Just the Bear Facts
By Mike Sinnwell June 2008
Joan and I were hiking to Exit Glacier when up the trail we saw a group of people stopped and taking pictures. Must have been at least 50 of them. As we approached we realized they were snapping pictures of a bear sitting in the middle of the trail. The sound of shutters clicking was deafening. As I peered up the trail I saw about as many people coming down the trail also doing the same.
So here we have a standoff with one bear and somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 tourists, 50 from each direction, snapping photos, whispering in hushed tones trying not to disturb the bear.
I had looked at the sky a little earlier and had realized a storm was coming. I was impatient and wanted the bear to move. I was concerned that we were going to get another rain shower and be drenched getting to the glacier. After about 10 minutes of waiting and listening to the diminishing sounds of camera shutters and the tourist crowd growing I felt it was time for action. I was getting tired of the tourists gasping and backing up in fear every time the bear even looked at them.
Joan was taking pictures along with all the other tourists but when she saw me step out in front of everyone and start walking towards the bear she sort of froze up and forgot to take pictures. I was hoping to get a picture with me and the bear. No such luck.
I am not sure why she was worried as I had pretty much sized the situation up before I started towards the bear. Things I had considered, no cubs in site, not a grizzly bear, and a 1 in 50 chance I would be the one selected from the group of tourist by the bear. Just to be on the safe side I had also considered that I felt fairly comfortable I could out run some of the 50 tourists, especially the elderly couple walking with canes. Worst case I could perhaps trample a small child or steal the elderly couples canes.
As I approached the bear I began talking to him first in a soft voice and then an increasingly louder voice. I got his attention and he even stood up on all four and faced me. That is when I started to clap my hands. As he stood on two legs, the crowd gasped and backed away, I seriously stopped to reconsider my decision, took one more glance to verify the elderly couple was still there, and then began clapping a little louder. That is when another brave soul walked up clapping his hands along side of me and said “I was wondering how we were going to get the bear to move.” I did not have the heart to tell him that this doesn’t always work. I just made sure he stayed a little ahead of me.
After a few more cautious steps towards the bear the bear decided we were not worth the effort and ambled off the path and into the forest. As we passed the spot where the bear had been on the trail it was fun to watch the tourists. They would approach wide eyed looking from side to side and then quickly rush pass the spot. I am convinced that most of them would still be there if I had not chased the bear away.
A little further up the trail I found evidence that the bear had marked his territory.
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FYI - I could not even reach the top standing on my tippy toes.
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Photos courtesy of MikeSinnwell 2006
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