Watch: Bear Gets Swept Over Waterfall in Yosemite

Seeing bears in the wild is always a thrill, but Yosemite hiker Chas Davis’ recent encounter turned out to be scarier for the bear than for him. As he filtered water in Falls Creek, Davis noticed an adolescent-sized black bear struggling against the swift current as it tried to cross to the other side.

Davis captured the moment from a nearby bridge not far from Vernon Lake. He had crossed the same creek the night before, so he was aware of how cold and strong the current was.

“I of course assume the bear is fully aware of this too and knows what it is doing; [it’s] why I start laughing when I initially realize it’s fighting hard against the current,” Davis said to GrindTV. “Obviously my amusement turns to nervous laughter as it starts getting drug toward me—still assuming it’s going to be strong enough to pull itself out but feeling better about my own shortcomings in the stream.”

Davis and his companions then watched as the bear was sucked over the waterfall and tumbled down the whitewater rapids below. He stopped recording, “fearing the worst and feeling really guilty over laughing.”

Fear not, though: the group later observed the bear getting out of the water downstream and said that it appeared to be ok.