Our first hike in the Canadian Rockies was to Egypt Lake near Sunshine Village Ski Area. At Healy Creek camp on the last morning of our three-day journey, we met three young Banff residents who were coming in while we were headed out. As hikers do, they asked us how our trip was, and we told them the scenery had been great, but some of our fellow campers at Egypt Lake had been utterly negligent about bear safety. They were as horrified as we had been when we told them that we witnessed a group of kids eating in their campsite.
Hiking Healy Pass to Egypt Lake – Banff National Park
The hikers then told us that they had just heard that Bear 148 was currently located in the Sunshine Village Ski area. “They dropped her off in Yoho, but she came right back to Sunshine,” the man claimed. We had heard of Bear 148 before. She apparently had grown a little too accustomed to being around humans, having had chased a few humans and even strolled onto a rugby field full of adolescents. We were uneasy about the presence of such a conditioned griz, but they told us not to worry as we at least didn’t have a dog. Bear 148 has a particular aversion to dogs. They told us also about the legend they called “The Master Bear”, also known as “The Boss”. The Boss had been seen on the side of the road eating a black bear. He is the biggest bear in the park, and has fathered many of the bears in the Canadian Rockies. Our hike out was a bit scary that day, what with the thought of the bear-eating bear and the presences of Bear 148. As always, we practiced bear safety measures, and made it out without a sighting.
Though it would be tremendous to see a brown bear, we have no desire to. Certainly, our own personal safety is a concern. But the truth is that humans are much more of a threat to bears than bears are to humans. In the United States in particular, if a bear is food conditioned or shows any interest in humans, the bear is viewed as a threat and is killed. Canada seems to give bears more of a chance, which is why Bear 148 still roams. Sadly, her fate is questionable too. Continue reading
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