Yesterday, 4/27, I was hurrying back down the Bear Canyon trail. About 100 yards past Bear Flat creek, around 5pm, I heard a strange sound and heard some tree branches moving very loudly. I figured that two fat squirrels were fighting in the trees, and took a quick look up at the branches right above me without breaking my stride to make sure not to get hit by acorns/droppings/whatever. Didn't see anything, just the branches swaying.
I was in a real hurry to get back to my car and get home. So I just continued on the trail. About 40 or 50 yards later, I saw four hikers coming down hill off-trail from the left. They asked me if I had seen the "big" bear on the tree. Apparently, my hawk-like eyes missed a mama bear and two cubs on a tree right next to the trail. The hikers had went off trail to go around them. As soon as they mentioned a "bear", I realized that the strange sound I heard was a long, low growl.
My guess is that the bears were on the trail when they heard the first two of the hikers approaching (they were using trekking poles), got scared and scrambled up the tree. I guess I missed them because that part of the trail has a lot of tree canopy and thus is dark, and I was wearing a dark sunglasses. It was fortunate that the hikers didn't surprise the mama bear...
a near bear sighting in Baldy's Bear Canyon
Near bear? Is that like near beer?muddeer wrote:Yesterday, 4/27, I was hurrying back down the Bear Canyon trail. About 100 yards past Bear Flat creek, around 5pm, I heard a strange sound and heard some tree branches moving very loudly. I figured that two fat squirrels were fighting in the trees, and took a quick look up at the branches right above me without breaking my stride to make sure not to get hit by acorns/droppings/whatever. Didn't see anything, just the branches swaying.
I was in a real hurry to get back to my car and get home. So I just continued on the trail. About 40 or 50 yards later, I saw four hikers coming down hill off-trail from the left. They asked me if I had seen the "big" bear on the tree. Apparently, my hawk-like eyes missed a mama bear and two cubs on a tree right next to the trail. The hikers had went off trail to go around them. As soon as they mentioned a "bear", I realized that the strange sound I heard was a long, low growl.
My guess is that the bears were on the trail when they heard the first two of the hikers approaching (they were using trekking poles), got scared and scrambled up the tree. I guess I missed them because that part of the trail has a lot of tree canopy and thus is dark, and I was wearing a dark sunglasses. It was fortunate that the hikers didn't surprise the mama bear...
You're lucky mama didn't lose her grip as you walked by underneath.