Bear on Boott Spur

[elvios lincoln]

Saw more than wildflowers on my Huntington Ravine to Bott Spur hike today.
As I reached the summit of Bott Spur I found a black bear on the south plain.

Once he saw me he took off at a pace I would not have imagined possible on that terrain. Too bad he was above tree-line. I got to watch him for 1/4 mile.

a Good day,

el

 

[David Metsky]

I updated the subject line, it's "Boott" Spur. What a special thing to see a bear for that long. In the woods I've only been able to see them for a few seconds as they run away.

-dave-

 

[elvios lincoln]

Dave,

Thanks for fixing the subject line. It was a long day and drive home.

This is the first bear that I have seen in the woods, in over 30 years of hiking in the Whites. I've seen one moose and that was on Madison, above the hut.

I guess below tree line they are still around but I just don't notice them.

I've probably seen a dozen of each along the highways during my drives up and back.

EL

 

[Artex]

That's really cool.

 

[forestgnome]

Awesome! You've seen a moose and a bear above treeline. That adds something really special to a hike.

Happy Trails

 

[Kevin Rooney]

If you have the opportunity to drive by Canon in the early morning or late afternoon, scan the ski slopes - sometimes you'll see a bear (or two) grazing on the grasses.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

If you have the opportunity to drive by Canon in the early morning or late afternoon, scan the ski slopes - sometimes you'll see a bear (or two) grazing on the grasses.

....and Vista Way ski trail south of the upper tram line is bear heaven, as it is covered with blueberries later in the summer......

 

[sardog1]

Once he saw me he took off at a pace I would not have imagined possible on that terrain.

I watched a brown/grizzly come down a scree slope once in Denali NP. He moved faster than I could have fallen down that hill. It left a lasting impression on me.

Notwithstanding any tales you've heard elsewhere:

Uphill, the bear's faster.
Downhill, the bear's faster.
Sidehilling, (fill in the blank . . . and you better not guess wrong. )

If you can see him running at you, it's already too late to start running.

 

[Peakbagr]

Reminds me of the old joke:

2 hikers encounter a grizzly out in the open. The bear spots the hikers and is approaching from a long distance on the run. One hiker throws down his pack and grabs a pair of running shoes to change into. While he's doing this, his frightened partner says "You can't outrun a grizzly". To which the other hiker gets up in his trainers and shouts back as departs "I only have to out-run you". ( place for a huge laugh)

Actually, one time I was sitting on a huge tree that had broken off 4-5' from the ground. My back against the stump. Heard an animal approacing in the leaves. A large black bear walking along... He jumped on the falled tree(quite a ways away) and then started strolling down the trunk in my direction. He got to just outside of touching distance and I jumped up, screamed, and the bear just about turned inside out getting away. He ran so fast that it looked like the cartoons with the back legs blurred.
Also saw the cooks chasing a black bear out of the back door of a building in the Canadian Rockies one time. Frying pans in hand. Fast bear and quite comical.

 

[eddie]

Many years ago I had a black bear step across me while I was in my sleeping bag during the middle of the night inside the Orebed Brook leanto in the ADKs. It was so close I could here it breathing. Cool but also a bit scary.

 

[Seeker]

Many years ago I had a black bear step across me while I was in my sleeping bag during the middle of the night inside the Orebed Brook leanto in the ADKs. It was so close I could here it breathing. Cool but also a bit scary.

Oh. My. God. I would have wet myself.

But back to the immediate topic at hand--very cool! A bear on the Boott!

 

[miehoff]

Boott Spur

Easily my favorite trail in the Whites.