I had a "rare" experience today

[Shutterbug]

Today, I did a day hike on the Wonderland Trail. I used the Fryingpan Creek Trailhead and hiked past Summerland. As I returned to the trailhead, I noticed movement on the trail ahead. As it got closer, I realized that it was a large black bear. Because it was already too dark to take good photos, my camera was in my backpack.

I stopped and removed my backpack so I could get to the camera. As I was messing with the back pack, the bear just kept coming. When it was about 50 yards from me, he appeared to notice me, but just kept coming. He didn't appear scared or aggresive. He kept coming until he was 30 yards from me, then just turned off into the woods. He didn't run away. He just slowly moved off into the woods.

[CaptainNemo]

Nice! I would covet an encounter such as this! I have yet to see a bear in the wild.

[garlic08]

Here's an excerpt from my WT journal:

"I had a close encounter with another bear. This one was galloping down the trail as I sat a few feet off it eating lunch with my shoes off (talk about feeling a bit vulnerable). It saw me when it was just a few feet away, jumped away from me, started skirting around off trail, then stopped and huffed when it was opposite me. Since I heard that huffing was aggressive behavior, I started worrying and promptly forgot everything I'd learned about dealing with aggressive bears. But it recovered its wits and continued on its run. This one was pretty small, a juvenile, probably weighed less than me."

And from two days earlier:

"Just after seeing the large black bear in the blueberry patch, I saw its bright blue scat on the trail. The berries are still out! Delicious, sweet berries. The bear ran about 30' when it saw me, watched as I passed, then continued munching. So did I."

Lots of bears on that beautiful trail.

[Elder]

Are you sure thats only one?

[DLANOIE]

Luckily the only two wild bear encounters I have had were from the comfort and safety of my jeep!

[hikerboy57]

I was hiking the Long Path in the Gunks last summer.as i came up around a turn in the trail, not more than 10 yards away a large male sat in the shrubs munching a branch of blueberries.I looked at him, he looked at me, then turned and ran off. I never stopped walking as the trail led away from him, smiled and said to myself "I showed him!'(although if he had decided I was prey, I had a big problem).I thanked God I was carrying my swiss army knife.

[FatMan]

Dang, I've seen plenty of Black Bears both alive and dead. You sure do grow them big out there.

[Shutterbug]

Dang, I've seen plenty of Black Bears both alive and dead. You sure do grow them big out there.

I agree that he was larger than most black bears. Grizzly bears are returning to the Cascade Mountains, but so far, none have been seen in Mt. Rainier National Park. A couple of weeks ago, someone got a picture of one in the North Cascades. Now, that would be a "rare" encounter.

[Shutterbug]

I apologize for the double post. I don't know how that happened.

[Mrs Baggins]

Three of us ladies were out hiking Wednesday, Pen Mar sobo to Hwy 17, a nice 9+ mile section. We were about 2 1/2 miles into it, going up the steep rocky portion, when I saw what I thought was just a big tree stump. We went a little further, I looked up the trail again and saw the huge head swing side to side. We stopped, watched, decided he/she was freaking HUGE (probably a male?) and was not in any hurry to move off the trail. We had been talking, laughing, making plenty of noise with our poles so it had ample time to go away. We decided preservation of our own skins was the better part of valor and turned around to go back. We had no way of knowing whether or not it might be a she-bear with a cub or cubs nearby, or a very large possibly aggressive male who was going to be real pissed about having his meal disturbed. We could see it was intent on eating something. We weren't about to drop our packs and get out cameras. Maybe it would have moved away.....but then again.......

[jerseydave]

Nice picture.

I can't help but think I would have been very uneasy with a big bear approaching steadily toward me.

Not sure I would of had the composure to have taken that picture.

Thanks for sharing.

jd

[Feral Nature]

I had a grizzly bear incounter when I was a child. My family was camping in yellowstone and my sis and I saw a grizzly by our camp. We were rather horrified and quickly got out of it's view and I still don't know if our parents believed us!

[Shutterbug]

Nice picture.

I can't help but think I would have been very uneasy with a big bear approaching steadily toward me.

Not sure I would of had the composure to have taken that picture.

Thanks for sharing.

jd

I remember the first time I had such an encounter. The first time I hiked the Wonderland Trail, in 2001, one of my goals was to get a picture of a bear. On the very first day of the hike someone told me that there was a bear ahead on the trail. I kept my camera in my hand, so that I would be ready. I rounded a curve in the trail and there it was -- a beautiful black bear in the trail about 30 yards from me. The bear stood on its hind legs and looked me square in the eyes. I was so frightened that I didn't even think to take the picture. The bear quickly disappeared in the woods and I realized that I was still holding the camera. I swore that it would never happen again.

Since then, I have had several encounters with bears and have always remembered to get the picture.

My only regret with this one was that I forgot to remove the polorizing filter. I was using the filter to take pictures in the bright sunlight and did not remove it when I put my camera in my backpack. If I had remembered to remove it, this bear picture would have been much better.

[HeartFire]

Today, I did a day hike on the Wonderland Trail. I used the Fryingpan Creek Trailhead and hiked past Summerland.

Shutterbug,
What is the condition of the trail? I head out for a thu of the Wonderland trail right after Labor day - I'm sure it will be fine by then, just wondering about it now.

Thanks
Judy

[Shutterbug]

Shutterbug,
What is the condition of the trail? I head out for a thu of the Wonderland trail right after Labor day - I'm sure it will be fine by then, just wondering about it now.

Thanks
Judy

Judy, Good news. The trail is completely open now. People are making it clear around without a problem.

There are still snow fields in several places, but the trail is clearly marked and enough people have crossed them that the trail is well packed. If you have Microspikes or Yaktraks, bring them, but lots of people are making it just find without any traction devices. I do recommend hiking poles.

On the section I hiked, the snow fields start soon after you cross Frying Pan Creek. The snow field is still solid from Summerland to Panhandle Gap. That was as far as I could see. I would assume that most of the trail between Summerland and Indian Bar is still covered with snow. Based on the depths of the snow, I would guess that it won't completely melt out this year.

If you are interested, here is my album from this week's hike: https://picasaweb.google.com/naznetm...eat=directlink

I am attaching three pictures. One of them was taken at Summerland looking toward Panhandle Gap. If you look closely, you can see a hiker crossing the snow field. He is on the Wonderland Trail.

The second picture shows the trail sign at Summerland. You can see that there is still snow.

The third is to show the primary hazzard. The hole in the snow shows where a hiker broke through the crust. In many places the crust is still hard, but the streams are melting out the snow from below. If one isn't careful, they can break through and fall into the water below. As you cross the snow fields, use your hiking pole to test whether the crust will hold you before you walk on it.