05/30/2026
😰A first-hand account from our Executive Director on the reality of hiking in bear country and the importance of being prepared. Always respect wildlife 🐻
“I rounded a blind corner to see a grizzly bear running toward me. I turned to run as she and her two cubs barreled towards me. I could hear her huffing her breath a few feet behind me. I thought she’d be on me in a second. But I was yelling ‘bear’ and I reached my husband and son just in seconds, and we scrambled 30 feet up the scree so the sow and her cubs would not be separated. We had our bear spray, and we were as prepared as we could be. They ran off once they were together again.
Later that night, another griz and her two older cubs walked right through our camp. I watched from the port-a-potty as they rubbed their backs on the hitching posts. Minutes later we saw the first sow and cubs flying down the trail looking to avoid the larger sow and cubs.
While it was a wonderful hike, the experience was a stark reminder of how quickly things can change in the backcountry. It may feel like a crowded trail, but this is the bears’ home, and we are just visitors. They’re trying to live their lives, feed their young, and prepare for winter. I have profound respect for these incredible creatures.’
