2 grizzlies follow hikers down trail for 20 minutes in Banff National Park

[Spazito]

Two large grizzly bears followed 13 hikers down a trail in Banff National Park for 20 minutes — with one even making a few quick runs at the group.

"It's not every day that you think you're actually going to be that close to two grizzly bears," said Phoebe Nicholson, a guide with Discover Banff Tours who was leading the hike along Consolation Lake Trail near Moraine Lake.

"A pretty intense, but also pretty amazing experience, to see animals like that in the wild, just in their natural habitat, going for a walk with us."

snip

The grizzlies remained 10 to 20 metres behind the hikers for a whole 20 minutes, says Nicholson, who was the only one carrying bear spray.

more

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/grizzly-bears-follow-hikers-banff-1.6967386

[Chainfire]

1. The were probably waiting for their handout.

That would not be the bear's fault.

[Spazito]

3. It's more likely they were using the same trial ...

to get to where they were going, as it says in the article.

[riversedge]

2. There a a few good pics and a short video at link...........

https://i.cbc.ca/1.6967457.1694736171!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/banff-grizzlies-with-hikers.jpeg

[Freethinker65]

5. Thx and yikes!

[appalachiablue]

7. Holy moly, those are massive bears!

[True Dough]

4. Imagine having those two behemoths approach you

and all you have is bear spray. Talk about panic-inducing. Best hope they're in a good mood!

[Cattledog]

6. They did a slow steady walk. If they would have run

the ending would have been a lot different.

[LakeArenal]

8. Only have to run faster than #13.

[GreenWave]

16. Thats why you are on that treadmill 24/7!

And I did not spot any jagged edge rocks to fire at them either.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. I would not be a happy person. NT

[58Sunliner]

10. The longest 20 minutes ever.

[Tortue]

11. Bear spray works!

On bears, cougars, raccoons, mice, rats and any other critters that try to climb the tree that your food bag is hung from. Just a wee squirt around the trunk at eye level.
Even works to keep a curious bull moose from getting too close to you. Just don't spray it upwind of you, don't ask...

[sinkingfeeling]

12. The bears didn't read the sign about maintaining a safe distance from wildlife.

[Journeyman]

13. It's very easy to avoid all types of bears, even Grizzlies. . .

In Montana, when I hiked there some years ago, there was sage advice posted at the trail head.

The sign warned that both Black Bears and Grizzlies were in the area and advised that the way to safeguard from attack was to wear small bells on your clothing, to alert the bears you were nearby, and to carry pepper spray to use if the bears got too close.

The sign said the best way to determine if there were bears nearby was to look for fresh scat along the trails. Black Bear scat, it said, has small berries and bits of fur mixed in, all part of the bear's diet. Grizzly scat was easier to identify as it's larger, smells like pepper spray, and has little bells sprinkled throughout.

[fargone]

14. Ha. A classic

[Spazito]

15. LOL