I’ve done it, and I’m “OK”(*) hiking in the Bob alone, but I’ve seen and encountered more grizzlies there than anywhere else in the CONUS. The majority of them run away of course. Most of the problematic encounters result when I get lazy, don’t make noise on the trail, and then spook a bear around a corner or in brush. I consider myself fortunate, and I’ve not had any confrontational encounters there save one:
Packrafting the Spotted Bear River, turned a corner, and spooked a sow and three cubs. She bluff charged into the water – close enough where her splashing got me wet – then turned and ran into the woods with her cubs. That one could have ended really bad. I was still trying to get at my bear spray by the time she turned around.
*Here’s the asterisk (*) from above: I’ve grown increasingly uncomfortable in grizzly country through the years. I’ve had too many encounters where I walked away “thankful” that it didn’t end worse. I’ve been between a sow and her cub, sprayed a couple of bears, and surprised several while hiking. I have to acknowledge that bears are unpredictable and there’s only so much you can do, and I consider myself really fortunate.
I was charged by a moose in SE Wyoming this summer, fell down hard as I ran away, and got pretty banged up right before the moose veered away from me – like 4 feet away. I had visions of it stomping my spleen. I had a dead cell phone, no sat phone, and the whole thing scared us pretty bad (I was hiking w/my wife).
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