Searching bears in Whisler and Pemberton valley

On our second day in Whistler we got up before sunrise to get picked- up by a private guide that would go bear viewing with us.  

We've seen dozens of bears before in Canada, most of them spontaneously but also a couple of them on a guided tour in Whistler in 2011.  Although we broke our bear viewing record in 2019 with 19 bears, the boys have hardly any memories to it.  It is our experience that the best bear viewing is at the end of May, early June when the bears can't go up in the mountains yet because the snow didn't all melt yet. 

Now we were here in August and we wanted to ensure the boys had some bear viewings so we had booked a tour guide agian.  Ironcially enough, on our drive to Whistler 30 hours earlier, we had spotted a mother bear who crossed the highway in front of us with 2 cubs. 

Oh well, we got into the comfortable truck with our guide who had provided plenty of drinks and snacks and went off. it's always nice to go on the backroads with someone local who knows the way.  We drove up into the woods in Whistler,  causing some mild motion sickness with Kabouter.   We didn't see any early bears though and went to catch some fresh air at the Callahan Falls where we went to see some falls we had spotted in 2011 too. 
 

We toured a bit more in vain and then drove to Pemberton where we got treated to a nice breakfast at the East Farm that has a gorgeous garden and view over the Pemberton valley.   Too bad that we didn't spot the little bear cub that is often hanging around near the farm. 

We went deep into the Pemberton valley on to the back roads and although we often saw fresh traces...there was not a bear to be spotted. We noticed our guide getting more nervous as time ticked on and we tried to stay as calm and patient as possible, knowing well that wild animals ...are wild and unpredictable.   We staired and staired ...do we see any movement anywhere. We backed up when we thought there was a dark spot somewhere etc.  

Is there a bear back in this field at that spot?? in the end we thought not

And then Kabouter thought he spotted something through a hedge at a field we had stopped before...and this time sure enough, a big brown buddy was casually wondering at the back of the field near the fields...sorry, he was very adorable through our strong binoculars but can't show him on this picture even though he's on it.  Well one bear ticked off anyhow...our guide sighed but still wanted to give us more and extended the agreed hours and drove along further. The salmon was not yet spawning on the river yet, we checked. 

And then we when returning from the river and passing the East Farm again...the orphaned cub was there.  Just chewing on grass.  Not at all being disturbed that we parked there to take photographs.  What a cutie! 

And then it was way past lunch time and we returned with our guide to Whistler for a pizza lunch and then we said goodbye.   

Of course in the next days we did our best to keep spotting bears in all possible forms ;).  The end number was 6 this year. (not including those below)