READERS COMMENTS

A buddy and me were the other hikers that went out that morning after Craig had left the trailhead. We followed his tracks in the snow until we saw the evidence of that tragic day. What we all need to understand is that being smart and following proper protocol in bear country is ALWAWS the way to go. BUT you are also always at risk and need to be prepared in bear country for the unexpected as in this situation Craig did nothing wrong at all. That bear stalked him. I feel so sorry for him and his family and I hope people undrstand the wild is just that, Wild... and you cant always do the "right things" and be ok. Bring bear spray and if you know how to use it a large caliber hangun for the last resort and be ready as though quite rare bears don't just attack in self defense. Some are predatory towards humans.
Posted: Aug 31, 2011 Dan - Two Medicne day 1998

there's no way i would go into a fetal position. if a grizzly attacked me, i would put a bullet or two in it.
Posted: Aug 11, 2011 mike

I spent a summer in Glacier and the only time I ran into a grizzly was on Huckleberry Mountain.
Posted: May 11, 2011 Elizabeth Mason, Cambridge, MA

I spent a summer in Glacier and the only time I ran into a grizzly was on Huckleberry Mountain.
Posted: May 11, 2011 Elizabeth Mason, Cambridge, MA

yes, making noise is your best bet. shooting your GUN is the best way to make noise and is guaranteed to send a bear running. Having encountered grizzles with cubs and black bears I have never had to discharge, but if one came up on me, Iama buck a few rounds into a tree to scare em off.
Posted: May 07, 2011 will dill

I read this article as I was intrigued by the information or rather misinformation. It disturbs me that there could be such a "misinformed article".I have hiked & backpacked in Glacier since I was 6 yrs. old. There is no "Apgar/Huckleberry Lookout Trail", There is 'A' Huckleberry Lookout Trail and 'A' Agar Lookout Trail - so which is BP Mag. trying to refer to. There are no backcoutry routes on either of these trails unless you are undesignated camping. As far as which trail/area in Glacier would be considered more dangerous I would appoint the Many Glacier area as a "run-in" with a bear is more common. As well, while I am not opposed to those who wish to carry a firearm in the backcountry, a firearm is not much use if the person carrying it is not familiar with shooting at a fast moving, living target and which must be an accurate shot to be at all useful because once you shoot at a bear you better make sure that you kill it or it will kill you and if it does run off injured rangers will now have to called in to kill it. Therefore, bear spray is a much more effective and safer deterrant for all trail users. And as a final note, dogs are great warning systems if they are leashed, however they are not allowed on Glacier Natl. Park Trails. I have had numerous bear encounters and mountain lion encounters and it has always ended peacefully by using common sense. The best deterrant to both predators is to make noise.
Posted: Jan 01, 2011 Bucky

I live in West Glacier, at the south end of the Apgar Range. I can see Apgar Lookout from my deck. Huckleberry is a few miles north, at the other end of the range. I don't know why the editors of BP keep running this story. They've got this trail mixed up with another, probably the DawPit trail t Oldman Lake over at Two Medicine on the east side of the Park. As others have noted, there are no backcountry sites on the Huckleberry trail, it joins no other trails, it goes to Huckleberry Lookout, about five miles, and back. I've mentioned this before, and in an email to the editors, but they just wait a few months and run the story at us again. If they would just stop talking about Huckleberry and start talking about Two Med, or the Grinnell trail, or Granite Park, then the article would be a lot more credible.
BTW, I always carry bearspray, even in winter. I carry two cans. One lives on my pack's hip-belt, the other inside the pack. I've encountered bears in the park, but havn't had to use the spray yet. Someone pointed out that if i ever had to use it, then i'd be in the backcountry without bearspray. That's when i started carrying a second can.
Posted: Dec 31, 2010 polebridge

no wonder a few people get attacked every year there are so many ignorant comments on this site nice job budy base the fact that there are too many bears in the park from a rancher who claims a bear killed a few calves, when you walked 85 miles and did not see a single bear wow
Posted: Dec 31, 2010 Anonymous

I agree with Pocketlint, this article is unhelpful. For example, it says rangers sometimes close the trail to dayhiking, but backpackers can still complete overnight routes. I've never hiked Huckleberry Lookout, but I know that it's not in the middle of any backcountry route unless one got a permit for an undesignated site, which would make no sense in that part of the park (low elevation forest, not on the way to any passes or mountaineering). Also, what does the example of Appistoki Falls have to do with anything? That's on the opposite side of the park. That doesn't prove anything about how berries on Huckleberry Mtn make it any more dangerous than any other trail in Glacier. Finally, the article advises to stay away from carcasses. That's obvious - the rangers will close the trail if they find out about a significant carcass present.

How about making noise, the best way to prevent problems? I've hiked well over a thousand miles in Glacier, much of them in the grizzly-heavy Many Glacier area. I've only had 7 or 8 sightings of a grizzly or group of grizzlies in my years of hiking, which I attribute mainly to making a lot of noise. Haven't had to use my bear spray yet.

Anecdotally, if I had to pick one trail in Glacier that is most dangerous due to bears, I would go with Grinnell Glacier.
Posted: Dec 30, 2010 Anonymous

I am certainly a believer in the right to keep and bear arms to defend ones self. BUT, your BRAIN is your number one tool of survival. Also, you are VISITING the bear's habitat; non-lethal options are de rigueur. Face it, in grizzly territory, the top of the food chain is up for debate. In a National Park, which exists, in part for the benefit of said grizzly, the need to prove one's dominance is misplaced and despite their reputed ferocity, the bears are the innocents in this situation.
Posted: Dec 30, 2010 Ted Dinwiddie

I might add..
The comments by some of the readers below me aren't much better than the article....like

Ed's comment on Sept 6th 2010 and Chillywilly's comment January 6th 2010.

These two truly show their ignornace about hiking in grizzly bear country.
Posted: Oct 23, 2010 Pocketlint

I live just outside the park. I've spent a lot of time hiking and backpacking there. I've done Huckleberry Mt. Trail
This is just another example of poor reporting by Backpacker Magazine.
The whole article is full of misinformation and facts that aren't facts.

Pocketlint

PS
There is no handgun worth spit against a grizzly bear. Bear spray is your best defense against a bear attack.
Posted: Oct 23, 2010 Pocketlint

Wouldn't it just make sence to travel it during winter then?
Posted: Oct 12, 2010 Steve

I have lived and worked in MT as a guide and I can tell you first hand that bear and moose are animals to respect. Take your bear spray EVERY time you go on a hike. The stuff really works (I've had to use it several times) and I can say I wouldn't be here today if I had only been carrying a gun. Stay alert, have fun, enjoy the scenery but don't be stupid buy the bear spray and be smart!!!!
Posted: Oct 07, 2010 Jenn Jillson

A standard .45 will probably just piss off a griz unless you hit it almost point blank and in the right spot - good luck with that since it'll be moving at 35mph. Oh, and the same applies to mace. Your best bet is to follow the directions in the article. You might consider bear spray, but again they can dodge the fog, so you have to blast it at 10 feet or less right in the face to be effective.
Posted: Oct 07, 2010 Anonymous2

Well, Ed--in this case, dogs are NOT allowed on the trails in a national park.
Posted: Sep 08, 2010 Anonymous

Why is it that I NEVER read anything about bringing dogs with you as security? I carry mace, my .45(concealed) and my trusty Australian Shepherd. The dog is great, especially at night when I can't see a darn thing. The dog is an excellent alarm. There have been several times when my dog went crazy-barking into the night. Dogs 'sense' danger. I jump out of my tent with mace, .45 in hand and quickly build a large fire. To this day, no encounters 'knock on wood'.
Posted: Sep 06, 2010 Ed

I have seen bear and cougar in Washington state. Even though I am large in size, this does not deter attack. I am all for legal law abiden citizens for carryin firemarms into the wilderness. Bear spray would be great if you can stop a 1000lb. bear. a .44 magnum does a better job of stopping an enraged animal. I have witnessed cougar and black bear in the wilderness and have given them great distance. Know your place and respect wildlife.
Posted: Aug 29, 2010 Ron

Bear spray may not always work, but it works much better than a gun. Based on US Fish & Wildlife Service studies since 1992, people who defended themselves with guns had injuries 50% of the time; people using spray escaped injury most of the time, and those that were injured had less severe injuries, with a shorter attach time.
Posted: Jun 05, 2010 anonymous

Dear Uncle Wenis... a Glock? Hahahahha... yeah... that'll work...
Posted: May 12, 2010 Anonymous

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