Because Black Bears are excellent climbers. However it is always worth a crack Trev.
If you see a grizzly throw yourself at his feet and assume a star shape so he can’t roll you over. How this is useful I am not entirely sure but the little wildlife preparedness card in our Motel room tells us so.
If you see a cougar do not break eye contact. I am not sure exactly how long one must engage in a staring contest with the big cat who I am assured has really nasty breath as they do not floss, but I think he has to blink first then you can shake hands (paws) say great game mate and be on your way.
And always stay at least three bus lengths away from an elk. “Stay right there Elk,” you must call out. “The wildife information card says three bus lengths”. If he asks whether you mean Chicago buses or those long bendy London Buses then you have met a sassy Elk and it is best to climb a tree. Unless there is a black bear in the tree already. Then you might like to try eye contact. Or maybe throw the information card at said Elk to frighten it away with words. Words are powerful you know.
Simple really.
Keeping all this in mind have a lovely walk in the forest around the outskirts of Canmore.
Beautiful.
Good morning. The best thing for a hang-over (not that I would know as after you turn 40 you don’t get them anymore) is a good walk. I have tested this theory frequently since I turned 40, um, some time ago. So a good walk was had by all.
Though I don’t think we thought enough about elevation a the symptoms of altitude sickness’ the repercussions of flying up all this way then landing here. Canmore is 4296 feet (1076 metres) up in the air, not too high, but Wellington where the others are from is at sea level, and the prairies are around 800 (120 metres) feet above sea level. So it is a consideration. Tiredness, nausea, lack of appetite and a headache are symptoms of mild altitude sickness. It feels like a hang over. (Or it is a hangover but at the wrong end of the party) Luckily I do not have any of these symptoms but one member of our party does. So I made a big potato salad, we went for a long walk, drunk heaps of water and green tea and then early to bed. Mama said. Hopefully everyone is back on form for today.
We have woken up to thunder and lightening and heavy rain. A good old storm. Without a car we have been walking everywhere so I hope it does not last too long!
Have a lovely day.
your friend celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Climbing Trees won’t save you from Black Bears”
Your pictures are just so lovely and your Friendship Followers are hilarious. I read this blog sitting on the couch with my iPad but I cannot comment on the iPad for some reason, so I have to get up off my comfy behind and go to my desk. But I have to respond. The safety instructions are wonderfully specific. Are the bells to attract bears or send them away?
Erh … Do you ask the Bear if it is Black or Brown and what if he is hard of hearing – how close can you get? Daisy would love some pink cow art 🙂 Beautiful babbling brook – don’t know why but I imagine Canada knee deep in snow always. Laura
You are too funny Cinders!! Yes, by all means try to remember which behavior is which when confronting all those wild animals!! Beautiful photos!! I forgot to tell you that this whole story reminded me of our wedding day…I was running late that morning so my Mom was driving like a maniac trying to get me to the church on time and then we both said…Wait! They certainly can’t start without me, why are we driving so fast??
You have a lovely time and please……….a photo of you and your lovelies in the wilds of Canada!!
It’s kinda fun to imagine throwing myself at the mercy of a bear
whilst trying to remember if it’s a star or a stare…..or both !!
The bear is of course waiting for my star to form so he/she
can have a good laugh !!!”O gee now I can’t roll her into a ball
before I eat her !!” I am lol !!
Glad we are in Canada !! Thanks for taking us along !
Love it Celi. Oh yes, the creepies, crawlies and the OH-MY-GODS of my neck of the woods. Of course you could always walk in a group, stay on the paths, talk, sing, make noise and not surprise them, and you could always buy some bear spray and be relatively safer from all three of those than if you didn’t have it. 🙂 They really are more scared of you than you are of them, unless it;s a mamma bear, or a sick animal. Then all bets are off and you should follow the card. We had a cougar stalking the children and dogs at the cabin and that cat eventually had to be shot because he was very dangerous. But my rescued cougar hound didn’t break eye contact, intimidated the cat with his barking and treed him long enough for authorities to get him. Those cats are scary. Stay safe and have a lovely mini holiday fun time. 🙂
I know it is probably silly but I think I would be more afraid of the cougar than the bear, What a brave dog you have.. the cougar hound!.. c
Used to have Celi. I rescued him from being shot at 9 months, (apparently that’s how people in the mountains deal with unwanted pets.) But he wan’t a city dog so we kept him for about a year and then I gave him to some lovely people in the interior of BC, people who lived close to my aunt’s cabin and we knew them. The new owner was a hunter and the hound lived out his life blissfully doing what came naturally. We checked in on him and he was always very happy and healthy, so I was really glad.
Veronica Roth says it all best. We even have cougars here in our small town! They have even walked down our ditch banks, along with bears…the wildlife cards are correct…follow closely and have a lovely time!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Oh such lovely pictures! It makes my heart ache to get back out to those mountains again………. but must wait until fall…..
I’m glad you’re having a fabulous time!!
Celi…something tells me I lucked out NOT having you around when I used to hike that part of the world! The starfish stance with the grizzly is new to this Canadian! It may be the latest technique, however, since a grizzly would be crazy to come to my island. It would get loved to death. Maybe they just put that advice into hotel rooms for tourists to create so much confusion that they actually don’t try to walk up and feed wild animals!
Heard about that latest weather. Good grief…they’ve had enough already! Hope it’s all sunny and fabulous for the wedding.
You do make me laugh! I’ll spend the rest of the day in giggles as I go around and around in the hay field. I have this mental picture of you, sitting on a stump, surrounded by the wild life, giving them the instructions on the card! And they are all listening very closely and telling each other that they could never harm anyone so trusting and entertaining!
*mental picture of self in star shape with large grizzly jumping gleefully up and down on me*
I loved the humor of this post! You seem to have a very practical guide 😉
I loved your photos too but I don’t think I’m one of the brave ones who would risk there lives to wander and hike… However picturesque the scenery.
Thanks for sharing!
Great wilderness tips. I’ll keep them in mind when I head to Alaska in a few days.
I needed that laugh! Great advice when menaced by critturs like those! Thanks, Celie.
Every time I stop by here, I smile, I laugh and I am uplifted. You , my dear, possess a way with words unlike any other. So glad you are enjoying your wooded nature respite. So different from the prairie.
I am so happy you sound so happy and BEARS close encounter again here I will remember not to climb the Apple or Pear tree 🙂
Enjoy every moment and do not let the rain stop you.
Loved the photos and the wildlife rules 🙂
Sounds like NH
HUGS