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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jul 26, 2024 14:10:54 GMT -8
I was just involved in a heated discussion and at the risk of being accused of proselytizing I think that perhaps some of you might benefit from what I have to say here. Not many folks realize the Absaroka Range has a shorter section of the Continental Divide just East of Jackson Hole North of Togwotee Pass. Here Smokey surveys the Cub Creek drainage from the Divide Crest. In 2012 on this same hiking route on a solo hike I was charged by a large boar grizzly on a Forest Service Trail about 1,800 vertical feet below this point. I was lucky to heed the advice of other folks to only holster my spray on my hip, not anywhere on my pack or on my chest close to my face because everything happened so fast I had to spray while the canister was still in my holster. The bear ground his face into the dirt and did a 180 and ran away quite fast after rolling up just under 6' in front of me. A little over two years later responders dug a young forest inventory contractor out of 3 different holes in the vicinity of Smokey's gaze,… I know that some of you ultralighters likely have a different view on this and although like any firearm bearspray is not a 100% guarantee, particularly with a sow with cubs, I highly recommend spray for almost all activities in bear country.. I've already said a mouthful so in addition to any discussion of Bear Spray is there anything else any of us wants to add here? Most carry bear spray, even ultralighters as it’s not that much difference baseweight wise. I also carry a disposable fresh safety razor for cleaning up around cuts before band-aids (getting rid of hairs for when that bandage is yanked). … anyone who brings a DOT explosive hazardous material into wilderness is a madman and should be jailed. Some of us still call it a microwave convenience store burrito (though the biggest one is called Da Bomb .. with textured soy, beans, and a little beef it often lives up to its brand name). Add it to the carry list. Ain’t no cookin’ night #1.
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Post by trinity on Jul 26, 2024 21:13:11 GMT -8
A hiking friend of mine was mauled in 2020. He was circumambulating the 800-mile Yellowstone Ecosystem and was attacked on an off-trail pass in the Absaroka's. I assume you're talking about Larry Boy. I'm familiar with him from the Trail Show podcast. In this episode, he talks about the trail and recounts his bear encounter: link. His description of the bear attack begins around 54:45, but the whole interview is really great. To me, this was a powerful reminder that even a highly experienced hiker, who is pretty much doing everything right, can still have things go sideways. He is very lucky to be alive.
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Westy
Trail Wise!
Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
Posts: 2,000
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Post by Westy on Jul 27, 2024 4:12:10 GMT -8
trinityThat's correct. Our paths have crossed many times. Had breakfast with him earlier this year here in Salt Lake. We share a common trait in that our trail attire is consistent year over year, me in white button-down long sleeve shirt, LB in his signature orange T. ![](https://i.ibb.co/Zg32HYZ/IMG-0662.jpg)
BTW: I'm still off-trail in PT mode for tibial/achilles tendon issue. Took my first hike 2.5 mi. 350 vertical ft. two days ago. Today I can bump it up to 3.5 mi. 500 vertical feet.
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Post by trinity on Jul 27, 2024 11:21:49 GMT -8
BTW: I'm still off-trail in PT mode for tibial/achilles tendon issue. Sorry to hear it! Glad you've been able to slowly get to hiking, and hope you're back on the PCT soon.
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Post by klickitat on Aug 4, 2024 10:58:34 GMT -8
trinity That's correct. Our paths have crossed many times. Had breakfast with him earlier this year here in Salt Lake. We share a common trait in that our trail attire is consistent year over year, me in white button-down long sleeve shirt, LB in his signature orange T. ![](https://i.ibb.co/Zg32HYZ/IMG-0662.jpg)
BTW: I'm still off-trail in PT mode for tibial/achilles tendon issue. Took my first hike 2.5 mi. 350 vertical ft. two days ago. Today I can bump it up to 3.5 mi. 500 vertical feet. Would you happen to be sporting a Tilly Airflow hat in this picture? I have one of the same color which is mostly used as my backpacking hat.
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Post by klickitat on Aug 4, 2024 11:04:49 GMT -8
I live in the Pacific Northwest where black bears are common in the Olympics and the middle-to-south Cascades. I've heard there is the occasional GRIZZ in the N. Cascades. I had one black bear "encounter", when I was in my early 20's doing a 13-mile day hike in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. I came around a bend in the trail and saw a mama bear with a cub roughly 40' from me. I was by myself and not making any noise other than clomping up the trail in light hiking boots. She didn't know I was there. I quietly went back down the trail past the bend, then turned around and came back up the trail talking and singing--of all things--John Denver's Rocky Mountain High song. By the time I got back to the spot I had seen the bear and her cub, they were entering the treeline above the trail and making themselves scarce.
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