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Edson, AB
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2011 : 7:26 PM
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| Well my wife and I went to Whitehorse campground Friday night. We were pleased to see that there was no snow new or old with the recent cold wet weather. We stayed overnight in one of the tent sites, a cool night but not bad, about +3 C with a partly clear sky. In the morning we packed up and headed out for a day hike to the falls. We were packing full week long packs because we are trying to get a little more conditioned for the West Coast Trail at the end of June. So we were not setting any land speed records, nor did we want to anyway. We took the lower Whitehorse Creek trail, my wife in the lead so I don't get carried away with the walking speed, and it was in fairly good shape, only in one or two places was there any snow mostly in the thick timber. We came out of the lower trail where it merges with the upper at Trapper campground. We took a breather and looked around a little and then kept on. We crossed the little creek crossing and gravel flats. As we got back onto the main trail my wife suddenly said, OH NO! I could tell by her expression that something was up. I said, what? for I had not been looking directly up the trail. She said BEAR! I looked up ahead and not more than 100' away there was the largest boar grizzly that I have ever seen. I am not saying this because I am a mere human either, this was a BIG bear. We had our Akita/Sheppard dog with us and after coaxing her not to do anything stupid we backed away very slowly and, as calmly as possible, tried to talk the bear down. This bear very slowly and deliberately turned around and disappeared. This spot on the trail is very thick with a bend in the trail so once the bear turned he basically disappeared. I HATE, when you can't see where they have gone. Anyway, long story short that was the end of the hike for us. I (we) are not very comfortable with a bear that is so nonchalant around 2 humans and a dog. We met two other hikers heading in at Trapper and gave them the info. They were not sure what they would do at the moment, and we told them we were heading out. Except for the close Encounter with the very top of the food chain, we had good weather, good camping and good hiking. We are also now finally down from our adrenaline high. |
Edited by - Whitney95 on 05/29/2011 09:03 AM
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2011 : 10:52 AM
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Sounds like you handled it well. No panic, no running, talking calmly... And turning around when you couldn't be sure it was safe to go on further.
I'm surprised the dog didn't give you some warning - you must have been upwind. That means the bear probably already had a whiff of you before you met him. |
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Edson, AB
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2011 : 5:40 PM
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| We actually were upwind, and it was fairly windy plus the noise of the creek. I think the griz definetly knew we were there beforehand. It is his backyard after all. We did have bear spray with us as well; but that little can seemed so ridiculous at the time for such a large bear. |
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50 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2011 : 8:38 PM
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A good well told story.
Glad all went well icluding dog.
What are the options? Continue, hoping for the best and perhaps live in fear for a day or 2.
Carry a weapon such as bearspray and a rifle/shotgun? likely not suitable for this trip or terrain (plus added 10 pounds weight) and still have fear?
Carrying a larger bore gun also has its drawbacks, including user error and many other negatives.
Many people just carry on, finish their route, many will draw back as you did. Its not an easy decision.
Thanks for posting |
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Edson, AB
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2011 : 06:51 AM
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| It wasn't much of a decision for us. Especially because we were not overnightng at the falls, it was just a day trip. We had both been there before anyway. I think it all depends on your comfort level and experience with bears. I have encountered enough bears to know that this would not have turned out well had we decided to just "cowboy" our way through. Early spring isn't the best time to try and outwit an animal that is thinking with it's stomach. Especially a big old boy like that one ;) |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1032 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2011 : 07:14 AM
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Good story Whitney. I'm glad that it worked out ok.
I see that you live in Edson. I was wondering if you get out a lot in the bush around Edson and if so do you see any grizzly activity that far east, or is mostly just black bears?
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2011 : 08:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Gin
... such as bearspray and a rifle/shotgun? likely not suitable for this trip or terrain (plus added 10 pounds weight) and still have fear?
Bear spray only runs 225 grams. According to Parks Canada, it works about 95% of the time.
I'd only use it as a last resort. |
Edited by - peter1955 on 05/30/2011 09:10 AM |
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High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1705 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2011 : 09:56 AM
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| I think you made the right choice. The only other reasonable option would be to make a wide detour and regain the trail further up. Bush/deadfall etc I expect would have made this impracticle given the much easier choice of returning on the trail. Even though the bear showed no aggression there is a chance there was a carcass ahead or something that he might have felt protective about. |
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352 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2011 : 3:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Gin
A good well told story.
Glad all went well icluding dog.
What are the options? Continue, hoping for the best and perhaps live in fear for a day or 2.
Carry a weapon such as bearspray and a rifle/shotgun? likely not suitable for this trip or terrain (plus added 10 pounds weight) and still have fear?
Carrying a larger bore gun also has its drawbacks, including user error and many other negatives.
Many people just carry on, finish their route, many will draw back as you did. Its not an easy decision.
Thanks for posting
Who carries a gun that weighs 10 pounds? |
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Edson, AB
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2011 : 06:22 AM
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| Thanks everyone for your responses. Lobo, There are grizzlies around here, but more towards Hinton, and Jasper following the mountain ranges as you know. Lots of black bears here. I lived in Hinton for 27 years and worked in the Bighorn Mtn. Range area for three. We saw more grizzlies down there than black bears. Lots of them were transplant bears, tagged anyway. Has anyone ever had to use their pepper spray? |
Edited by - Whitney95 on 05/31/2011 06:24 AM |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1032 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2011 : 06:45 AM
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Thanks Whitney. I lived in Hinton for 17 years. I moved to Jasper in '94. I have spent a good chunk of my life on the eastern slopes and I know how many grizzlies are out here, but I spend no time in the Edson area, so I was just wondering about the griz that far east.
You spent three years in the Bighorn. I love that country. I'm headed to the Blackstone in a couple of weeks. I'm really looking forward to it as it's been a few years. |
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2011 : 06:54 AM
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I used it just once, a number of years ago.
When I lived in Ontario, I was walking down a narrow trail in Algonquin with dense bush on both sides and met a small black bear coming the other way. We both stopped and looked at each other and did a 'who gets to go ahead and who gets to step aside' moment.
I keep my bear spray on my pack waistband and got it out quite quickly. When the bear decided that it was going to amble forward and pass me, I'm afraid I got a bit nervous and gave it a shot from maybe 15 feet. Too close for comfort, but too far away to have as much effect as it should have.
I remember the bear jumped back, looking surprised and shocked, and ran off down the trail swiping at its face with its paws. I turned around, too, and headed back to the trailhead.
Since it wasn't being aggressive, I actually felt kind of guilty. I wonder if I hurt its feelings with my 'unprovoked attack'. |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2011 : 09:39 AM
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Whitney, you did the right thing. Any bear that is not leaving especially if it scents you then it is better to leave the area than to confront it. Good report.
quote:
Originally posted by peter1955
Since it wasn't being aggressive, I actually felt kind of guilty. I wonder if I hurt its feelings with my 'unprovoked attack'.
Peter you probably saved that bear's life. Being young and at the peak of it's leaning it will remember that and next time it won't hang around when it sees a human because at some time it maybe a hunter that will shot it. |
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Edson, AB
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2011 : 2:04 PM
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| Thanks Wildman, I just wish and hope that the guy and gal backpackers that we warned about the bear made out as well as us. Maybe they are part of the Clubtread community? I guess all you can do is give people information, everyone makes their own choices. |
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Whitehorse trail update ( Be Bear aware)
