RHH's photos with the keyword: bear

This photo was taken by our son-in-law. Our vehicle was ahead when these Grizzlies crossed the road in front of him. We were driving down the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

These are not the best photos but this is a Black Bear we saw along the Window Trail in Big Bend's Chisos Basin while hiking there. The bear was digging for something when we first saw him but soon turned his attention to us and we quickly moved on. We saw him again a little further down the dry creek bed as we hiked a long it.

This Black Bear was along the Window Trail in the Chisos Basin of Big Bend National Park. We managed to get a couple of quick photos but moved on for fear of disturbing him, though Black Bears are not especially dangerous.

When in Yellowstone last May parts of the park were still closed by snow and there was a lot of snow still on the ground in the parts of the park that were open. Near the turnoff for Old Faithful and as we were leaving the area we saw this Grizzly sow and cub playing in the snow and watched them for quite a while. We had seen them foraging earlier on our way into the Old Faithful geyser basin but they were in the trees and we did not get good photos.

This Grizzly sow and cub playing in the snow were photographed near the Old Faithful geyser basin in Yellowstone National Park.

These are Grizzlies, a sow and an older cub, playing in the snow near the Old Faithful Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

Photographed along the main road near the Old Faithful geyser basin, this Grizzly sow and cub were playing in the snow.

This Grizzly Bear sow was photographed near Yellowstone Lake in September. She was digging for roots and grubs and would soon be hibernating. She paid no attention to the people had stopped to watch here, though many were out of their vehicles and far too close, in my opinion.

Leaving Yellowstone via the east entrance we spotted these Grizzlies just outside the park. There were actually three of them, a sow and two good-sized cubs. The light was fading and photos were difficult but we managed a few.

As we were leaving Yellowstone National Park via the east entrance we saw this Grizzly near the far end of Yellowstone Lake. Fat and looking ready for hibernation, he (or she) was digging for food and paid little attention to the people who were watching. Later we would see three more Grizzlies just outside the park.

As we were leaving Yellowstone National Park via the east entrance we saw this Grizzly near the far end of Yellowstone Lake. Fat and looking ready for hibernation, he (or she) was digging for food and paid little attention to the people who were watching. Later we would see three more Grizzlies just outside the park.

Also known as the North American Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, is the largest bear in North America. This female (sow) was photographed along the road in Kootenay National Park and apparently had two cubs nearby though we did not see them.

Also known as the North American Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, is the largest bear in North America. This female (sow) was photographed along the road in Kootenay National Park and apparently had two cubs nearby though we did not see them.

Also known as the North American Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, is the largest bear in North America. This female (sow) was photographed along the road in Kootenay National Park and apparently had two cubs nearby though we did not see them. The hump on the back and the long nose distinguish the grizzly from the black bear.

Well named Ursus arctus horribilis, the grizzly male can weigh up to 1500 pounds and stand taller than a tall man. This grizzly was photographed at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and is one of a pair of male grizzlies, brothers, living at the zoo, both large bears but smaller than 1500 pounds, though still quite fearsome. Interestingly, it is reported that grizzlies are moving back into the North Cascades, the mountains which stand to our east. When hiking we always have to be careful about bears and make sure anything scented is tied in a tree away from camp, but our worry is usually the smaller and less aggressive black bear, not these monsters. When hiking in areas where grizzlies are found they tell you to wear bells on your clothing so as not to surprise a bear and cause it to attack. A ranger in one of the parks put that idea to rest by telling us that the difference between black bear scat and grizzly scat is that the former has seeds in it while the latter has bells in it. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/05/woodland-pa...

I've not posted a picture since last week Thursday and this is the reason. Two friends and I went backpacking in the North Cascades Friday and Saturday. I offered and they won the trip (all equipment and food provided and all expenses paid) at a fund-raiser earlier in the year and we were finally able to go this past week, taking advantage of the spectacularly beautiful weather we've been having. We hiked Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm, the most scenic and beautiful hike in the North Cascades, in my opinion. We hiked in four miles over the pass to Pelton Basin (our camp was in the trees on the left of the picture). The trail climbs 1800 feet through 34 switchbacks over those four miles and then drops about 400 feet to the camp. We arrived and set up camp around noon and then hiked back up to the pass and up Sahale Arm to Sahale Peak and Glacier, gaining another 2700 feet in elevation over two and half miles. There is a camp at 7700 feet at the foot of Sahale Glacier, the highest camp in the Cascades, but this was their first time backpacking and we were not sure that any of us could make it with packs to that camp. We did not get back to camp until late and after our evening meal and a good night's sleep and some time for relaxation the next morning, hiked out again on Saturday afternoon. We had great weather, awesome scenery, saw lots of wildlife and arrived home tired and satisfied. One of the high points of the trip was the fact that the wild blueberries and huckleberries were ripe. Another high point was all the wildlife, black bears, deer, marmots, pikas, grouse. The bears were out in full force and we had eight sightings of bears including several cubs and had to be careful in places on the trail. We had one large bear that was on the hillside across from the camp the whole time we were there, but he was busy feeding on the berries and did not bother us at all. We heard something come snuffling through the camp after we had gone to sleep, but could not tell if it was a bear. All our food and personal items were away from camp and out of reach of the bears, and whatever it was that came through did not bother us. The camp was as comfortable as a backcountry camp can be and in spite of the intrusion we all slept soundly. The two peaks shown in the picture are Pelton Peak and Magic Mountain, and the basin, the trail following it, goes another thirty miles to the old town of Stehekin and Lake Chelan, a hike I would very much like to do some day. My wife was unable to come along, but after seeing the pictures will probably be the reason why we do make this hike again. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/cascade-pas...