Man, this summer has been flying by. I realize I haven't posted in a while, but it feels like I've only been back at Rocky for a couple weeks. It'll be September before I know it.
Yesterday I hiked up to Sandbeach Lake in Wild Basin for my backcountry patrol day. Sandbeach will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first trail I hiked in RMNP two years ago, and despite the lung crushing steady uphill to the lake, it remains one of my favorites.
As I was coming down from the lake (after dismantling FIVE illegal fire rings) I stopped in at the Hunter's Creek campsite to talk with the campers staying there. They were four young guys from Louisiana on an epic National Park roadtrip to the west coast and back. They were telling me about the bear tracks they spotted the day before and asking me what bear scat usually looks like. I told them they'd be pretty lucky to see one of the park's few bears, and as long as they store their food properly, they shouldn't have anything to worry about.
"Alright, see you guys later! Have a great trip."
30 seconds later I nearly walk into a black bear waiting just uphill from their campsite.
I managed to whip out my phone and snap a few shots and video before the curious bear sauntered off down the trail.
!
It's always so exciting to see a bear. I immediately returned to the Louisiana campers and told them what I had just seen.
"Are you f***ing for real?!" A mixture of excitement and worry in their voices.
I showed them the video and wished them well again, throwing in an extra reminder to secure their bear canisters.
Sandbeach Lake will always have a special place in my heart.
