Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) “A hiker came around a blind corner on a trail at Brooks Falls in Katmai National” — TopicDigg

A hiker came around a blind corner on a trail at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park Alaska and found herself face to face with Bear 909 - one of the most well known Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears in the park - along with her two cubs. Instead of panicking she stepped off the trail about 12 to 15 feet, stopped when the terrain ran out, stayed calm, used one voice, and let the bears pass. That is textbook bear encounter protocol and she executed it perfectly under pressure that would have most people completely frozen. The bears at Brooks are habituated to humans and have a high tolerance because of the salmon food source in the area but they are still wild animals that can turn defensive in a split second if they feel threatened. The number one rule - never run. Running triggers the predatory instinct and at that point the encounter changes completely. Always carry bear spray and know how to use it before you ever set foot in bear country. Could you remain that calm in that moment?