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November 1, 1999 Karsten Heuer to Tell Story of 3400-kilometre Trek Karsten Heuer and his border collie Webster walked into Watson Lake, Yukon Territory on September 3, 1999, completing a monumental trek that began the summer before, 3,400 kilometres to the south. Heuer, a seasonal Banff park warden and wildlife biologist, will be at theBanff Centre on November 24th and at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre on November 17th to share his experiences with a slide show that has just toured the Yukon and British Columbia. "I'm a little cleaner cut now than when I emerged last September in the Yukon", admits Heuer who, in addition to climbing over more than 100 mountain passes along his route, came face to face with wolverines, grizzlies and wolves, swam glacial rivers, and survived the harrowing experience of being stalked by black bears on two separate occasions. Heuer is no stranger to public speaking. Over the last two years, he has stopped in more than 75 communities along his route to make presentations to ranchers, hunters, local governments, schools, First Nations, Chambers of Commerce and others about his trip and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) that he is trying to promote. The Y2Y vision is to restore and maintain landscape and habitat connectivity along 3200 kilometres of mountains by establishing a system of core protected wildlife reserves that are linked by wildlife habitat and movement corridors. Heuer admits that when he first heard about the idea, it seemed like an impossible dream. “My trip has taught me that it is possible,” he says. "Much of the proposed network is already in place.” Heuer’s Banff show, at the Max Bell Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on November 24th, is presented by The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture in cooperation with the Bow Valley Naturalists and the Friends of Banff National Park. The Friends are also presenting the Lake Louise show, at the Visitor Centre at 7:30 p.m. on November 17th. Admission to both shows is free, a donations box will be provided for donations to the Y2Y Hike. Debra Hornsby, Marketing and Communications Manager, Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share – and find inspiration in – mountain experiences, ideas and visions. |
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