View Full Version : anyone hike in yellowstone?
I was just wondering if any1 ever hiked in yellow stone and if so how was it? what about grizzly bears?
mark.k.watson
02-07-2008, 20:50
I sure do.
#1 buy bear spray. Carry it on your belt and not in your pack. Your life depends on it. I am not saying that you will run into a bear. I sure hope you do ... at a distance. But better to have and not need than need and not have.
I have only run into one grizzly ... at 15 yards. I bought spray the next day. I am a gun toting nut and I would trust spray over a weapon any day of the week when it comes to bears.
Yellowstone is beautiful. I grew up in Grand Teton NP and hiked a lot in both parks. Since you are from NY plan a few days before you head out on a big hike, or you may get altitude sickness ... everyone is different.
OK definately check out Old Failthful, but head North young man.
Slough Creek campground ROCKS!!! Quiet and available. The trick is get there early ... afternoon may be too late.
Check out the Lamar Valley, bears, wolves, buffalo ... If you try to get 15 feet from a buffalo I'll come through this CPU and kick your ass. I LITERALLY have seen people do this multiple times ... but they are so cute. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHC!!!!!!!!!!
The hike of the Lakes is supposed to be really cool. I didn't try it because the day before I was to register the ranger ran into 4 grizz.
In a nutshell Yellowstone rocks, don't go to the tourist trap portions. Get a trail map and get away. Here is a fun fact. If you drive on every single road in the park you will only see 1 percent of the park. See the other 99 percent.
Been to Yellowstone many many times, along with Glacier. If you are very lucky you will see a grizzly, maybe even on your first trip. Bear spray, yes, all other means of deterrents, no. And, as mentioned, Lamar Valley, and Hayden Valley, are two of the best locales. Ask the rangers, they'll also let you know, at least they have with me.
sourwood
02-07-2008, 21:41
Yellowstone is gorgeous and quite varied. I've done several short trips in the park. You have to get a back country permit for campsites and trails will be closed if bears have been active. We did not carry bear spray. Now the mosquitoes were quite another matter. I think we hit "hatch" season (we were there early July). It was quite annoyingly astounding. We did spend a night at the bottom of the grand canyon of the yellowstone. That was quite special: themal features, beautiful river, and no mossies! Enjoy your trip. And don't limit yourself to Yellowstone. There is some beautiful wilderness north of the park.
Julie
Lone Wolf
02-07-2008, 23:16
I was just wondering if any1 ever hiked in yellow stone and if so how was it? what about grizzly bears?
carry a .45, whack the mofo's
bascomgrillmaster
02-07-2008, 23:45
Hi Bascomgrillmaster here,
Lived at Flag Ranch just south of the South entance of Yellow stone for winter and summer season.Hiking is great.I,d recommend looking at trails east of there.I only ran into small hiking groups once during the whole year.Never saw a grizzly bear at all.Don,t mess with a bison,2000 pds and pissed off.Can mean a lot of things.Trail maps are very good,I had no trouble finding trail at all.
Good luck.
If you are out that way, head over to the Beartooth's. Lakes at 10,000 ft, and the views are great. Plenty of trails in the Tetons. I don't think you can go wrong on any trail you pick in that region.
fiddlehead
02-08-2008, 00:13
the southern half of the park was burned pretty considerably around '88 or '89.
The trees are coming back and are probably around 10-12' tall by now.
The Rangers can be a pain as in any NP. (we got rerouted from the CDT by people in the backcountry office because a griz had cubs in the area. We had to do a short roadwalk and had 3 rangers stop us and ask what we were doing. None of them had heard of the CDT)
But it's cool to get far away from the roads and find some nice hot springs and hot creeks to bathe in and see all kinds of wierd s**t goin on all over the place.
Never hiked much in the north part of the park. just some day hikes out of the big (is it called Mammoth?) hot springs up there.
You won't see a griz in the park. Some rangers who have been there 4 years haven't seen one yet.
Just south of the park in the Gros Ventre section is some really awesome hiking without many people at all (a few horse packing trips here and there) Griz is around there and not so protected by the NP so, they hit an old camping trailer or hunting lodge once in a while. but i really doubt you'll see one. pepper spray is a good idea.. guns are not. Just read Lewis and Clark journals and see how many times they hit griz in the chest area with 50 caliber guns and didn't stop anything.
Have fun. that's a great part of the world for hiking.
Spirit Walker
02-08-2008, 00:26
In 2006 we did a really nice hike along the north side of the park as part of our CDT hike. Specimen Ridge was a terrific dayhike (albeit long). The Electric Peak area and Sky Rim Trail were really nice. The normal CDT route thru the park is also a good one because it gets you to some backcountry thermal areas, as well as the circus at Old Faithful. Driving thru the park is also interesting, because there are some beautiful waterfalls and thermal features.
As others have said, the Tetons are also gorgeous, as are the Beartooths. The advantage of the beartooths is that permits aren't necessary. We had no problem getting permits though in either YNP or GTNP.
And we don't carry bear spray (or a gun, which is illegal in the NPs.) We try to practice good bear country behavior and so far, after a couple thousand miles in grizzly country, we have never needed any 'protection' besides our voices. Our bear encounters have always been at a very safe distance. We know they're there. They know we're there. So nobody gets surprised.
I found the rangers to be friendly, more so than other NPs I have been in. However, I have never really had a bad experience with any.
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 16:06
I sure do.
.
Slough Creek campground ROCKS!!! percent.
This is true. Try to go after or just before Labor day. Avoid July like the plague. Saw 25 different wolves this year. Good fly fishing in that area too.
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 16:07
carry a .45, whack the mofo's
Saw a guy strapping up this year
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 16:09
You won't see a griz in the park. Some rangers who have been there 4 years haven't seen one yet.
I've seen one almost every one of the 8 times I've been there.
envirodiver
02-08-2008, 16:20
Hiked the southern portion along the area with a number of waterfalls. Nice hike, came out at Old Faithfull Inn. As mentioned you must reserve spots at campsites and they periodically come by and check to see if you are there. A backcountry Ranger job in Yellowstone wouldn't be bad.
I like the Tetons better than Yellowstone. The Alaska Basin is one of the coolest places that I've ever seen.
There was a Bison at the Old Faithfull Inn and folks would not stay away from it. The Ranger had to finally resort to some pretty harsh threats. Her told me that more people are injured by Bison than any other animal in the park. Saw a partially eaten moose, that was likely Grizzly related. That was scary, got away real quick and kept eyes wide open for a long time.
...
You won't see a griz in the park. Some rangers who have been there 4 years haven't seen one yet.
...
I was there only once and I saw a huge, hump backed, silver-tipped one just ambling by.
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 19:45
My favorite grizzly picture
I hiked a little there this past summer. I saw a Mother and cub Grizzly. But really I would say that Yellowstone is not the place to go hiking, it is neat, but everything worth seeing is within view of the road, and the whole place is extremely crowded. Glacier is a hundred times better for hiking, as well as many of the other Parks.
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 20:19
I hiked a little there this past summer. I saw a Mother and cub Grizzly. But really I would say that Yellowstone is not the place to go hiking, it is neat, but everything worth seeing is within view of the road, and the whole place is extremely crowded. Glacier is a hundred times better for hiking, as well as many of the other Parks.
Well said and I agree about the Rocky mountain hiking scenery. However if you are there around Labor Day the crowds aren't bad. When we were last there Slough Creek was the only campground that was ful. It has about 30 spaces and was one that we have always wanted to stay at. We got there Saturday early AM and had our pick of about 10 spaces.
Fiddleback
02-08-2008, 20:33
carry a .45, whack the mofo's
...and be prepared to pay a fine for carrying an illegal weapon in the Park. That should be particularly galling since a .45 is little help against a charging griz...
There's an old Bill Mauldin "Willie and Joe" cartoon from WWII...it shows the pair in a pup tent. Joe's knee is raised and perched on it is a rat. Joe has a .45 in his hand, about 6" from the rodent's face. "Be careful, Joe", says Willie, "I hear they attack when they're wounded!" Good advice that.
FB
Fiddleback
02-08-2008, 20:44
I hiked a little there this past summer. I saw a Mother and cub Grizzly. But really I would say that Yellowstone is not the place to go hiking, it is neat, but everything worth seeing is within view of the road, and the whole place is extremely crowded. Glacier is a hundred times better for hiking, as well as many of the other Parks.
Nonsense! Avoid the summer...go before Memorial Day or after Labor Day and you will see Yellowstone at some of its prettiest and you will have the Park almost to yourself. The animals are very active during both periods. As for the hikes, checkout backpacker.com's Rocky Mountains sub-forum for many threads on Yellowstone backcountry hikes by experienced Yellowstone backpackers.
As for roadside action...I usually see more bears during my Spring trips (the week before Memorial Day), more wolves during the Fall (the last week of September).
FB
OregonHiker
02-08-2008, 20:54
Nonsense! Avoid the summer...go before Memorial Day or after Labor Day and you will see Yellowstone at some of its prettiest and you will have the Park almost to yourself. The animals are very active during both periods. As for the hikes, checkout backpacker.com's Rocky Mountains sub-forum for many threads on Yellowstone backcountry hikes by experienced Yellowstone backpackers.
As for roadside action...I usually see more bears during my Spring trips (the week before Memorial Day), more wolves during the Fall (the last week of September).
FB
Heed this good advice
Fiddleback
02-08-2008, 20:59
You won't see a griz in the park. Some rangers who have been there 4 years haven't seen one yet.
This too, is nonsense. More that a third of the Northern Rockies grizzly population is in Yellowstone. I visit the park twice a year and do not recall any visit that I did not see a griz (although there might have been one or two...). Last May during a Tues-Friday trip I saw 13 bears from the roadside.
I will try to remember to ask the Rangers this May (my 19th visit) if they know any of their brethren that haven't see a griz. I think we'll all get a belly laugh...
FB
fiddlehead
02-08-2008, 21:16
I guess that ranger was making it up who told me he had never seen one in his 4 years in the backcountry.
I saw a bear right at the southern border but was pretty sure it was a black bear, not griz.
fiddlehead
02-09-2008, 03:53
I've seen one almost every one of the 8 times I've been there.
You know, i've been thinkin about this and i just don't believe you.
I've been to Yellowstone 7 times now including a 3 night canoe trip on shashone (sp?)(1989) lake, 2 CDT hikes (98 and 02), jogging 40 miles while my friends saw old faithful when we drove through there in '97, and 2 times when we just drove through and camped. (and spent at least 2 nights minimum) (Once just drove thru and camped just out of the southern border and again just north of the MT line)
My hiking partner saw what he thought MIGHT have been a griz (in 2002) but couldn't be sure.
The ranger told me that if there is a griz around, they usually close that trail or backcountry site.
Yet you are saying you see them almost every time. sorry dude, i just don't believe it.
Care to give us your hiking (or backcountry) experience in that park?
No.
I like bears, there are worse ways to go.
Fiddleback
02-09-2008, 12:45
You know, i've been thinkin about this and i just don't believe you.
I've been to Yellowstone 7 times now including a 3 night canoe trip on shashone (sp?)(1989) lake, 2 CDT hikes (98 and 02), jogging 40 miles while my friends saw old faithful when we drove through there in '97, and 2 times when we just drove through and camped. (and spent at least 2 nights minimum) (Once just drove thru and camped just out of the southern border and again just north of the MT line)
My hiking partner saw what he thought MIGHT have been a griz (in 2002) but couldn't be sure.
The ranger told me that if there is a griz around, they usually close that trail or backcountry site.
Yet you are saying you see them almost every time. sorry dude, i just don't believe it.
Care to give us your hiking (or backcountry) experience in that park?
While not addressed to me, let me answer.
If one is looking for bears and has more than a day to drive around the park, I can't imagine not seeing any. I've seen grizzlys between Madison and Old Faithful, between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower, between Mammoth and Norris, and most of all, in the Lamar Valley; Slough Creek to Pebble Creek. Frankly, until the trip last October, I hadn't driven/seen the other roads since about 2001 (Canyon Village to Norris and Canyon Village to Old Faithful). I've seen bears as close as 75' and as far away as a mile or more (binoculars am good!:D Last spring I parked at the livestock trailhead near Druid Peak and glassed four bears inside a half hour). I almost always see more grizzlys during my Spring visits (the week before Memorial Day) than the Fall visits during the last week of September or first week of October. I think black bears are even more common but that might be because they're easier to spot, less wary of people, or less subject to aggressive 'management.'
I will concede, however, that it's easier/more common to see bears from the road than while backpacking. To me, this makes perfect sense. Bears don't rush up to watch the backpackers :rolleyes:, if anything they hear people approaching and either leave the area or make themselves scarce. With trail views often obstructed and the bears' natural inclination to avoid people, I think spotting bears from the roadside is much more productive. On the other hand, hikers aren't always the most perceptive types. I was part of a group parked just west of the Buffalo Ranch and we all watched two hikers hiking in the valley...and the grizzly sow walking about a quarter-mile behind them. Really no threat but it could have been exciting for the hikers had they known...it certainly was exciting for those of us watching... Further, hikers' chances are often limited by management. It's very common for trails/campsites to be closed if bears are in the area and are doing more than just 'passing through.' Finally, many hikers intentionally make noise or take other actions to announce their presence and shoo the bears away to avoid surprise encounters.
Yes, bears, grizzlys or blacks, are common and easy to spot. I'd estimate about half the bears I see are already spotted by someone else...I see the cars and the 'crowd' before I see the bears. The others I see because I have favorite, successful places (again, especially the Lamar Valley) where I park and watch until something shows up. There are dedicated wildlife watchers in the Park and they're fun to talk to and they share the latest news about wildlife activity. It's possible, e.g., when dealing with a carcass, to return to the same place day after day to watch activity...but it will always be different.;)
I find bears much easier to find than wolves, partly because wolves are harder to see and, in my experience, more often stay further away from the road. Still, they have to cross the road sometime...two years ago I locked eyes with a wolf from about 25'...it was an experience and feeling I can't describe but will never forget. In my visits, I'm more successful spotting wolves during the Fall.
Despite all my visits to Yellowstone, I have yet to see it in winter and I intentionally avoid the Disneyland that is summer. That too may skew my success rate...when I visit there's not the summer-level traffic and screaming parents and kids affecting the bears and, of course, bears are kinda scarce in the winter.
My Spring and Fall visits start on Tuesday afternoon and I leave the Park on Friday morning. I don't see bears everyday -- but I do see bears virtually every visit and wolves during most. Anyone can and will see bears...talk to the 'watchers', learn the spots, know that early morning is better than early afternoon, and exercise some patience (to include driving the speed limit or slower). See "Ralph Maughan's Wildlife News' for frequent reports on wolve and bear activity, http://wolves.wordpress.com/
Remember, Yellowstone is the only U.S. park that features easily watched grizzlies, surpassing Glacier in watching if not in numbers.
FB
OregonHiker
02-09-2008, 13:00
You know, i've been thinkin about this and i just don't believe you.
I've been to Yellowstone 7 times now including a 3 night canoe trip on shashone (sp?)(1989) lake, 2 CDT hikes (98 and 02), jogging 40 miles while my friends saw old faithful when we drove through there in '97, and 2 times when we just drove through and camped. (and spent at least 2 nights minimum) (Once just drove thru and camped just out of the southern border and again just north of the MT line)
My hiking partner saw what he thought MIGHT have been a griz (in 2002) but couldn't be sure.
The ranger told me that if there is a griz around, they usually close that trail or backcountry site.
Yet you are saying you see them almost every time. sorry dude, i just don't believe it.
Care to give us your hiking (or backcountry) experience in that park?
I didn't say I saw them while I was in the backountry. Whether you believe me or not makes absolutely no difference to me.
OregonHiker
02-09-2008, 13:01
While not addressed to me, let me answer.
If one is looking for bears and has more than a day to drive around the park, I can't imagine not seeing any. I've seen grizzlys between Madison and Old Faithful, between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower, between Mammoth and Norris, and most of all, in the Lamar Valley; Slough Creek to Pebble Creek. Frankly, until the trip last October, I hadn't driven/seen the other roads since about 2001 (Canyon Village to Norris and Canyon Village to Old Faithful). I've seen bears as close as 75' and as far away as a mile or more (binoculars am good!:D Last spring I parked at the livestock trailhead near Druid Peak and glassed four bears inside a half hour). I almost always see more grizzlys during my Spring visits (the week before Memorial Day) than the Fall visits during the last week of September or first week of October. I think black bears are even more common but that might be because they're easier to spot, less wary of people, or less subject to aggressive 'management.'
I will concede, however, that it's easier/more common to see bears from the road than while backpacking. To me, this makes perfect sense. Bears don't rush up to watch the backpackers :rolleyes:, if anything they hear people approaching and either leave the area or make themselves scarce. With trail views often obstructed and the bears' natural inclination to avoid people, I think spotting bears from the roadside is much more productive. On the other hand, hikers aren't always the most perceptive types. I was part of a group parked just west of the Buffalo Ranch and we all watched two hikers hiking in the valley...and the grizzly sow walking about a quarter-mile behind them. Really no threat but it could have been exciting for the hikers had they known...it certainly was exciting for those of us watching... Further, hikers' chances are often limited by management. It's very common for trails/campsites to be closed if bears are in the area and are doing more than just 'passing through.' Finally, many hikers intentionally make noise or take other actions to announce their presence and shoo the bears away to avoid surprise encounters.
Yes, bears, grizzlys or blacks, are common and easy to spot. I'd estimate about half the bears I see are already spotted by someone else...I see the cars and the 'crowd' before I see the bears. The others I see because I have favorite, successful places (again, especially the Lamar Valley) where I park and watch until something shows up. There are dedicated wildlife watchers in the Park and they're fun to talk to and they share the latest news about wildlife activity. It's possible, e.g., when dealing with a carcass, to return to the same place day after day to watch activity...but it will always be different.;)
I find bears much easier to find than wolves, partly because wolves are harder to see and, in my experience, more often stay further away from the road. Still, they have to cross the road sometime...two years ago I locked eyes with a wolf from about 25'...it was an experience and feeling I can't describe but will never forget. In my visits, I'm more successful spotting wolves during the Fall.
Despite all my visits to Yellowstone, I have yet to see it in winter and I intentionally avoid the Disneyland that is summer. That too may skew my success rate...when I visit there's not the summer-level traffic and screaming parents and kids affecting the bears and, of course, bears are kinda scarce in the winter.
My Spring and Fall visits start on Tuesday afternoon and I leave the Park on Friday morning. I don't see bears everyday -- but I do see bears virtually every visit and wolves during most. Anyone can and will see bears...talk to the 'watchers', learn the spots, know that early morning is better than early afternoon, and exercise some patience (to include driving the speed limit or slower). See "Ralph Maughan's Wildlife News' for frequent reports on wolve and bear activity, http://wolves.wordpress.com/
Remember, Yellowstone is the only U.S. park that features easily watched grizzlies, surpassing Glacier in watching if not in numbers.
FB
Good post .... I agree
OregonHiker
02-09-2008, 13:03
My favorite grizzly picture
The picture in post #17 was taken by myself in Yellowstone
I lived in Jackson and Star Valley for the last 15 years and have done a lot of backpacking in Yellowstone, Horse & Mule packing in the Tetons, Teton Wilderness & the Gros Ventres, working in Hunting camps in the Teton Wilderness and spending from June to November working cattle down in the Grey's River. The bears are in all of those areas now where as 10 years ago you didn't have them so far south. I do enjoy reading how many maulings happen in the Jackson paper every season.
I hate bears. (not really, but I hate having to spend so much time protecting myself from them)
The bears have moved further south every year as well as the wolves and I don't go alone like I used to in areas that I could. I really don't like going alone in Griz country and I really prefer to be alone in the woods. I wish those darn bears would all go back to Yellowstone :D
Pepper spray and a shotgun with slugs is the best deterent
(the gun is plan B)
:banana
I lived in Jackson and Star Valley for the last 15 years and have done a lot of backpacking in Yellowstone, Horse & Mule packing in the Tetons, Teton Wilderness & the Gros Ventres, working in Hunting camps in the Teton Wilderness and spending from June to November working cattle down in the Grey's River. The bears are in all of those areas now where as 10 years ago you didn't have them so far south. I do enjoy reading how many maulings happen in the Jackson paper every season.
I hate bears. (not really, but I hate having to spend so much time protecting myself from them)
The bears have moved further south every year as well as the wolves and I don't go alone like I used to in areas that I could. I really don't like going alone in Griz country and I really prefer to be alone in the woods. I wish those darn bears would all go back to Yellowstone :D
Pepper spray and a shotgun with slugs is the best deterent
(the gun is plan B)
:banana
I read an article a long time ago about about a guy that fished for Salmon a lot in Alaska. He always had a cut down pump action shotgun slung across his back loaded with slugs. I'm not suggesting this for any NPs and I don't remember reading whether he used it or not, but if you have a bunch of Salmon in the back country in Alaska it seems prudent. I do remember seeing in the article, pictures of the fisherman with the shotgun across his back and bears fishing along the river further down. It was an interesting article. At least ten years ago.
A guy that ran a hunting camp in the Greys River Range (about 60 miles south of Yellowstone) was mauled by a Griz in Alaska while hunting. He was pretty tore up looking even years later.
One of the outfitters that I worked for on Spread Creek required that I carry a shotgun with slugs to the outhouse we dug that was only 100 ft from camp. I think pepper spay would have worked just as good and I carried that as well. Spending 4100,ooo on legal fees justifying yourself to the goverment on why you shot a bear that was mauling you is almost as bad as getting mauled.
Anyway, I prefer to not hike in Grizzly country.
fiddlehead
02-09-2008, 22:22
Fiddleback, thank you for an informative post.
It is quite obvious to me now that grizzlies are more prominent than they were when i hiked there ('88,'98, and '02) So, i apologize to all for my original post on here saying you would most likely see griz in the park while hiking.
I would like to point out that i have yet to see a post here from someone who HAS seen a griz while hiking.
Same in Glacier i believe. lots more griz are seen from the road than actually witnessed on the trail. (I've seen at least 12 from the road and only 2 close encounters while hiking in the backcountry. (one time there was lots of others around and it was cool, the other, i was by myself and not as cool. )
Angelfire
02-09-2008, 23:56
Backpacked and hiked in the Tetons and Yellowstone last June. June is the time to go...no crowds, not too hot, bugs not too bad. Backcountry campsites are plentiful. The Tetons are drop-dead gorgeous! My favorite part of Yellowstone was the northeastern part, the Lamar Valley. Dayhike to the Petrified Forest -- beautiful wildflowers and interesting geology -- just keep making noise so you won't surprise any wildlife. We did surprise an elk. Came right down a steep trail practically on top of it. Fortunately, it just trotted off. We saw 1 griz in the Lamar Valley close but from the vehicle and two in the Hayden Valley from a long, safe distance. Whatever you have to do to get yourself to Tetons/Yellowstone, DO IT!!
Fiddleback
02-10-2008, 12:46
Fiddleback, thank you for an informative post.
It is quite obvious to me now that grizzlies are more prominent than they were when i hiked there ('88,'98, and '02) So, i apologize to all for my original post on here saying you would most likely see griz in the park while hiking.
I would like to point out that i have yet to see a post here from someone who HAS seen a griz while hiking.
Same in Glacier i believe. lots more griz are seen from the road than actually witnessed on the trail. (I've seen at least 12 from the road and only 2 close encounters while hiking in the backcountry. (one time there was lots of others around and it was cool, the other, i was by myself and not as cool. )
I think you're correct...and all of 'us' are lucky. Coming across a griz while hiking is uncommon...and, IMO, a good thing! All of my backpacking is in griz country and most of my bp'ing is solo. I make no attempts to be quiet.:D Fortunately, most bears have the same attitude towards hikers...they don't want to get particularly close either.
'Seen black bears but still haven't seen a griz in Glacier...
FB
mark.k.watson
03-24-2008, 22:06
Lived in Grand Teton National Park for 21 years. Any one interested in awesome spots to go in the valley PM me.
Bears ... 1st of all I will use this term very, very loosely, as my political and personal views have turned more towards this way. Tree huggers. In appx. 1996 the tree huggers said there were appx 200 grizz in the greater yellowstone ecosystem.
That very year, if I remember right, In the area I hunted, Spread Creek, the biologists collared 200 grizz. There are more grizz out there that people think.
I remember when in high school I researched a paper and a guy in Alaska shot a grizz in the head at point blank range with a .444 Marlin. BTW this gun has the energy to lift a elephant one foot off the ground. He was mauled severly.
I honestly have not read a single account of a person using bear spray getting mauled. If anyone has info please let me know.
I have pulled the spray on one occasion. A moose that was way too interested in me at 10 yards.
I trust fully my life in the non lethal bear spray. Trust in the biggest baddest gun in the world, add addrenalin and your aim is ****.
Your piss pore shot is gunna get you killed.
BTW I believe that a bear that is going to bite you deserves to be killed .... with the rare exception.
So this being said, carry spray on your belt, I don't know haw many posts I've read where people carried the spray in their pack, please, if it is your pack you might as well pull your lip over your head and swollow. It is that useful.
Use your freaking head with bears.
I would like to point out that i have yet to see a post here from someone who HAS seen a griz while hiking.
While not in Glacier or Yellowstone, I did see a griz while hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Had the distictive brown hump between the shoulder blades.
Was just out of camera range.. CLOSE ENOUGH! :O
Nearly Normal
03-25-2008, 11:23
The spay I have is about the size of a small fire exstinguisher with a pin saftey. It is designed just for the Grizzly.
I would take it again in that area even though it is cumbersome.
Mind the signs in the gyser basin boardwalks. I saw a guy break through the crust and get burned badly.
The rangers won't tell you about it but there is one legal place to soak in a hot spring.
Close to the North entrance at the 56th Parallel.(I think)
Good parking lot and a 1/2 mile hike along the Gardiner River.
Very good. 5 stars. It was a highlight.
Wear shoes, its rocky, everything else is how bashful you are.
There are usually people there.
If you get over to Jackson, hike the Cascade Trail. Hiking anywhere in there is unbelievable.
October is a very good month to go. Unlike in the East there is little to no leaf peepers. It is their off or slow season.
Drink a little "Snake River Red" draft beer for me.
Have Big Fun.
For those of you who've hiked there, how much of your hiking was backcountry solo? I was looking at planning a trip and it almost sounded like they wouldn't let you back there if you were alone.
All of my time there.
. I was on the CDT, though, and my impression was that thee rangers in the backcountry office are very lenient with CDT thru-hikers. They assumed I knew what I was doing by then. Boy, did I have them fooled. :D
RadioFreq
03-25-2008, 15:26
Nonsense! Avoid the summer...go before Memorial Day or after Labor Day and you will see Yellowstone at some of its prettiest and you will have the Park almost to yourself.
FB
I wasn't backpacking at the time, just driving from Idaho back to MN for my job. It was early Oct. and I had just spent the night in Jackson Hole. I got up early and drove into the Grand Teton Nat'l Park and parked at the Jenny Lake Overlook. For over half-an-hour (around 9am) I sat there alone with the sun lighting up the eastern face of the mountains in front of me. No car sounds, no people sounds, just me and a few birds. It was priceless. It was like I had the entire Tetons all to myself.
Later I drove over to Old Faithful....there were about 20 people. Definitely go there out of season if you can.
Slough Creek highly recommended. Huge cutthroat trout easily viewed throughout the first big meadow. Worth seeing even if you do not fish. Usually Bison, Wolves, and often Elk in the area. Have seen plenty of griz in other parts of the park, but never up Slough. Doesn't mean they aren't there. Don't be tempted to approach the Bison. I had one semi stalk me for a quarter of a mile and it was not fun.
I would like to point out that i have yet to see a post here from someone who HAS seen a griz while hiking.
Same in Glacier i believe. lots more griz are seen from the road than actually witnessed on the trail.
I didn't see any Griz in two trips to Yellowstone but have seen 3 in Glacier, two on the trail and one from Many Glacier high on the hill. I also saw a sow and two cubs in Gros Ventre.
Added: Last summer I asked a backcountry ranger in the Bob about the Griz and he said, "They're here, and the not."
fiddlehead
04-03-2008, 20:46
Yeah Sly, i once had a ranger in the "Bob" say it's ok to sleep with my food even though there were grizzlies in the area. (off the record of course)
Here's a pic i took in there in 2002 (don't know if it's griz or black bear)
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/fiddleheadpa/new1079.jpg
Fiddleback
05-28-2011, 13:58
...You won't see a griz in the park. Some rangers who have been there 4 years haven't seen one yet...
Sorry, this is an oldie but a goodie and I just couldn't resist...:D
Just got back from our annual spring trip; strictly wildlife viewing from the roadside. May 23-27 we saw nine grizzlys in a total of six sightings and four black bears in four sightings. It was a little over our average but typical for our spring trips. Viewing was as close as 150 feet and as far as perhaps a mile. All but four or five were seen in the Lamar Valley.
We might have seen more. Our drive home is from West Yellowstone through the Park to Gardiner. But Friday morning we awoke to all Park roads closed ('cept W.Yellowstone to Old Faithful) due to snow and ice. We had to take the alternate, U.S.191 route home.
The week's weather, plus the huge amount of winter snow still in the Park, leads to what will be another classic... Over on the Backpacker.com forum a poster wanted to know what edibles could be foraged at YNP in late May-early June...:-?
FB
YoungMoose
05-28-2011, 14:11
i was camped at cache creek patrol cabin (near Lamar Valley). I was there for a month on a trail crew and we only encountered a bear once. That was at night when everyone was asleep. It was trying to get into the cabin where we stored our food. Other then that we never saw or hear a bear. We did hear wolves smelt and saw their fur almost everyday about 100 yards up away from camp on the trail.
After an aborted climbing attempt of the Grand Teton due to a winter storm in June long ago - we went to Yellowstone instead and the east, west and north roads into the park were closed due to the same storm. Saw the eruption of Old Faithful by ourselves. Ate at the lodge overlooking the aforementioned at the windows by ourselves.
Bison covered with snow are pretty neat....even when viewed from a passing car.....