers' are... Zoe+2 cubs

Whistler-north mothers' are... Elly+2 cubs, Katie+2 cubs, and Alice+2 cubs

Whistler-west (creekside) mothers' are... Brownie+2 cubs and Daisy+1 cub

 

There are 10+ breeding single, girlfriends...that might be the reason why we haven't lost any new cubs so far.

Zoe's 2, 5.5 month old cubs at mid-mountain on Blackcomb (Mike Allen 7-2010).
Michael Allen Jul6 

]]> Bear & Wildlife update for June 28. http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/11 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:27:14 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/11 June 27.]]> Bear & Wildlife update for June 21. http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/10 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:21:02 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/10
First day of summer bear viewing!]]> 14 Annual Lego Competition http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/9 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:21:29 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/9
The Whistler Museum is proud to be hosting it's 14 Annual Lego Building Competition Saturday August 21, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  

This year's theme:  Build Your Own Resort 

Click here to download the sign-up and photo release form

]]> Our Letter to the Editor http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/8 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:53:44 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/8 Pique Newsmagazine recently printed our letter to the editor concerning history's role in Whistler's community.  Check out what we had to say:

History is now

In a place as dynamic as Whistler, a museum is vital for documenting history as we progress so quickly, losing long-time locals to illness, old age and distance.  While our community continues to expand and people come and go, the museum documents events and those responsible in honour of their contribution to the community.

The Whistler Museum recognizes the importance of our lineage responsible for present day Whistler, and this Canada Day we invite you to visit the Whistler Museum to learn about our past.  Canada Day is an excellent chance to explore Whistler's unique history and learn the stories of our beloved founders.  We are open by donation from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., and we will also have a booth set up on the Village Stroll with information packages, and arts and crafts for kids.  Happy Canada Day Whistler and best wishes for an amazing weekend!

The Whistler Museum 

]]> Canada Day is less than a month away! http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/7 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:23:51 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/7
If you're interested in participating in the parade with the Museum email us at education@whistlermuseum.org, we have some funky ideas hidden up our sleeve we'd love you to be a part of..

***Follow us on twitter for regular updates!


The Whistler Museum]]> Whistler Museum's New Exhibit http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/6 Tue, 18 May 2010 14:22:54 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/6 There is a Battle Brewing in Whistler..... http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/5 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:04:01 -0700 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/5  

Icon Gone 2010

When: April 18th 8:00 pm 
Where: At the Rainbow Theatre 
Cost: Tickets are $15.00 and are available at: http://www.wssf.com/event/icon-gone 
Whistler Locals Prepare to Face-off…

 

There is a battle brewing in Whistler.   A battle for a crown.   Whistlerites are eyeing each up; strategies, schemes and surprise maneuvers are being put into place.  This year, the gloves are coming off and it isn’t going to be pretty. 

Icon Gone is a no-holds barred, trash talking, passionate and lively not-to-be-missed event.  Members of Whistler’s local community take to the stage in a fight to the death (okay, not really) to defend the honour of a Whistler Icon.  Be there and be dazzled by the rhetoric, the wit and the utter disregard for fair play.   Audience participation is not only encouraged, it’s pretty much mandatory!

Who will be victorious?  Who will achieve true greatness and win the coveted, yet elusive, Icon Gone Crown?   What will be this year’s Icon? Will it be squatters’ cabins or the mountain bike?  The Dave Murray Downhill or the Whistler Answer? Or will it be rain that washes away the competition? The only way to find out is to attend Icon Gone 2010!

This year’s valiant warriors include:

  • Shauna Hardy-Mishaw
  • Kevin Demaskie
  • Cathy Jewett
  • Mike Berard
  • Nicole Fitzgerald
  • Andrew Mitchell
  • Stephen Vogler

 

To referee the verbal bloodshed, the incomparable, cheeky and hilarious Maureen Douglas will once again be gracing the stage of Icon Gone.

Presented in conjunction with the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival.  All ticket sales go to the Whistler Museum and Archives Society. 


]]> Whistler, BS (Beyond Skiing), The Grassroots Story of Whistler http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/4 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:09:52 -0800 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/4 Whistler BS (Beyond Skiing) Fireside Chat at the Whistler Museum:  The Grassroots Story of Whistler.

This evening event is sure to be a lively expose of Whistler’s history and characters and a night of local history, storytelling, pictures and artifacts from pioneering to today; presented by Florence Peterson, Isobel and Don MacLaurin, Andy and Bonnie Munster, Laurie Vance, Alex Kleinman and more. Feb 16th, from 4 – 6 p.m.  Tickets available now, call the Whistler Museum 604-932-2019.

]]> Check out the Museum's Olympic Programs http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/3 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:50:31 -0800 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/3 The Whistler Museum and Archives Society is proud to present some exciting events and programs occurring during the Olympic Winter Games! 

Fireside Chat at the Whistler Museum and Archives!

Olympic Walking Tours 

The Museum will also be screening our film,Whistler: A People's History  everyday at 1:00 pm.  Free with admission to the Museum! 

Our Hours have now been extended from 11:00 am to 6:00pm  daily.  

Admission is 25% off for the duration of the Olympic Games!  ]]> Whistler Museum in February 2010 http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/2 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:12:16 -0800 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/2 The Whistler Museum will be busy sharing Whistler's proud history during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  Please contact us for more information on Museum special events and programs.  We will be extending our opening hours to 11:00 a.m. to 6 pm daily - Come and see "Whistler's Olympic Journey" our fantastic new exhibit.  For more information call 604-932-2019.

]]> Welcome! new Museum Blog and updated Website http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/1 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:43:13 -0800 Whistler Museum General http://www.whistlermuseum.org/Blog.php/1 WELCOME!  to the Whistler Museum's new Blog and updated Website. Check back soon for staff's daily news!

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