Deh Cho - It was a busy summer for the Nahanni National Park Reserve.

"We had lots of visitors this year," said Chuck Blyth, the park's superintendent.

Park Warden Jonathan Tsetso leads a guided hike in the Nahanni National Park Reserve. - photo courtesy of Parks Canada

The rush started earlier than usual with several guiding companies booking early in June and some private groups coming in throughout the month. A group of 42 members of the Canadian Forces also paddled the South Nahanni River in June.

Because water levels in the river are high in June and summer holiday season isn't in full swing, usually only one or two groups are in the park during the month, Blyth said. As a result of the early arrivals, next year the park might be staffed earlier, he said. Currently park staff are sent out during the last week in June, just before the park is normally booked solid for the summer.

The early visitors lucked out in terms of weather, said Blyth. With lots of sunny days June had great weather. Conditions turned in July when it started to rain.

"It was lousy weather the rest of the summer," he said.

Blyth has talked to some river guides who spent five weeks in the park over the summer and only had two days without rain. The weather this year was "very unusual," he said. Normally the wet season is in the second half of August.

In total, 586 people stayed in the park overnight while 149 people stayed for a day. The numbers are about average, said Blyth.

Some visitors to the park became part of the research that was done over the summer. As part of a market match survey, consultants located at Virginia Falls interviewed visitors to see how they perceive the interpretations that are given by park staff. Other studies completed this year include a pattern-of-visitor-use study from data taken last year and a study on non-personal communication including signs, exhibits and photographs in the park.

All three studies will be used to conduct an evaluation in March of the visitor experience program. Staff will look at possible program changes, said Blyth.

Other research in the park over the summer included a glacier study, a study to locate where bull trout are found in the park and continuing karst research.

"There's a lot of things after all these years we still haven't looked at," said Blyth.

The summer was also notable for new wildlife experiences.

Two bears, a female black bear and a male grizzly, were found dead on the bank of the river within five kilometres of each other in September, said Jonathan Tsetso, a park warden.

"It was a very odd situation actually," he said.

Both bears were in excellent condition and a necropsy was inconclusive on the cause of death.

"Hopefully it's something that we don't see become common," said Tsetso.

Bears were a concern in the park this year. The area around Rabbitkettle Lake was closed for about 10 days in late July because of bears staying in the area. Visitors were kept out of the area during the closure.

During the summer one river guide was charged under the Canada National Parks Act with failure to store food properly. The person had their guide licence suspended for a year. Storing food properly is a matter of safety because of bears, said Tsetso.

The last person charged was a guide approximately 10 years ago who left garbage on an airplane dock where a bear was able to get into it, Tsetso said.

One moose also caused a stir at the park.

Park staff had to have a helicopter sling a moose carcass away from Virginia Falls. A young cow was found dead on the bank after going over the falls, said Tsetso.

"Our concern was public safety," he said.

With concerns about bears, the moose carcass was moved so other animals wouldn't be attracted to it. This is the first time in the park a carcass has been moved in this way, he said.

"It was a bit of excitement for park visitors," Tsetso said referring to the crowd that watched the event.

There's always something different happening in the park to keep the job interesting, said Tsetso who has worked in the park since starting as a summer student in 1998.

"Another summer out in the park is fantastic," Tsetso said.