That’ll get the blood pumping.
There’s a weird duality that comes with getting out into the vast, untamed wilderness of places like Yellowstone, or in this case, Glacier National Park. On the one hand, you want to see some cool stuff. The kind of wildlife and landscape that you can only find in a few places… but on the other hand, you don’t want to be mauled by a grizzly bear. The adrenaline and the risk go hand in hand I suppose.
Glacier National Park, located in the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, is renowned for its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and pristine ecosystems. The park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, and hundreds of species of birds including bald eagles. The park’s ecosystem supports a variety of habitats from alpine meadows to dense forests.
People come from all over to take in the park’s stunning landscape while hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, boating, cross country skiing and more. There are over 700 miles of hiking trails that lead to alpine lakes, waterfalls, and breathtaking views.
And while most are looking for that breathtaking view, sometimes your breath gets taken away, quite literally, by the sheer fear of coming face to face with a big ol’ grizzly bear. For one woman hiking on the 4th of July, that was exactly the case.
She describes the heart-pounding scene in the caption:
“July 4th I had my first Grizzly encounter… I noticed Bear tracks in the mud, fresh scat, and dug up roots. I kept my eyes peeled but saw no threat and kept hiking. I listen for the birds and smaller animals to warn me of a bigger threat based on their actions. That’s when I watch a prairie dog leap from my right side, to the left side of the trail I thought to myself: how many bears have seen me while I haven’t seen them?
I look to my right to find a grizzly 2x my size on his hind legs, paws up. Terrified, I reminded myself not to run and said aloud “oh my god, it’s happening.” The safety video I watched before getting my backcountry permit immediately played in my mind. I took out my bear spray, got low and backed away slowly from the bear. I talked to him nice and once I felt a safe enough distance away, I got my phone out to record wondering if these would be my last moments. Any sudden or unexpected behaviors by me could have turned this curious grizzly into a defensive one.
He followed me down the trail, off the trail and eventually shook his body, which let me know I could relax a little. Once he turned away I rejoiced, knowing I would live to see another day and have an amazing encounter story to share. After all is said and done, I’d still choose the bear.”
You can hear the shaking and panic in her voice as she readies her bear spray in the event of an attack. She remained calm given the circumstances, and followed standard bear aware protocols, but there’s nothing quite like looking death in the eye.
I’m sweating just watching it… check it out:
@twobraidsontrail July 4th I had my first Grizzly encounter… I noticed Bear tracks in the mud, fresh scat, and dug up roots. I kept my eyes peeled but saw no threat and kept hiking. I listen for the birds and smaller animals to warn me of a bigger threat based on their actions. That’s when I watch a prairie dog leap from my right side, to the left side of the trail I thought to myself: how many bears have seen me while I haven’t seen them?I look to my right to find a grizzly 2x my size on his hind legs, paws up. Terrified, I reminded myself not to run and said aloud “oh my god, it’s happening.” The safety video I watched before getting my backcountry permit immediately played in my mind. I took out my bear spray, got low and backed away slowly from the bear. I talked to him nice and once I felt a safe enough distance away, I got my phone out to record wondering if these would be my last moments. Any sudden or unexpected behaviors by me could have turned this curious grizzly into a defensive one. He followed me down the trail, off the trail and eventually shook his body, which let me know I could relax a little. Once he turned away I rejoiced, knowing I would live to see another day and have an amazing encounter story to share. After all is said and done, l’d still choose the bear. #manvsbear #glaciernationalpark #montana #bearcountry #grizzlybear ♬ original sound – TwoBraidsOnTrail
