Glacier National Park is Blackfoot ancestral land. The Blackfoot people believe that grizzly bears can see into a human heart and read a person’s intentions. This is mama grizzly and her cub when we first encountered her on the trail and she went into high alert.
Here is mama after she looked into our hearts, approved our intentions, and took one of several naps. We spent several hours watching mama and cub, and have encountered bears every day since, both in Glacier and Waterton National Parks.
Here mama and cub are both relaxed enough to nurse in our presence!
She knew we were here, and looked at us regularly. We respected her space and never moved close enough to provoke any anxiety.
We watched her forage,
turn over rocks, hunt for rodents,
and fish.
We watched baby bear scratch his back on a little pine tree,
and we saw mama yell at him!
.
This is mama bear’s home. She is as magnificent as her surroundings. Grizzly populations have been decimated in the wild. I have a lot more bear and other wildlife photos to share with you, but wifi out here is far less present than bears! This my first connectivity in days and it won’t last!
I miss you and your blogs, and send you cheers from the wonderful wild grizzlies who see into our human hearts and look to us for protection~
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What an amazing experience for you. Incredible.
Thank you for realizing this and cheers to you my friend~
magnificent, awesome, truly wild….
Awwwwww, thanks so much!
Astounding photos And what an experience!
It was incredible! Thank you Sue~ <3
Cindy, these pictures of the bears are awesome. Thank you! Hugs! Veraiconica
Wonderful to hear from you and hugs back to you Veraiconica! <3 <3
Completely wonderful! Outstanding photos of an awesome experience. RH
Awwwww, thanks for “getting” it! <3
You’re in such amazing place, Cindy! sometimes is good to be disconnected, thank you for share despite the Wi-Fi troubles.
Blogs form a large proportion of what I read, so it is painful to be cut off from them, but also good in the wilderness as you say.
What an incredible experience Cindy! I can’t get over the length of Mama’s claws!
I couldn’t either, both front and back! Incredible!
Wow, this says a lot about your heart that mama bear allowed you so close. Beautiful!
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was magnificent!
Wow, amazing photos, Cindy. These two look luxurious in their winter coats. What a breath-taking encounter in this gorgeous wilderness. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you more for understanding and appreciating!
Freaking amazing Cindy!!! You are a brave woman. If I was in your place I would not have been able to hold my camera still.
The fires here have pushed the wild life down from the mountains as well. We have bear “evidence” in our backyard.
Have a wonderful trip. Can’t wait to see your photos of Canada. Cheers!
The fires are so scary for humans and for wildlife! I send you hopes for rain and no more fire! I know too well what it is like to be evacuated in a horrible fire.
I know! Thanks Cindy! 😊 I lived in so Cal. growing up and my dad was a fireman. He was always gone for weeks at a time fighting fires. Thankfully he was always safe. My heart aches for those who’ve lost loved ones and homes.
Have a fun and safe journey!
<3 <3
Thank you for sharing your heart and photography and experiences with the world. You and the bears know the answer to how do we achieve world peace. <3
Awwww, thank you for being sensitive and open to the message, from my heart to yours! <3
Amazing photos, Cindy. And a lesson in grace and respect for the creatures sharing our planet. How lovely.
Awwwww, thank you for having the grace and respect to recognize this! <3
Too close for comfort!! Wow! Great photos!
Amazing things often happen just outside my comfort zone! <3
Cindy, what a treat you’re sharing with us. Thank you.
Blessings as you travel and record nature ~ Wendy
Awwwww, thank you Wendy and wishing more people would share our concern for protecting the natural world. Only 300 or so grizzlies left in Glacier!
Magnificent photos. Glad you were able to watch them.
It was an unforgettable thrill. So pleased you enjoyed
You are so lucky to sit among these great creatures. We used to interact in a similar fashion with black bear and moose in Maine, when we were especially lucky. They would come into our yard, knowing, as animals do, the safety of that quest. Thanks so much for sharing!
I was reading here in Waterton Canada about a man who lived for decades among Russian grizzlies researching them. He hand rasied ten orphaned cubs. He emphasized the importance of mutual respect and coexistance. He lectured here in Waterton National Park and I missed him!
Cool. I wrote a post on my website about this crazy guy who, along with his girlfriend, were mauled to death by grizzlies in Alaska after living amongst them for years. But he pushed the envelope. That respect, that dance needs to be felt and acknowledged at all times. For as relaxed as a wild animal may appear to human eyes, they remain ready to fight or flee, something we do well to remember when amongst them. Such a blessing. In case you’re interested: http://belajohnson.com/animal-tales-retold/ Aloha, Cindy.
Yes, sweet Timothy Treadwell. I read his book and saw the Herzog movie. You are exactly right, he did push the envelope and the results were tragic for all concerned. There was a speaker here in Waterton National Park who studied Russian grizzlies for decades and raised ten orphaned cubs. I so wish I was here for his lecture. I know he emphasizes spatial respect and keen attention to body language, things I learned from psychotherapy! 😉
Exactly. And I do miss the variety of wildlife here that we enjoyed in the woods of Maine. Still, nowhere is perfect, and I had 34 years there. But we will be going to AK one day in the not too distant future.
Alaska is incredible! Look forward to hearing about your experiences~
Wow wow wow what a beautiful soulful encounter, what magnificence, I can hardly find words for this. You are blessed. And the bears are blessed. And I am blessed to experience your encounter vicariously.
Alison <3
I am twice blessed to have a friend like you Alison who so completely understands. Thank you dear Alison and lots of love! <3
Amazing photos and experience. In an urban environment the wildlife are accustomed to humans; I’m surprised the mama bear was comfortable with humans in her environment.
I suppose living in a National Park, where hunting is not allowed, may also have influenced her behavior, athough she did make a mock charge when another group of hikers came on the scene.
Reblogged this on Random Ramblings; Myriad Musings and commented:
Some great photos of some bears…just because!
Just bearcause! Thank you so much & cheers to you from all the wild bears!
Wow! Thanks Cindy, for taking me through this virtual tour… 🙂
Thank you more for coming along! <3
Stunning. Keep your heart pure…just look at those claws! 🙂
Laughing…… ten good points! 😉
Astounding photos! Tingling observations! Magnificent beast — those claws, the grizzled back, the sheer immensity. Really wonderful post, Cindy. Thanks so much for sharing this intimate and heart-felt visit.
Awwwww, I am just so grateful to have friends like you who understand. Hugs & gratitude!
I have always felt that being allowed to enjoy the wilderness and all it has to offer is an incredible privilege Cindy and have encountered bears peacefully numerous times. Thanks for your beautiful photos. Your hear must have been pounding with joy (an a little nervousness) the whole time. –Curt
You have the experience to understand, and I am grateful for that Curt. It is an incredible feeling isn’t it. It is wonder.
Indeed it is. I watched a grizzly once up in remote British Columbia that was trying to catch a marmot. It was amazing how much dirt flew. But what was humorous about it was the marmot had different entrances. The grizzly would be tearing into a hole when the marmot would pop out of another one and whistle. The grizzly would then charge the new site. I wondered at the time, if the marmot was distracting the grizzly from babies. –Curt
Oh how fascinating and hilarious! I was amused watchng the grizzlies go after rodents too. We think of them taking down elk and moose for lunch, but mostly they eat plants and rodents. 😉
And fish. 🙂
Amazing photos, Cindy. Beautiful compositions… purely extraordinary. Hugs
So rewarding to find friends who share values and understand! Thank you my friend~
What a beautiful pair! Your adventures know no bounds. 🙂
Well, you won’t find me bunge jumping, para sailing, or sky diving. I’m too ho-hum! 😉
This sounds like an exciting adventure…awesome photos!
Very kind and much appreciated!
I thought that mountain range looked familiar. I have similar photos. When I was there I was alone and was deterred by the “beware of grizzly” signs so my hiking was very limited. How far away were you from the bears?
I was using my zoom lens, not full zoom, but close. I was in safe viewing distance. I agree with your decision, I would never walk alone in Glacier, Waterton or Yellowstone where we headed now.
I love Yellowstone, been twice, I’d go every year but too far to drive. I must be crazy, I was never afraid to hike alone there, guess I never saw the signs for bears
Have a wonderful time, can’t wait to see your photos
That is is funny, because I am more timid in Yellowstone, I remember seeing hordes of bears there as a kid and every time we go, we have sightings on trails, but I keep going back because Yellowstone is my favorite park because of the density of wild animals.
Reblogged this on Art, animals, and the earth.
Thank you once again for your support of our wild world. You are in my heart. <3
Wow! And wow! And triple WOW!
That is exactly what I was thinking the whole time! 🙂
Great shots – as usual. In my country we are taught that grizzly bears are very dangerous and you should never come close to one if your life is dear to you. These shots are marvellous, and I do trust you know what you are doing. Thank you for posting about what most of us will never see!
I have 1200 mm equivalent telephoto lens so I did not get too close. You are very correct, one should never seek close contact with wild grizzlies! Glad you enjoyed the photos and cheers to you~
Now I feel safe! I quite envy you your stay there…Nature is my home.
<3
Dear Cindy, what a magnificent post! Gorgeous shots of the bears. Now I have read many comments and your answers; with a 1200 lens I suppose you were hiking(?) at a safe distance. Are there any precautions taken, beside signs that recommend you stay away from a area or to make a detour? Where you hiking or driving around in the National Park by car, or maybe both? This is definitely a place I’d love to visit. Thanks for a wonderful post.
Love from the Four of us,
Dina
Yes, we encountered these grizzly bears while hiking in Glacier National Park. We encountered bears every day in Glacier and Waterton National Parks, both while hiking and while driving. National Park guidelines recommend that grizzly bears be viewed from 100 yards, and other wildlife from 50 – 25 yards. Glacier posts detailed safe viewing distances per species at the entrances of the park. While hiking in grizzly country it is critical to:
hike in groups, not alone;
carry high capisin content bear spray
make noise, sing, talk loudly, clap, (most all bear attacks, which are rare, occur when a person surprises a bear on a trail)
avoid carrying any food for day hikes on isolated trails, or pack it in air tight containers (this is my personal practice)
if you surprise a bear, back up slowly and talk gently
respect posted warnings about closed trails due to bear activity.
Bears generally don’t care about people and don’t see us as prey, if you don’t surprise or scare them. Usually when we encounter bears, they are moving away from my singing!! 😉 Signs of a scared bear include lowered head, flattened ears, huffing, head swaying and teeth clacking. An angry bear will charge, often a mock charge, like an elephant or rhino, to scare you off.
All the bears we have seen so far have been relaxed with us.
However, it is important to state, this mama and cub, did mock charge a group of hikers with a dog, who approached her too closely after she had hung out with us at a safe viewing distance for a long time.
So it is common sense, like in Africa. These are wild powerful animals, respect their space and watch their body language, and act accordingly. Bear attacks are very rare. People are more dangerous. That said, a man was killed in Yellowstone this season by a bear on a well traveled trail. He was alone and had no bear spray and I bet he hiked silently.
We head now to Yellowstone, grizzlies in Yellowstone in late fall are unnerving to me. Hiking in bear country is taking a chance, but driving to bear country on human roads with human drivers scares me more. I get people’s fear, if someone is super scared of bears, they probably would not like hiking in Glacier, Waterton or Yellowstone.
You will love it Dina and I highly recommend you visit. Doing all three parks in the fall is hard to top. We are all going to die anyway, I would rather live fully before I do! <3
Awesome! My cousin in Canada has encountered bears in her garden when seeing her husband off to work in the mornings! They come scavenging sometimes!! 😉
Oh I would love to see that! Check out this youtube video I saw this summer. This mom was home with her three little kids while this bear family decided to make use of her pool. Be sure and listen to the version where you hear the human mama’s conversation with her kids as they watch the bear family trash the pool. I was so impressed with this human mom’s calmness and tolerance of her yard getting trashed.
Actually, I was impressed with the bear mama too, she had five cubs to cool off!! 😉 😉
Wow I am very moved by this post. The photos are awesome, especially the nursing. Thanks for helping me and others understand grizzlies more.
Thank you for your openess and sensitivity Nicci! <3
What a fabulous sighting, Cindy. Glacier is truly amazing. Enjoy!
Fall enhances the experience with increased wildlife sightings and gorgeous fall colors!
Great photos. Amazing you were able to capture these!
Thank you, I was thrilled to bits by the experience!
Stunning pictures Cindy. I’m glad Mama bear saw your intentions were good. xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Either that or she was too lazy to charge! 😉 😉
So beautiful, Cindy. Mama bear knows a good person when she sees one! 😀
Awwww, and I know a good person when they comment! <3 <3
Super!
Mil grazi!
<3 <3 <3 this post
Visa versa 2 U X 2!
A wonderful set of photos, Cindy. Indeed the mama bear and cub saw into your heart and felt peace 🙂
Vijay
It certainly seemed that way and was an amazing experience.
She certainly knew we were not threats to her and the cubs!
What an amazing adventure Cindy!!
Yes, today we are in search of elk who are in the rutting season!
Your adventures are so amazing. I’m glad mama bear knew you meant no harm but what if she didn’t. Were you far enough away to get away?
This is the best way anyone has phrased this question and the answer is, yes we were. It would be much scarier to encounter a grizzly by suprise at close range! I hope this never happens.
wow amazing captures Cindy! that mamma yelling at her cub…what a great shot!
It seemed so familiar! 😉 😉
Nice
🙂
It is true about looking into a human heart, after all 🙂 Enjoy your time in the Glacier National Park!
It seems to be working so far! <3
Wow, Cindy, you are a brave woman. What a beautiful bear family. If only we humans could see into each other’s hearts.
Yes, that would solve so many problems! <3
Wow Cindy. What a wonderful experience. I’ve gotten near, but had the mama look, sniff and run! But I was surrounded by a crowd which made it a zoo! How delightful that they trusted and accepted your presence. blessings, Brad
Thanks so much Brad, it makes for memories that last a lifetime!
I bet!
Can bearly stand it! Lovely post – what an encounter. I’ve loved bears since a kid as we spent summers in the Rockies/Yellowstone/Jackson Hole area. What great places. Have a terrific time!
I am in Yellowstone now, and I too spent my childhood summers in Jackson Hole! No wonder we both love bears!
Amazing photos, Cindy! To encounter a bear in its natural habitat is a very special experience, and we have been blessed three times. Not grizzly bears though, just common Swedish brown bears. As you say, let the bear know you are around by singing and making noises. Bears are rarely dangerous to humans unless you are a threat to its food, or coming between mother and cub. Most attacs seem to happen to hunters with a loose dog.
Take care and enjoy the rest of your hike!
/Meggie
Yes, you are absolutely correct, thank you so much for your input, and you are right, bears do not like dogs!
I can barely remember when I saw my first bear crossing a bare rocky ledge that was barely wide enough. That bear was bearing a bone in its teeth. I can’t bear to go on with this tale as it bares my fear of bears. Enjoy Yellowstone, Cuz! 🙂 Hugs!
I can bearly read it without laughing so much in the coffee shop that I am em-bear-ising myself! 🙂 🙂