The man killed was a colleague of an acquaintance of mine but I'd rather not go in to details until they release his name. That is supposed to happen tomorrow. But there is lot to be learned from the press release:
Reported facts:
- he was a local to that exact area
- he was an experienced hiker in that area and others in Yellowstone
- he had self defense wounds on his arms
- no pepper spray carried as yet reported
- hiking solo
- sow and yearling cub prints found - they are collecting DNA
- he was partially eaten and cached (bears cover the kill they can't eat with dirt/twigs and leaves - if they don't just sleep on it instead)
So my sobered and reinforced thoughts on the tragedy and my personal beliefs in traveling the High and Wild. We've discussed this here quite a bit in other threads and perhaps I will link them in here.
The guy was experienced and knew what he was doing on his own backyard trail. The risks, the current bear environment, the known problem-animal environment, the close proximity to traffic, habitation, and people were all in his assessment range. He was half a mile from a very popular trail which itself is very close to a large "village" in the heart of Yellowstone. He apparently chose not to carry pepper spray and was apparently attacked by a mother sow. Normally this would indicate that it is a defensive charge - her defending her cub. Something like 80-90% of these end as a knockdown or even a false charge. Even when a mauling occurs typically once the bear thinks the threat is eliminated it leaves the scene. The fact that he was subsequently predated on is counter to the normal case in my research and awareness. If he had pepper spray it may have helped, I can only speculate. If he had had three large companions like I did with Scat near there a day before he probably would have not been charged either.
So for me the attack sobers me up in two respects:
1) It reminds me that travel in grizzly bear country is dangerous - especially dangerous solo. I should always, always have my defensive spray with me and be prepared to deploy it and I should reconsider going alone, away from a popular trail, in Yellowstone.
2) Traveling in bear country, for me, means assessing the situation on the ground continuously, collecting and assessing the recent history of the local bear situation and then knowing the past statistics of bear/human encounters in the Park and everywhere else. This assessment of the statistics based on here is what happens, usually, when... and here is what happens, usually, then... is basically a probability assessment based on past statistics. Reminds me of my traveling high-risk avalanche terrain in the backcountry in the winter. 75% of the time slopes under 32 degrees will not slide. Almost all the time a skied slope is a safer slope. These probability assessments are just an estimate of the probability you will be alright. Not the black and white "yes it is safe to go" we hope for when deciding to launch. These snow-covered slopes are variable after all, the weather is variable causing the snow pack - in the case of avalanche terrain. These animals are living/thinking/assessing creatures with a will of their own so they are also likely to sometimes ignore the probability assessment.
So, I will be a more sober traveler in backcountry Yellowstone/Alaska/Yukon wherever I choose to travel with, and in, the Wild - and I will probably less often be solo.
My heart goes out to the families, both human and ursus.
