Glacier Nat Park of Canada, bears, and group hiking

Ditto everyone else's suggestions. I was solo tent camping in Glacier last summer (the same week that the forest ranger was killed by a grizzly bear outside of the park). First week of July. I saw lots of other wildlife, but never saw a bear the whole time I was there. :(
Get bear spray and ALWAYS carry it with you on your belt. Don't put it in your pocket or backpack where you don't have instant access. Read the instructions, make sure you know how to use it, and practice taking off and putting the safety clip back on. Chances are you'll never need to use it, but I always thought it would be much better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it! One of the rangers told me that she had an encounter with a grizzly in the backcountry. She said she held up her can of bear spray to show the bear that she had it, and the bear moved off away from her with no conflict.

Just pay attention to your surroundings, use common sense, and try to remain calm and not panic. When you're out on the trails, make noise. Talk, clap your hands, give a hollar once in awhile, especially when going around a bend, cresting a hill or going downhill. For the most part, bears don't want to have anything to do with people. If there are any bears around, they will probably move out of the area to avoid any conflict before you even know they're there.
I found that most of the trails that I was on had other people. I didn't always walk at the same speed as others, but you'll probably pass people, and others will pass you. There will be lots of other people around, unless you're planning on heading out into the backcountry.
If you're camping, follow all the bear management rules in the campground too. All scented items have to stay in a hard sided vehicle or bear boxes at all times. including food, beverages, including water bottles, soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Don't leave any food out, and don't pour dishwater in camp site.

more than anything, enjoy your trip! It's beautiful country!!!!

In many years of hiking in Canadian National Parks I never have had a grizzly bear encounter but I do shout or sing in high risk areas like along creeks or where the bear food (plants) seems abundant and I do carry spray and a bear banger but have used neither.

If there is a sign saying you MUST hike in a group of four then you have to try to match up with someone who hikes like you and that may not always be easy. Sometimes there are sign-up boards for people to find other like-minded hikers on these mandated trails. I have a friend who was arrested and charged for hiking in a group of two where groups of four were mandated so the Parks people take it seriously.

There are not that many trails where groups of four are mandated even though groups of four may be recommended on many trails.

To answer a few questions, yes this is Glacier near Revelstoke, not Waterton. And we have big cans of high-powered spray on our belts, and we make noise. My question is not really about the bears (which we have indeed seen on our trips to Canada.) It's about whether it is difficult to form and maintain the required groups of four or more.

My guess is that we will just have to show up at the trailhead and hope for the best!

Or . . . we can bring along inflatable mannequins. When we see bears, we pull the lanyard on the CO2 canister, and voila! Instant crowd. The bears run away. We deflate and repack the mannequins and keep hiking.

"...Groups are best, but a couple is OK as long as you follow precautions"

NO NO. If groups of 4 (or more) are required then "a couple" can get you arrested or mauled!
That rule is there for your protection.
John
ex Park Warden Banff N.P.

profdant139 wrote:

Or . . . we can bring along inflatable mannequins.

So, you're one of THOSE guys in the Diamond Lanes, huh?

LS

A group can run afoul of bears, as was illustrated by a group of 7 high schoolers who were mauled and chased by a grizz about 40 miles out of Talkeetna (AK). But you are safer in a group. But if you come across a food cache or cubs, all bets are off.

I think if it were me, I would try to hike with others I meet at the trailhead that also want to go in a group. Seems like, with a regulation in place, there would be others wanting to group up.

profdant139 wrote:
To answer a few questions, yes this is Glacier near Revelstoke, not Waterton. And we have big cans of high-powered spray on our belts, and we make noise. My question is not really about the bears (which we have indeed seen on our trips to Canada.) It's about whether it is difficult to form and maintain the required groups of four or more.

My guess is that we will just have to show up at the trailhead and hope for the best!

Or . . . we can bring along inflatable mannequins. When we see bears, we pull the lanyard on the CO2 canister, and voila! Instant crowd. The bears run away. We deflate and repack the mannequins and keep hiking.

Bear in mind tho...yes, that was intentional...that you will need x2 as many mannequins as you had planned for. Being a bi-lingual country, you understand...have to have English AND French speaking mannequins.

Gary Haupt

I was under the impression that the recommendation was for groups of 4 or more and if you could not do that then bear spray was mandatory and available to rent. I may be wrong, and that was several years back that I heard about new rules being in effect. Did a quick search and was unable to find literature prohibiting an individual from hiking solo or even in a group of 2-3 persons.

For those of you that have never had a close encounter with a grizzly, here are some excellent instructions for you. Memorize them! Be especially cognizant of the fact that the wind MUST be behind your back, otherwise, you are just making it easy for the bear to get at you. That, and the proper distance is only 5 Meters (about 23'). It takes a bit of courage to face down a bear at that distance, cause they come at you like a freight train!
It's not as if 'I carry bear spray, so i'm safe'.

Bear Spray Instructions

Gary, that was an excellent (and credible) video -- thanks for posting it.

Only two quibbles -- what does one do if the bear insists on staying upwind? I guess just pull the trigger and hope for the best.

Also, the video was incomplete -- there were no instructions on proper disposal of one's lingerie following the bear encounter.

;)