Road Trip USA Washington to Montana
Road Trip USA – Epic Journey 2016-18 Part VII
Bear
Posters and people repeatedly draw our attention to the existence of bears during our journey through the forests. The grizzly bear is less common and that is a good thing. He is very big and aware of it. You can't run away from him with his over 50 km/h. Climbing trees is also not recommended. If he doesn't climb after you, he will shake the tree until you fall off the branch like a ripe apple. It is not a good idea to encounter a grizzly.
We stop in Colville. The hostess of the Discover Campground tells us that a black bear has been hanging around for a few days. For us, the color of the forest changes immediately. Behind every bush and tree we see a movement. A leaf falls from the tree: black bear. A bird: black bear. A gust of wind makes the grass rustle: black bear.
I practice whistling loudly with my fingers to be prepared. And so we set off into the woods. The place is beautiful, a stream rushes through the forest, splashes down a rock face, and gurgles on. Tall, thin firs form a sparse forest, the ground is a wild mixture of tall grasses, flowers, and berry bushes. The latter also attracts the black bear.
We follow a path in the forest, cautiously, registering every slightest movement, a bit nervous and joking loudly, warning the bear before every turn. And indeed: as we turn a corner, we see him. Behind a fallen tree. It rustles, and when we call out to him, he becomes quiet. Cautiously we move a little closer, the 50 km/h of a bear in the back of our minds. How many seconds is that for our 50-meter distance? We whistle, wanting to see the bear in full size.
Should we go closer? Too dangerous, we decide in a well-mannered way and move away slowly, as noiselessly as possible, backward, never averting our eyes. There! The bear runs away, sideways. A black bear. Thick black fur. But suddenly he changes his direction. He comes directly towards us! In fright, the body wants to run, but we stop. Pointed ears. Pointed ears? A dog's face? It is a medium-sized black dog with a stubby tail that greets us happily.
Two days later we tackle the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana. We leave early to grab one of the sparse parking spots. Our plan is to take the bus to the end of the trail on Logan Pass to finish the hike in the parking lot. But our idea is the idea of many tourists. So they are already lining up at the bus stop. We turn our plan upside down to be able to start walking right away and to have no one tramping on our feet.
A sign warns of the bears, advises us on how to behave when encountering one, and recommends the bear pepper spray. Every few minutes you are supposed to yell and clap before each turn to warn the bear. We start walking, joking about the hikers who walk the trails hung with bells. 'I'm sure the bears are laughing at them too,' Seraina says. 'Or they are already happy to hear a bell: 'Mmh yummy,' laughs Simon. Our choice was a good one. We're all alone on the trail along a steep slope, fringed by huckleberries and young firs.
Not half a mile from the parking lot, still cracking jokes, Simon sees a cloud of dust: 'Something brown!' What was that? We take a step further and already we see the bear, looking at us in wonder. We stare back, hearts racing. A long moment passes and the bear slowly and leisurely trots off the path into the bushes, only there quickening its pace. That was a scare. 'Better we turn back, take the bus and follow the bell tourists,' says Seraina, heart still galloping wildly.
With heads bowed, we turn back. In the distance, a hiker comes toward us. We wait for her and warn her about the bear. 'A bear,' she laughs, 'a grizzly or a black bear?' She trots on, and at a pace that only leaves us staring wide-eyed behind her. We see her already lying mangled on the path as we follow her hesitantly. But the bear has gone.
We spend the next few hours clapping, singing and talking loudly. The song by Stiller Has 'Bärli hie ond Bärli da, jede wot es Bärli ha...' is number one in our charts.
So we hike through forests and incredible flower fields. There the first hikers come towards us: 'Wow, you have seen a bear. How nice for you!' Every few meters we now run into people. Our situation relaxes and we stop clapping. After a few hours we have almost forgotten about the bear and make fun of ourselves: clap, clap, remember?
The path leads along a high slope, the wide valley formed by the glacier with fir forests and meandering streams below us. In the distance the snow mountains are visible. On the other side of the path, steep rocky walls rise. We spot white mountain goats. After a good six hours, we arrive at Logan Pass and take the bus back to the parking lot.
Simon's Diary
Later we learn about the history and customs of the Blackfeet and other American Native tribes at the Plains Indian Museum in Browning.
Update August 6, 2017
They wave smartphones and bear spray around in fright. Quick photo! Or better yet, spray? The little black bear is more frightened than the two and sprints up the slope. Towards the two.
Horrified, they pack their things and run off.
What you should not do in front of a bear: Run! But they are lucky. The bear is so frightened that he just runs away, too.
Simon's Diary
The stretch between Stanley and Salmon in Idaho is terrific. We follow tips from locals and drive to various hot springs in the area. Sometimes they are so hidden in the bush that we can't find them. Passing a ghost town, we arrive at one of my favorite national parks, Yellowstone.
Epic Journey 2016-18
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Epic Journey 2016-18
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