Bear a bear encounter

So due to life getting in the way, I'm taking a break from the trails for a couple weeks at least. Essentially, I'm not getting time off for a while due to a coworker getting into a spectacular car wreck, so everyone is working extra to help cover while she heals. Also, I'm going through some heavy personal stuff.

In the meantime, it's autumn, and it's prime bear season. The bears are out foraging for berries, grubs, and fish to build up their fat stores for hibernation. Washington Trails Association has some great bear safety tips to read over.

I haven't personally run into a bear on the trails yet, though I've seen bear signs. Black bears are the most common species you find around here. Common bear signs include tracks, scat, and trees that appear shredded.

Fresh bear sign along the Iron Goat Trail from a couple years back

If you do encounter a bear, it's important to watch its behavior carefully. Bears will often stomp around and huff to show they're pissed off; in this case you want to avoid eye contact, talk calmly to the bear, and try to slowly back away. If the bear charges and veers away, stand your ground but don't make eye contact until the bear goes away. Only play dead if the bear makes contact. Chances are the bear is just startled and/or trying to protect its young and doesn't want to fight.

If a bear is charging at you from a distance (or if you play dead and the bear starts trying to eat you), then the bear sees you as prey and you are in serious trouble. It's very rare, but be prepared to fight. If you have trekking poles, prod the bear and yell at it, and if you don't, then aim for the eyes. Bear repellent is good to have on hand in this case. Fortunately, it's extremely rare for a bear to behave this way.

The best thing you can do is prevent an encounter in the first place. This typically means making noise. Hike with a buddy and have a lively chat with them. When I solo hike, I often will clip my keys to the outside of my pack so they make noise. Keep dogs on a leash; if you dog runs off and gets into an encounter with a bear, it's going to run back to its human and it will bring the bear with it!

And please, if you see a bear at a distance, respect that distance and stay away. Don't try and get in close for a photo op. Give the bear as much distance as you can, even if you have to take an alternate route or wait for the bear to leave the area.

What not do do in a bear encounter

To share a story...

I was with a group on the Iron Goat Trail a few years ago. We were hanging out near the memorial to the Wellington Train Disaster and a few others had gone ahead. They were about a mile down the trail from us when they saw a baby black bear in a tree and they ooed and awwed over it.

Then they saw the momma bear coming up the hill toward them.

From my perspective, one of the group came running up crying. We shall call her Sally.

Sally: "Aahh! I'm the worst mother ever!"
Us: "What happened?"
Sally: "There was a bear! There was a bear and I took off and I left my kid back there!"
Us: "Where is she?"
Sally's teenage daughter: *coming up from behind* "MOM! You left me!"

It was an incident we could all laugh about afterward as everyone made it back safely, though I'm not sure if her daughter ever forgave her for that. At the very least, much light-hearted shit was given by our group to Sally for being a parent-of-the-day.

Seriously though. Don't mess with momma bears. It doesn't always end as well so don't risk it.