Beers and Bears!

[Tom Rankin]

We went to the Hunter Mountain Tap NY beer festival over the weekend. We were a little early, so we decided to get some exercise by hiking up the ski slopes for a while.

After about 2 minutes, Momma bear and 3 cubs came out on the ski slopes! Ok, end of hike! We retreated to the lodge and watched them cavort on the slopes. Pretty cool! The beer was good too!

 

[Paradox]

I knew something was bruin at the beer fest up there. Great pictures.

 

[coldfeet]

Awesome shots Tom!

 

[Tom Rankin]

I knew something was bruin at the beer fest up there. Great pictures.

I just can't bear it when you say things like that!

Thanks, but they were a little too close for comfort!

 

[rocket21]

Great photos! It's amazing what kinds of wild life come out onto ski slopes after the season is over. I was caught in a simliar situation a few years back - feet from mama bear and some cubs - except it was in the dark! Crikey!

 

[Paradox]

I just can't bear it when you say things like that!
Thanks, but they were a little too close for comfort!

At least you didn't have a grizzly story to report. That would have polarized this audience!

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Very nice pictures. A good photo op well utilized. The three appear to be very healthy yearling cubs. Momma has done a good job.

I have seen black bears occasionally on Hunter. Unfortunately it is usually deep in the darker sections of the trails making photos nearly impossible. It does make sense that bears would be out on the ski slopes. Grasses and other tender sprouts are in the diet. And there are often berries growing along the edges of wide ski trails later in the season.

 

[forestgnome]

Adorable! Wish I was there. They do look like they did well over their first winter. Thanks for posting.

happy trails

 

[Tom Rankin]

I gotta give Laurie the photo credits here!

In spite of being a little nervous, she took some good shots, as we slowly backed down the hill. Momma even gave us a bluff-charge!

 

[Chip]

Momma even gave us a bluff-charge!

That'd be scary even if you knew it was a bluff. Great shots. I still have not seen any in CT.

 

[Peakbagr]

Tom and Laurie, great pictures.

 

[Solitary]

Very punny

At least you didn't have a grizzly story to report. That would have polarized this audience!

Instead, it just turned into a Kodiak moment.

awesome photos.

 

[DrewKnight]

Bear Joke

Yellowstone National Park, recent times... Ranger-naturalist talking to a group of visitors about wildlife in the park.

Ranger: "Now, if you're planning to get out and wander around in the wilderness, we suggest you put a bell on your pack and carry pepper-spray, just in case you encounter a grizzly."

Guest: "There are grizzlies? Wow!"

Ranger: "Oh, yes, we have grizzlies and black bears. If you're out hiking around you'll often see their poop on the trails. You'll know it's black-bear scat if it has a lot of seeds and sedges, that kind of thing, remaining in it."

Guest: "How would we know grizzly poop?"

Ranger: "Oh, it usually has bells in it and smells like pepper spray."

Badum-bump. Thanks very much, I'll be here all week. Try the veal!

Oh, and really great pictures, Tom and Laurie...

 

[Maddy]

Really great pics. Those cubs are certainly not newborns and they look very hungry.
Rocket...I'm glad you are still around to share your encounter with us. It's on thing to see them during the day, I don't think I would much care to be tripping over a cub in the dark of night

 

[rocket21]

Rocket...I'm glad you are still around to share your encounter with us. It's on thing to see them during the day, I don't think I would much care to be tripping over a cub in the dark of night

It was certainly an experience! Unfortunately, I haven't learned my lesson, as I still do a lot of hiking in the dark (at least in the fall/winter).