Dorsey is Wendy's latest book

Dorsey McDaniel is not one of the "marquee" names of Alberta pioneer history. Yet he was the peer, colleague and acquaintance of many of the men who are now legends in Alberta: luminaries such as Pat Burns, George Lane and Fred Mannix among others.

Click here for more information on Dorsey McDaniel

 

Wendy Bush is known as a woman with an energetic and gregarious personality who shares her passion for the stunning landscape, fascinating history and unique culture of her home, Alberta, with visitors and locals alike. An interpreter of note, she makes it her specialty to explain natural and cultural history in a manner that is uniquely entertaining and enlightening.

Traveling the traditional trails of the foothills and front ranges on foot and on horseback, in dog-hauled and horse-drawn conveyances, Wendy believes the preservation of Albertan heritage lies in celebrating our customs in word and deed, as she has, daily, for the past 30 years.

A guide and naturalist in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Wendy’s first book Ascent of Dog: Working Dogs in the West was published in 1998. Her skill as a guide was recently acknowledged with the 2005 Banff Heritage Corporation Award for Heritage Excellence.

Wendy is a wilderness enthusiast with a lively sense of humour who truly enjoys people and introducing them to the western landscapes she calls home. In Jasper she operated her own dogsledding business for eight years, transporting guests on day trips as well as extended outings to camps in remote areas of the park. In 1985, as part of a national parks centennial project retracing the first fur trade crossing of Athabasca Pass with dogs during the winter of 1811, is one of the few to ride a dogsled down from the summit of that historic pass. A fine achievement, however, as Wendy would note, it is likely that David Thompson's wife snowshoed with child and carrying children across that historical pass as well. An event Wendy would rather not duplicate.

 

 

  



Wendy is also an experienced horsewoman, and has worked as a wrangler, guide and outfitter on pack trips into the wilderness of Robson, Jasper and Wilmore Wilderness parks. A nine-day saddle and packhorse trip in the northern regions of Banff National Park took her on a Quest for Gregson's Cache, a trapper's cabin built in 1906-7 and inhabited by an entomologist and his two teenaged nieces.This Quest led her to interview countless old timers and search archives as far away as London, England. Wendy will develop these historical Canadians into characters in the second in her new series of children's mountain adventure tales and legends.

As a freelance writer Wendy has published more than 200 articles on such diverse subjects as the Brule Ruff-out Rodeo, the sex life of harlequin ducks, porcupines, as well as a series on Banff's eccentric personalities, from horseman to international spies. Wendy grew up on farms in Quebec and eastern Ontario. She attended the University of Waterloo and the University of Alberta, earning a degree in Biology-Ecology. For the past 27 years she has lived and worked in the Canadian Rockies and the foothills of Alberta.

Wendy presently lives in Canmore with her partner Doug; singing canines, Avery and Morley; and an extended family of pinto horses; Heloise, Abelard, Emily, Montegue, Jessica and Fassifern.

Key Achievements

Heritage Banff Award 2005 "Heritage Excellence"
For outstanding ongoing ecclectic interpretation. Only 2 others have been awarded to date.

Heritage Banff Award 2001 "Public Service"
For efforts to bring communities and individuals together through the written word and heritage mail service, Western Canada Mail Stage Event.

Banff Heritage Tourism Award for Creative Excellence 2002, Upper Hot Springs.
Conceptualized, wrote and performed three short interpretive plays for performance poolside at the Banff Upper Hot Springs.

Emcee Banff Canada Day
A privilege; For seven years I had the pleasure of celebrating our country's birthday with thousands of locals and visitors in Banff's Central Park.

Ascent of Dog -Working Dogs of the West
Author; published by Detselig Enterprises Limited, November 1998. Researched, wrote and promoted a 180 page history book.

Western Canada Mail Stage
Organizer; A heritage event that celebrates communication by the written word and historic transportation in south western Alberta.

Making a Point: Art Exhibition on Biodiversity and Porcupines
Curator; A celebration of Porcupine.

Banff's Sleeping Buffalo © 2000
Author; unpublished children's book.