BANFF, Alta. — A Banff man took the phrase “pics or it didn’t happen” to another level over the weekend when he managed to snap photos of a wolf chasing him down the highway while riding his motorcycle.

Tim Bartlett was travelling north on Hwy. 93 South in Kootenay National Park on Saturday afternoon when a wolf crossed a lane of traffic to try to intercept his motorcycle. Bartlett rode for another 100 metres up the highway before looking back to watch the wolf, which had stopped in the middle of the road before making its way back into the trees.

Bartlett decided to turn around to try to get a photo of the wolf, but as he was riding in the southbound lane back toward where the animal went into the trees, it came out of the forest. The wolf crossed the road again and proceeded to run after Bartlett in the shoulder lane, then eventually ran on the highway.

“He was definitely chasing me,” Bartlett said, noting that at one point, the wolf was about three metres behind the motorcycle. “I was going fast enough to stay in front of him and took six or seven shots, then realized this was not a safe thing to be doing — for me or the wolf.”

The wolf stopped following Bartlett and disappeared into the forest. Bartlett pulled over and waited 15 minutes before riding northbound again because he didn’t want the wolf to try to intercept him again.

Bartlett said it wasn’t his intention to provoke the wolf, he just wanted to be able to validate his story.

“I’m glad I got pictures to prove it or I don’t think people would have believed me,” he said.