During live performances, The Wardens take audiences on a series of adventures and backcountry experiences, all while remaining in the comfort of their chairs.
Together these three national park wardens, Bradley Bischoff, Scott Ward and Ray Schmidt share their adventures, memories and experiences from a career unlike any other.
For Bischoff and his fellow wardens, music has been an elemental part of their occupation.
鈥淚 always had a guitar close by and have hauled them all over the place; even in the backcountry we were able to stash a few beaters in some warden cabins,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you have an idea for a song, it鈥檚 good to have a guitar there.鈥�
Bischoff now resides in Canmore, but kick-started his warden career in Jasper in 1981, where he patrolled 17 consecutive days on horseback while in the Brazeau District.
Schmidt and Ward formed The Wardens in 2012 and Bischoff joined soon after. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a one-of-a kind show, nobody does what we do and all of our songs are original. It鈥檚 been a meaningful project for us all,鈥� said Bischoff, who has played guitar since he was 10.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got something to say, as park wardens, with our stories and our songs,鈥� he adds.
One song, 鈥淪pring of 鈥�85鈥� is Bischoff鈥檚 recount of the day a horse barn on the Maligne River burned to the ground.
The Wardens spent time in national parks across the country, including as far north as the Arctic, and it was difficult not to be inspired by the natural wonders around them.
鈥淭hey are national parks for a reason and they all bring their own type of beauty and culture to the table.鈥�
Bischoff fondly remembers his time spent in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island. 鈥淭he ocean is so dynamic. You work in a mountain park, you get up in the morning and chances are the mountains pretty much look the same as when you went to bed the night before.鈥�
With the help of Lethbridge producer Leeroy Stagger, The Wardens recently released a debut six-song EP that鈥檚 available on iTunes.
鈥淚t was a great project to work on.鈥� Bischoff said the group has enough material to record another record and hope to do it within the year.
Parks Canada hired The Wardens to do a number of shows in campground theatres around Banff and 鈥渨e鈥檙e really grateful to them for giving us our start and allowing us to get our songs and stories out there.鈥�
Since then, The Wardens have played in and around the Bow Valley, including at the Canmore Folk Festival, in B.C. and Saskatchewan. They were scheduled to play in Jasper in early July, but were landlocked due to flooding in Southern Alberta. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to tee a date up with the Jasper Legion and you betcha we鈥檙e bringing it all up on Friday.鈥�
While The Wardens share their authentic experiences through song, they also add visual aids to their performance. 鈥淲e have a 50-image slideshow 鈥� and you get these fantastic images of park wardens on duty in national parks in Canada,鈥� said Bischoff. 鈥淎nd some really great archival images of wardens from the past.
鈥淓ssentially, you vicariously experience snippets of life in Canada鈥檚 National Park Warden Service all in the comfort of your chair, with a beverage.鈥�
For more information on The Wardens, visit www.banffwardens.com.
Sarah Makowsky
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