Grizzly Bear Encounter in North Cascades, WA

by Mike G
(Bellevue, Wa)

My ex gf (no, a grizzly bear did not eat her) and I were hiking in late spring last year in the north cascades of Washington state on the Panther Creek trail. We were the only ones on the trail accept for 2 trail guys clearing blowdown off the trails.

Our hike was loop trail from Colonial Creek campground to HWY 20 - anyways we got to the pass and there was still snow and a fair amount, though it was mostly packed down.

I hate backtracking and I am a confident outdoorsman, so we followed the trail on until we lost it at one point. I knew basically where we were though and we bushwacked it down the side of the mountain from there.

I might add I had a compass and a map, which my GF ended up dropping - oops, but I basically knew where we were. We eventually picked up the trail again once we got down to the river (Panther Creek).

On this part the river was quite loud and there were areas that were open due to avalanche chutes knocking down the trees.

Was around one of these open areas we came around a corner in the trail and suddenly heard the sound of twigs snapping down by the river. I think we may have been downwind and also, as I remember, at that point were not talking (big no-no in grizzly bear habitat).

Anyways, I stopped and saw this good size grizzly bear running up the the hillside from the river area to the trail we were on. I was not scared, but definitely had a feeling of like WOW and exhilaration!! I am 6'4 and my gf was 5'4 and she was pretty surprised, too. I did lift my arms up above my head and gave a loud HEY there!! as he was running full tilt. I guess I wanted him to make sure he knew we were there as we obviously surprised him.

I am not 100 % sure it was a grizzly bear though. It did look like one with the color, although black bears can be blond, and the build and ears. He was moving though, so its hard to say 100%.

It was both our first encounter ever meeting a bear nearly face to face in the wild and one I won't soon forget. Once he got to the same trail we were on, the bear meandered quickly on down the trail out of sight and up the steep side of the mountain.

I told my shocked gf the good news is they do not look at you as food normally and don't want anything to do with us and he would run off and we would not see him again. I told her that although we had to go same way the bear, I knew he would be gone and he was.

Regardless, I picked up a good size stick, which would likely do nothing but make you feel a lil better. We did not see any more bears that day, although we did see many more bear tracks in snow and mud.

We made the longer then expected hike down to the road by dinner time and ended up hitching a ride to the campground.