One Girl, One Grizzly
It has been a decade since I met that hungry grizzly deep in the mountains of Montana. Since then, I have spent years dreaming of bears in all shapes, colors, and sizes. The connection has never faltered although it still strikes me a surreal. The mind is a mysterious thing such as when I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if it was all just a dream. If I really did run into a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park, alone, inexperienced and all of 19 years old. Of course, at the time I didn’t think I was a kid, in fact, I thought I had it all figured out. I had driven myself out to Whitefish Montana the summer after my Freshman year in college at CSU. Bold, independent and ready for all that life was throwing at me. I never dreamed I would spend one eventful day that season, dwarfed by the giant frame of a grizzly bear standing a mere 20 yards off.
The beginning of that summer I spent hours looking for an internship, at the time I was an Equine Science major at CSU. I was ecstatic when I came upon an opportunity at a ranch in Montana training horses and assisting with the day to day operations. Montana had always been just out of my reach but that summer, it was finally within my grasp. I loaded up the car, kissed my folk’s goodbye and hit the road. Many miles passed chewing David’s sunflower seeds with The Alchemist by Paulo Choeho blaring through the radio. I spent that first night in Boseman, Montana. It was easy to fall in love with the town and the culture itself, the people are incredibility kind, and I never felt out of place. The next morning I gassed up my 95' Camry and started the engine. I was ready to finish the remaining miles of my road trip with Whitefish Montana on my mind.
Late that afternoon as I pulled into the gravel driveway of Lucky 2 Ranch I was greeted by Ken Jones and his beautiful wife Nancy. They welcomed me with open arms and gave me a tour of their finely tuned ranching operation. The valley opened wide beneath the ranch, and as the sun dipped low, it filled the expanse with a hazy, honeyed glow. Montana is wild and free, and though I had never been here before, deep in the pit of my stomach it felt like home. The days ran together as we rode most the day and ate hearty dinners at night. Waking early with a happy heart to feed the horses and saddle up, I grinned my way through the days.
"Your heart is your home, and all roads lead home." - Gary Zukav
Several weeks into my internship I found myself with an entire day to explore the nearby Glacier National Park. Anticipation mounted as I filled my backpack to the brim and jogged to my car. After entering the park, I headed to the local visitor station. Having been raised in the mountains of Colorado, I was highly aware that here, the bears were rarely black or brown. At the visitor center, I confirmed, this was my first time in the park, and I was hiking alone. I was looking for a well-populated trail since I did not have bear spray or bear bells on me. In hindsight, I should have specified that I was hoping the path would be populated by humans instead of 500-pound four-footed friends.
Naively, I was put at ease by the ranger’s lack of concern as we picked a well populated trail perfect for my only day in Glacier. The scenery along Going-to-the-Sun Road is unbelievable, the mountains billow around you and the lakes threaten to engulf you. It is breathtaking and sharp, confident in its size and importance in our world. Otokomi Lake was the destination suggested by the local ranger and as I threw my pack on and threaded my boots tight, fear was the farthest thing from my mind. It was a Saturday in the middle of summer along a highly trafficked trail. I listened to the quiet crunch underneath my boots and hummed along to the singing of the birds. It was truly serene as the trail picked up elevation and wound through the pines. Down below I could hear the roar of a river, hasty in its plight to reach the lake beneath me. The sun fell lightly through the trees and the wind was but a breeze. Several miles up the trail I began to realize I had yet to see more than one other hiker. This sparked nothing more than a simple mental registration. In fact, it wasn’t until I heard the snap of twigs behind me that alarm ignited inside me. Jolted from my thoughts, I whirled to see a massive, breathtaking and brilliant grizzly bear staring at me from across the woods. He showed little alarm at my presence, given that he had watched me walk right past him. Now, I was on the upward side of him on the switchback. The trail back to the safety of my car, beneath me and far out of reach. Showing no alarm, he meandered closer, crunching on the remains of what I hoped were berries. Stumbling backwards, I quickly removed my sunglasses and cast my eyes downward. I racked my brain for the proper bear protocol as I backed away up the trail. I was ill prepared and kicking myself for not taking the time to pick up bear spray or bells before entering the park. In a split second, the calm serenity of the mountains evaporated, and instead dread swirled in the wind.
Until you are alone, in the wild, in the presence of one of these magnificent beasts you do not realize their immense size. My tank top, shorts and backpack would do little to protect me in the event of an attack. Backing away slowly, I walked quietly until I crested the next peak in the trail. My heart thundered in my ears as I shook from head to toe. Knowing the ground I covered could be made up in moments by his massive feet, I cut off the path and headed down to the river below. Since he was behind me next to the trail, taking the trail back to the car was out of the question as it would lead me right past him. The stream I knew from the start of my hike, would eventually hit the lake and trailhead below. The rugged brush tore at my legs and bits of blood mangled with leaves dotted the surface of my skin. Locating a narrow part of the river I jumped across, soaking my boots as I scrambled up the rocky edge. I sought only distance from the bear and hiking extra miles seemed worth the tradeoff. Hours passed as I fought my way through the rugged landscape of Montana, raw and untouched by the human hand.
Breathless and exhausted from the haul, I eventually found my way to the parking lot and practically bolted to my car. It wasn’t until I sat humbled, on the shore of Lake McDonald that I finally felt like I took a breath. In awe of what had happened but also in awe that an animal as large and wild as a grizzly bear chose not to attack me. Now a decade later, when I dream of bears, I imagine they are good and kind and protective of the only lives they know. In the years since, I have learned to be prepared regardless of where you are. For just when you let your guard down, you never know what or who you might encounter. Pack more rather than less and do your research before going to an unknown area.
Montana was an experience I will never forget, but it was the grizzly bear that changed me. It emanated such a raw sense of power yet chose to withhold. Free in the mountains of Montana, they are magnificent beasts and so worthy of our protection. Since then, I have had the honor of witnessing other grizzly bears. Among my favorites were a Grizzly mom with two cubs in Denali National Park(AK), they never fail to take my breath away. There is nothing more beautiful than catching sight of these magnificent creatures in their homeland. I learned so much the day I encountered that grizzly, words will never quite do it justice. Those big brown eyes staring at me with wisdom emanating from them. Their lifelong struggle to survive in a world so touched by the human hand.
Today, I am grateful for all the life experiences I have enjoyed. It’s the sense of adventure that continues to draw me to explore the unknown. Meeting a grizzly, young and alone, in the splendid mountains of Montana is a moment I will always hold close to my soul. That grizzled face and lumbering body, wandering through the brush towards me. Peaceful and present, enjoying the sunshine, soil and fresh air. And just when I get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a busy life, I am taken back to that image and reminded of the things that really matter.
Bear Safety Tips:
- Never hike Alone
- Make noise on the trail and be aware of your surroundings
- Carry bear spray and bear bells at all times
- Leave dogs at home in bear country
- Never run from a bear
- If you do encounter a bear, slowly back away with your eyes downcast
- If a bear becomes aggressive, lay face down on the ground, hands behind your neck and play dead
- ALWAYS BE PREPARED!