Charge of the Grizzly, a classic

by Alison Davis (Canada)

I didn't expect to find USA

I'd had a long time dream to hitch hike the Alaskan Highway, and finding myself with no job and post music festival in BC I decided to do what I do and just go. So there I was. At the end of the Top of the World Highway, Alaska, North of Eagle and Chicken, Alaska (because they didn't know how to spell ptarmigan) somewhere away out in the bush. Well, it seemed the late autumn thing to do while enjoying the crisp sunshiney air in the remote Alaskan wilderness near an old mining camp to go walk-about up a forested bushy hill. Picking wild cranberries, of course! New friends were spending hours hauling a huge antique gold mining dredge out of it's encasement in thick mud. I'd gone along for the fun and to take photos but movement was slow. It was far too beautiful of an are to stand around without a look. So off I went for a quick walk to the woods. Now, I'm not daft. I know it's autumn and the bears are out and about with the more dangerous moose. So I clapped my hands loud and sang about my much meatier friends down below and how I'm really not much of a meal for a bear and really not worth picking their teeth with, as I hiked up and up. Then the birds went quiet and I got nervous. I clapped real loud, echoing, and calling out a few times. Not going to surprise any animals that way. But a few steps further along and a twig snapped hard to my right. The far too adorable teddy bear face of a very dangerous grizzly bear stared at me from 50 meters. It looked. I looked. And then it did what grizzly bears do. It ran right at me and when it ran it came Full on. Charge of the Grizzly. I'd learned what to do and somewhat surprised at myself, I did it. Arms went up with a big jacket I'd been holding. To hear human voice I yelled STOP instead of just yelling. I did not turn and run, and I didn't even soil myself somehow! I did not move. But it came on. In mere split seconds I had minutes worth of thoughts. Grizzlies fake charge. It's a grizzly for sure with those fuzzy brown ears. Could I get my camera out? At least then if someone found my camera they'd see the bear. Though grizzlies usually fake charge. It's still running at me. When is it going to stop?! If it doesn't stop it's a grizzly. I'll have to take the hits and somehow play dead, even if it's gouging me. I'm in the middle of the bush, my friends are unlikely to find me. It'll be hours before they even look. STOP!!!! I yelled again. With deep harsh voice. Trembling. This time, at maybe 20-30 meters away it stopped. Everything was exactly as I was taught. I took a step back. Just one. In 0.002 seconds I wondered if I could get my camera out. It's face so fuzzy and cute for a 600 pound juvenile that on 4 legs was near as tall as me. It turned It loped off. Oh thank goodness, a fake charge. My heart pounded. I took off down the hill for the trucks, HIGHLY aware that startling a moose is MUCH more dangerous. Moose charge and kill. They don't stop. I clapped loud. I kept clapping. I couldn't even yell out I was so out of breath my heart racing. I tripped and almost fell on branches as my heart pounded so hard I almost vomited. I got in the truck and stayed there for awhile. Breath. My friends didn't quite believe me for a while because the next day I was bored and off again. Well, the cranberries were delicious. Perhaps the tartness was sweeter for how I'd earned them. And I don't know if part of my heart fell out there that day, but a good part of my heart sure was left in Alaska!