Grizzly Lake - September 7, 2022

[TractorDoc]

Oh, and don't forget the heavy spoon.

I think it is safe to say that said spoon weighed heavy on your mind.

The topic will definitely be addressed in a future trip report (besides yours) if I can finally get all my pictures together.

Hopefully the heavy spoon has been retired to the Scat House Cutlery Drawer and gets used stirring up some Dutch Oven goodness.

 

[Pringles]

Thank you for the link to the bear bag method. I've done that before, so I didn't realize it was special. That's something I like about Yellowstone's campsites-- the bear poles. Just having them makes hanging food so much easier!

 

[scatman]

Bogs, Bears and BCPers oh my.

I have enjoyed all the different sides of this tale. I really hate those boggy fords when you just squish down in that dark stuff. yuck.

The bear encounter is truly awesome. I have only had a couple brief sightings, and that one looks like it was awesome. Good shots of climbing the tree.
May I ask which 20d bag you had?

Also, looks like you did not have it bad for the smoke. That Friday in Eastern ID and SW Montana was not kind at all.

My twenty degree bag is an old L.L.Bean 650 fill down bag. It does great until it hits about 25, then I start to get a little chilly.

 

[scatman]

I think it is safe to say that said spoon weighed heavy on your mind.

The topic will definitely be addressed in a future trip report (besides yours) if I can finally get all my pictures together.

Hopefully the heavy spoon has been retired to the Scat House Cutlery Drawer and gets used stirring up some Dutch Oven goodness.

A heavy spoon will weigh heavy on one's mind.

I can't wait for your report to see the light of day.

I have replaced the heavy spoon with a titanium one. Now if I can keep from leaving it someplace like I did the last one. Anybody going to the headwaters of Alum Creek?

 

[travel2walk]

Perhaps since the uprights have no branches below the bear pole, it could be harder for the grizzly to make the climb?

After seeing a bear run up pretty much a vertical snow field earlier in the year on @TheMountainRabbit's trip, i'm pretty sure they don't need branches. lol.

Yeah. . I stumbled across it years ago ... Amazed how simple

Learn something new everyday! Thanks!

 

[scatman]

After seeing a bear run up pretty much a vertical snow field earlier in the year on @TheMountainRabbit's trip, i'm pretty sure they don't need branches. lol.

I don't doubt that a grizzly can climb the upright, but there has to be something that keeps the bears from regularly taking the food bags off of the bear poles in Yellowstone. Is it the height of the pole? The weakness of the bear pole itself (wouldn't support weight of the bear)? How would a bear know this? And even if the pole did break under a bears weight, it would be rewarded with all of the food bags now on the ground. Maybe it some combination of having no branches on the uprights, the height of the pole, and obviously hanging your bag at least four feet from the uprights, that make it just risky enough to not be worth their time and effort. This Scatman wants to know.

 

[TheMountainRabbit]

At this point @TheMountainRabbit headed off trail towards Trilobite Lake, while the rest of us headed down the trail. On his way down to the lake, @TheMountainRabbit saw three other bears - two grizzlies and one black bear. I'll let him fill you in on all the details of his three encounters if he so chooses.

View attachment 114113
@TheMountainRabbit making his way towards Trilobite Lake, off the east slope of Mount
Holmes

Soon after dropping off the summit, I would trade my three human companions for three ursine companions. My pictures aren't as good as @scatman's of our first grizzly, but the encounters were thrilling nonetheless.

First up was a black bear in the upper basin between Mount Holmes and Trilobite Point. Seeing lots of whitebark pines here, I was keeping my eyes peeled and was very quickly rewarded. A good sized black bear was up in a tree feasting - much like his grizzly counterpart on the other side of the mountain.

My first look - I would have to eventually circle most of the way around him to continue my descent.

From the other side - a little closer.


Next up would be my most exciting encounter of the day - definitely the closest I've been to a grizzly when solo. Got the heart racing more than a little.

As I left my black bear buddy behind, I noticed some splashing in the small unnamed lake below. After stopping and watching for a minute, I could tell it was being caused by a bear. (At first I thought it was a mom/cub, but the cub turned out to be a rock - but that first impression led me to label this bear a "her" in subsequent encounters.) At this point, I felt like I was a good long way from the bear, but noted her location - since I would be passing right by a bit later.

My first look at her - you can barely make out the ripples in the water from her passing through.


Turns out that I would get yet another lesson in how fast bears can move - especially compared to how slowly I'm moving. Minutes later I was coming over a small rise in the terrain when all of the sudden I see her again - this time maybe 15' away. I immediately grabbed my bear spray and stood still to gauge her reaction, which was very minimal - she barely reacted. At this point I let out a kindly "Hey, bear!" and she stopped and stared at me. She paced for a bit, seemed a little annoyed (but not aggressive), but eventually took off back down the basin. (Exactly where I was intending to go...) I stopped for a few minutes to let the adrenaline abate a bit, then continued - taking a higher route than intended to improve my visibility.

After backing up considerably, while she continued to stare at me.

Pacing a bit while making her decision. (Upon looking at these pictures, she seems pretty skinny for mid-September - especially compared to the other three bears of the day. I'm guessing the black bear outweighed her.)

Taking off back into the trees.


I would spot her off and on as I continued down - she clearly kept an eye on me, too. Never seemed predatory - mostly just concerned - but I wanted to give a large berth nonetheless, so I stayed up much higher on the hillside than planned.

Turns out I had more company - even higher on the hillside than myself. I got past the upper lakes and denser stands of trees and decided to start moving down towards my original route again. It had been a while since I'd gotten sight of my (supposedly) female bear companion and my heart rate was finally in the vicinity of normal.

And then I heard rocks tumbling down the hillside in front of me and a distant sound almost like paper tearing. Lo and behold my fourth bear of the day, ripping apart the hillside - fortunately a good distance in front of and above me. At first I thought it was my old skinny friend, but when this guy turned sideways it was clear he was much larger and very well fed. For a minute I watched him dig on the hillside and then continued on my route, which would take me below his position. (I did get a pretty good video of him pulling something large out of the ground.) Whatever he was eating seemed to be very satisfying, because he barely paid any attention as I made my way past. He gave me a quick 10 second stare down and clearly decided I was of no concern.

Distance doesn't make for great photos with a phone, but was much more conducive to relaxed viewing.



Can't complain about a four bear day - I rode that high for quite some time. Was a great day out in Yellowstone.

Thanks for having me along @scatman! Great trip, great company, and a great trip report!

 

[The Trout Whisperer]

Soon after dropping off the summit, I would trade my three human companions for three ursine companions. My pictures aren't as good as @scatman's of our first grizzly, but the encounters were thrilling nonetheless.

First up was a black bear in the upper basin between Mount Holmes and Trilobite Point. Seeing lots of whitebark pines here, I was keeping my eyes peeled and was very quickly rewarded. A good sized black bear was up in a tree feasting - much like his grizzly counterpart on the other side of the mountain.

My first look - I would have to eventually circle most of the way around him to continue my descent.
View attachment 114652
From the other side - a little closer.
View attachment 114653

Next up would be my most exciting encounter of the day - definitely the closest I've been to a grizzly when solo. Got the heart racing more than a little.

As I left my black bear buddy behind, I noticed some splashing in the small unnamed lake below. After stopping and watching for a minute, I could tell it was being caused by a bear. (At first I thought it was a mom/cub, but the cub turned out to be a rock - but that first impression led me to label this bear a "her" in subsequent encounters.) At this point, I felt like I was a good long way from the bear, but noted her location - since I would be passing right by a bit later.

My first look at her - you can barely make out the ripples in the water from her passing through.
View attachment 114654

Turns out that I would get yet another lesson in how fast bears can move - especially compared to how slowly I'm moving. Minutes later I was coming over a small rise in the terrain when all of the sudden I see her again - this time maybe 15' away. I immediately grabbed my bear spray and stood still to gauge her reaction, which was very minimal - she barely reacted. At this point I let out a kindly "Hey, bear!" and she stopped and stared at me. She paced for a bit, seemed a little annoyed (but not aggressive), but eventually took off back down the basin. (Exactly where I was intending to go...) I stopped for a few minutes to let the adrenaline abate a bit, then continued - taking a higher route than intended to improve my visibility.

After backing up considerably, while she continued to stare at me.
View attachment 114658
Pacing a bit while making her decision. (Upon looking at these pictures, she seems pretty skinny for mid-September - especially compared to the other three bears of the day. I'm guessing the black bear outweighed her.)
View attachment 114657
Taking off back into the trees.
View attachment 114659

I would spot her off and on as I continued down - she clearly kept an eye on me, too. Never seemed predatory - mostly just concerned - but I wanted to give a large berth nonetheless, so I stayed up much higher on the hillside than planned.

Turns out I had more company - even higher on the hillside than myself. I got past the upper lakes and denser stands of trees and decided to start moving down towards my original route again. It had been a while since I'd gotten sight of my (supposedly) female bear companion and my heart rate was finally in the vicinity of normal.

And then I heard rocks tumbling down the hillside in front of me and a distant sound almost like paper tearing. Lo and behold my fourth bear of the day, ripping apart the hillside - fortunately a good distance in front of and above me. At first I thought it was my old skinny friend, but when this guy turned sideways it was clear he was much larger and very well fed. For a minute I watched him dig on the hillside and then continued on my route, which would take me below his position. (I did get a pretty good video of him pulling something large out of the ground.) Whatever he was eating seemed to be very satisfying, because he barely paid any attention as I made my way past. He gave me a quick 10 second stare down and clearly decided I was of no concern.

Distance doesn't make for great photos with a phone, but was much more conducive to relaxed viewing.
View attachment 114660
View attachment 114661

Can't complain about a four bear day - I rode that high for quite some time. Was a great day out in Yellowstone.

Thanks for having me along @scatman! Great trip, great company, and a great trip report!

Beary nice

 

[scatman]

Soon after dropping off the summit, I would trade my three human companions for three ursine companions. My pictures aren't as good as @scatman's of our first grizzly, but the encounters were thrilling nonetheless.

First up was a black bear in the upper basin between Mount Holmes and Trilobite Point. Seeing lots of whitebark pines here, I was keeping my eyes peeled and was very quickly rewarded. A good sized black bear was up in a tree feasting - much like his grizzly counterpart on the other side of the mountain.

My first look - I would have to eventually circle most of the way around him to continue my descent.
View attachment 114652
From the other side - a little closer.
View attachment 114653

Next up would be my most exciting encounter of the day - definitely the closest I've been to a grizzly when solo. Got the heart racing more than a little.

As I left my black bear buddy behind, I noticed some splashing in the small unnamed lake below. After stopping and watching for a minute, I could tell it was being caused by a bear. (At first I thought it was a mom/cub, but the cub turned out to be a rock - but that first impression led me to label this bear a "her" in subsequent encounters.) At this point, I felt like I was a good long way from the bear, but noted her location - since I would be passing right by a bit later.

My first look at her - you can barely make out the ripples in the water from her passing through.
View attachment 114654

Turns out that I would get yet another lesson in how fast bears can move - especially compared to how slowly I'm moving. Minutes later I was coming over a small rise in the terrain when all of the sudden I see her again - this time maybe 15' away. I immediately grabbed my bear spray and stood still to gauge her reaction, which was very minimal - she barely reacted. At this point I let out a kindly "Hey, bear!" and she stopped and stared at me. She paced for a bit, seemed a little annoyed (but not aggressive), but eventually took off back down the basin. (Exactly where I was intending to go...) I stopped for a few minutes to let the adrenaline abate a bit, then continued - taking a higher route than intended to improve my visibility.

After backing up considerably, while she continued to stare at me.
View attachment 114658
Pacing a bit while making her decision. (Upon looking at these pictures, she seems pretty skinny for mid-September - especially compared to the other three bears of the day. I'm guessing the black bear outweighed her.)
View attachment 114657
Taking off back into the trees.
View attachment 114659

I would spot her off and on as I continued down - she clearly kept an eye on me, too. Never seemed predatory - mostly just concerned - but I wanted to give a large berth nonetheless, so I stayed up much higher on the hillside than planned.

Turns out I had more company - even higher on the hillside than myself. I got past the upper lakes and denser stands of trees and decided to start moving down towards my original route again. It had been a while since I'd gotten sight of my (supposedly) female bear companion and my heart rate was finally in the vicinity of normal.

And then I heard rocks tumbling down the hillside in front of me and a distant sound almost like paper tearing. Lo and behold my fourth bear of the day, ripping apart the hillside - fortunately a good distance in front of and above me. At first I thought it was my old skinny friend, but when this guy turned sideways it was clear he was much larger and very well fed. For a minute I watched him dig on the hillside and then continued on my route, which would take me below his position. (I did get a pretty good video of him pulling something large out of the ground.) Whatever he was eating seemed to be very satisfying, because he barely paid any attention as I made my way past. He gave me a quick 10 second stare down and clearly decided I was of no concern.

Distance doesn't make for great photos with a phone, but was much more conducive to relaxed viewing.
View attachment 114660
View attachment 114661

Can't complain about a four bear day - I rode that high for quite some time. Was a great day out in Yellowstone.

Thanks for having me along @scatman! Great trip, great company, and a great trip report!

You're always welcome on any of my trips @TheMountainRabbit. Great shots by the way. Thanks for adding them to the report. I'm still kicking myself for not heading down with you.

 

[Artemus]

Very very nice pics of a great bear encounter. Thanks Scat! And you too Mountain Rabbit. I am glad there are still some whitebark pines to bear seeds for our grizzly friends. The species is sure hurting south in the Wind Rivers.

 

[Artemus]

Scat, what was the round trip distance for the Holmes summit day hike? Looks fun. Far end of the Gallatins from our Electric Peak summit on the north end.

 

[scatman]

Scat, what was the round trip distance for the Holmes summit day hike? Looks fun. Far end of the Gallatins from our Electric Peak summit on the north end.

It was a sixteen mile day from our campsite.

Yes, every now and then you could see Electric Peak off in the distance.