Awesome shots, Erik! And if you haven’t read it, I think you’d very much enjoy the novel Mushashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. It’s the fictionalized story of Miyamoto Mushashi and your friend Takuan is a key player!
First of all, I'm a little bitter because you saw a bear. I've lived at the foot of the Rockies my entire life and I've never seen a bear in real life lol. Yet, that is the #1 reason I'm not into camping. 😁
This is one of my favorite posts of yours. The pics are spectacular! Especially that one of the lake unfolding in front of you. Nature never gets old, does it?
I've been going to the mountains my whole life and before this bear I've only ever got glimpses of them a handful of times. They can be super sneaky that way! The Smokies have more black bears than anywhere else on earth, though. The odds were with me. 😆
I'm happy with the pics from up top, but the sun was still high and the light wasn't the best. I was really hoping for more directional evening light, but the storm drove me away. That lake photo is pretty cool, but can you believe I took that with an iPhone?!?
If you want to see bears, drive the parkway between lake Louise and Saskatchewan River Crossing, up towards Nordegg. Watch for all of the tourists parked on the edge of the road taking bear pictures. I’ve never driven through there in summer without seeing at least one.
The town of Lake Louise has a bear fence around it to keep the grizzlies off of the lawns. They were attracted there by the ski hill, which planted grasses like clover and alfalfa on the slopes to prevent erosion etc. Bears eat grass when they get up in the spring, so that drew them into the area.
Man, I had a really funny response to this but I can’t share the picture to go with it! 🤣 just know that the image of a fortified Canadian wilderness settlement staving off hordes of grizzly bears is running through my mind!!
Haha! Not far off. One of the guys I know who lives there told me he saw a grizzly on his street digging the ground up to catch a marmot. It was getting to be too much. So they added an electrified fence around town.
This is great Erik - I'm reminded of the John Muir quote "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." You go looking for wildflowers and end up seeing a bear! Not that wildflowers are any less exciting than large mammals, but you get my drift. I'm envious of the complexity of the landscapes you travel through; there's so much variety in the flora and fauna compared to here in the UK...Great photos as always too.
I love that quote! The one thing I don't get very much of here is views into the distance. Too many trees for that, but the ones I do get are great. Thank you!
I love how you unfold your journey in this essay. I can so relate to the mind chatter, the rumination that can distract from observation. And then the luxury of enough time out, that it goes quiet.
I hike frequently on my own but have yet to go out to the trail you were on.
Flaming azaleas and mountain laurel are on my favorites of wildflowers here.
Just looked it up and it is a 2hr drive from my place.
For the view of the flaming azaleas, it seems worth it.
The bear looked to be young but maybe no mama around.
I have faced a large black bear at a close enough distance that he could have easily attacked. One thing about the bears here, they have their own trail systems. As long as I'm not between a baby and mama or on one of their paths, it's not as dangerous.
But I felt my heart pounding in my ears after he scampered down his path perpendicular to mine.
Still, I'm less afraid of black bears than meth heads downtown.
Haha! Great point about the meth heads, they are way less predictable! 🤣 This bear was young and small, but bigger than a cub. This is the closest I've been to one and every single one I've seen has only been concerned with getting away from me.
This trip was to Gregory Bald and I stayed at backcountry site 13. From Twenty Mile ranger station its 7 miles up the Wolf Ridge Trail and then I took the Long Hungry Ridge Trail back. It's a really nice loop, but I believe there are shorter routes to Gregory coming from the north.
Thanks for reading and for your comments Jess, I really appreciate it!
"My camera emits the loudest shutter release in the history of all humankind.."🤣🤣🤣 you got me with that one, haha! I bet that was scary! But thrilling! I've observed that bears, half the time, dont really care about you as long as you're not getting up in their personal space...or as long as there's no cubs around!
Those flowers are GORGEOUS. man, those reds against the rest of the greens and blues...I am in love.😍
I love how, when you witnessed them on the bald, you attained that moment of "Zen." Whether that's definitionally correct or not, you had SOME moment of awe and reverence, and I think that counts for something.
Lol, that click was a pretty funny moment! I did feel the adrenaline dump after, but it truly wasn't scary in the moment. Probably cause I've actually rehearsed that exact scenario in my mind countless times and I know that as long as I don't harass them the bears are just going to want to get away.
I don't know if it's Zen either, but the time on the bald was definitely one of clarity and focus. I'm trying hard to find a way to retain that state during life off of trail. For me Stoicism is the way as far as a philosophy for life, for fulfillment, and purpose. But, I think meditation may be the way for maintaining presence of mind? I have a long way to go down this path, but they seem to complement one another.
Now I can't wait to share day 2! Didn't take as many photos, but the atmosphere was quite different.
Hey, they say mental preparation and visualization is powerful!
I get what you mean about clarity and focus. I had a lot of that on Trail. And the struggle about how to maintain that mindset in real life is all too real. For me anyway, I had to come to know it COULDNT be an exact, constant state of focus and bliss; but I had to find a different flavor of it off trail....and Ive sucked at meditation but I hope you fare better with it😅
Zen is an exploration and absolutely not something I can speak authoritatively about. But, I see so many similarities with that and the clarity I find on trail. My hope is that it can be a way to retain that back in the mundane world. Thanks Tim!
Erik, I love the story and the photographs - and how lucky you are to be in the moment with a black bear. Thank you for sharing your adventure and shots.
Fabulous descriptions of your hike Erik, thank you for sharing such amazing scenery.
Thanks Sarah! I wish I had been able to capture some nice evening light and the sunset, but it was a fantastic trip.
Awesome shots, Erik! And if you haven’t read it, I think you’d very much enjoy the novel Mushashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. It’s the fictionalized story of Miyamoto Mushashi and your friend Takuan is a key player!
Thanks Lou! I have read that one, but it’s been many, many years. Time for a revisit!
I've been considering a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains next year. Thanks for sharing the beauty you captured while there!
The Smokies are spectacular! Be prepared though, some of the more easily accessible areas can get very crowded. Thanks Michelle!
Great story Erik and beautiful photos! Makes me wish I was there to see it all - except for the bear!
Lol! I’m just glad I saw the bear before I walked up on him and really surprised him! Thanks Laura!
First of all, I'm a little bitter because you saw a bear. I've lived at the foot of the Rockies my entire life and I've never seen a bear in real life lol. Yet, that is the #1 reason I'm not into camping. 😁
This is one of my favorite posts of yours. The pics are spectacular! Especially that one of the lake unfolding in front of you. Nature never gets old, does it?
I've been going to the mountains my whole life and before this bear I've only ever got glimpses of them a handful of times. They can be super sneaky that way! The Smokies have more black bears than anywhere else on earth, though. The odds were with me. 😆
I'm happy with the pics from up top, but the sun was still high and the light wasn't the best. I was really hoping for more directional evening light, but the storm drove me away. That lake photo is pretty cool, but can you believe I took that with an iPhone?!?
I suppose I can believe ypu took it with your phone because that's all I've ever used and I have some pretty epic photos.
If you want to see bears, drive the parkway between lake Louise and Saskatchewan River Crossing, up towards Nordegg. Watch for all of the tourists parked on the edge of the road taking bear pictures. I’ve never driven through there in summer without seeing at least one.
Oh wow, okay! I'll keep that in mind.
I've been to Lake Louise one time as a teenager. Stunning! Jaw-dropping!! But didn't see any bears. 😁🤷♂️
The town of Lake Louise has a bear fence around it to keep the grizzlies off of the lawns. They were attracted there by the ski hill, which planted grasses like clover and alfalfa on the slopes to prevent erosion etc. Bears eat grass when they get up in the spring, so that drew them into the area.
Man, I had a really funny response to this but I can’t share the picture to go with it! 🤣 just know that the image of a fortified Canadian wilderness settlement staving off hordes of grizzly bears is running through my mind!!
Haha! Not far off. One of the guys I know who lives there told me he saw a grizzly on his street digging the ground up to catch a marmot. It was getting to be too much. So they added an electrified fence around town.
This is great Erik - I'm reminded of the John Muir quote "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." You go looking for wildflowers and end up seeing a bear! Not that wildflowers are any less exciting than large mammals, but you get my drift. I'm envious of the complexity of the landscapes you travel through; there's so much variety in the flora and fauna compared to here in the UK...Great photos as always too.
I love that quote! The one thing I don't get very much of here is views into the distance. Too many trees for that, but the ones I do get are great. Thank you!
I love how you unfold your journey in this essay. I can so relate to the mind chatter, the rumination that can distract from observation. And then the luxury of enough time out, that it goes quiet.
I hike frequently on my own but have yet to go out to the trail you were on.
Flaming azaleas and mountain laurel are on my favorites of wildflowers here.
Just looked it up and it is a 2hr drive from my place.
For the view of the flaming azaleas, it seems worth it.
Looking forward to the next post.
Thanks for sharing.
The bear looked to be young but maybe no mama around.
I have faced a large black bear at a close enough distance that he could have easily attacked. One thing about the bears here, they have their own trail systems. As long as I'm not between a baby and mama or on one of their paths, it's not as dangerous.
But I felt my heart pounding in my ears after he scampered down his path perpendicular to mine.
Still, I'm less afraid of black bears than meth heads downtown.
Haha! Great point about the meth heads, they are way less predictable! 🤣 This bear was young and small, but bigger than a cub. This is the closest I've been to one and every single one I've seen has only been concerned with getting away from me.
This trip was to Gregory Bald and I stayed at backcountry site 13. From Twenty Mile ranger station its 7 miles up the Wolf Ridge Trail and then I took the Long Hungry Ridge Trail back. It's a really nice loop, but I believe there are shorter routes to Gregory coming from the north.
Thanks for reading and for your comments Jess, I really appreciate it!
"My camera emits the loudest shutter release in the history of all humankind.."🤣🤣🤣 you got me with that one, haha! I bet that was scary! But thrilling! I've observed that bears, half the time, dont really care about you as long as you're not getting up in their personal space...or as long as there's no cubs around!
Those flowers are GORGEOUS. man, those reds against the rest of the greens and blues...I am in love.😍
I love how, when you witnessed them on the bald, you attained that moment of "Zen." Whether that's definitionally correct or not, you had SOME moment of awe and reverence, and I think that counts for something.
Lol, that click was a pretty funny moment! I did feel the adrenaline dump after, but it truly wasn't scary in the moment. Probably cause I've actually rehearsed that exact scenario in my mind countless times and I know that as long as I don't harass them the bears are just going to want to get away.
I don't know if it's Zen either, but the time on the bald was definitely one of clarity and focus. I'm trying hard to find a way to retain that state during life off of trail. For me Stoicism is the way as far as a philosophy for life, for fulfillment, and purpose. But, I think meditation may be the way for maintaining presence of mind? I have a long way to go down this path, but they seem to complement one another.
Now I can't wait to share day 2! Didn't take as many photos, but the atmosphere was quite different.
Hey, they say mental preparation and visualization is powerful!
I get what you mean about clarity and focus. I had a lot of that on Trail. And the struggle about how to maintain that mindset in real life is all too real. For me anyway, I had to come to know it COULDNT be an exact, constant state of focus and bliss; but I had to find a different flavor of it off trail....and Ive sucked at meditation but I hope you fare better with it😅
Looking forward to reading Day 2!
I love the zen connection. Looking forward to more!
Zen is an exploration and absolutely not something I can speak authoritatively about. But, I see so many similarities with that and the clarity I find on trail. My hope is that it can be a way to retain that back in the mundane world. Thanks Tim!
Erik, I love the story and the photographs - and how lucky you are to be in the moment with a black bear. Thank you for sharing your adventure and shots.
Ah I really appreciate that John! Thank you!🙏
a beautiful antidote to the grief of the news --thank you!
That’s so true! The outdoors gives us quite a different perspective on the world.