Bear Chase

~ True Story ~ Saved By the Café Del-Mundo LATTE!
It was Memorial Day Sunday. Around town activities in Anchorage seemed to be on the quiet side – as fishing and camping excitement most likely dictated such an evacuation away from the city to the great outdoors. So after a stop at the local market, it was a stop in at Café Del Mundo for a much needed cup of coffee. It meant a latte, as it was Sunday and I deserved a little extra attention. And with chores out of the way - grocery shopping and returning a DVD called “Catch and Release” - I had planned to take my dog on a nice leisurely walk. It meant either Westchester Lagoon, or for ease of location, location, location, the hillside area. I have been living in Anchorage for some 18-years by now. As an Alaskan, about 30 winters total seems to ring a bell! Now many of us realize that the Anchorage bowl has become a haven for moose, which means the bears follow suit. So I am very cautious when it comes to picking a trail to get in a little exercise getaway that is close to home. With that in mind, I headed out to the lower hillside trail system just off of Abbott Road. Now today’s trail of choice skirts the road leading into the Hill-Top Ski area. It is a very popular place to bike, hike and just hang out bird watching. With that popularity, maybe the human activities are enough to keep the bears at bay, especially the big brown ones. Over the years on these very same trails, I have noticed very little bear signs – mostly signs belonging to black bears roaming through. Both species are here, no doubt about it, but most likely scarce and avoid human encounters. As mentioned before, with years of experience living in Alaska, one cannot help but come across black bears and brown bears alike – hopefully always from a distance. I have had my exchanges with these animals, but for the most part, it has been not such a close encounter and the bears surprised are seen heading away from any curious or compromising disposition. When I lived in Valdez, it was not unusual for the brown bears heading to fishing grounds to take advantage of the dog’s food bowl, right there in front of a scared dog. We could watch these episodes unfold through the living room window, no big deal it seemed. But even though I have had bears run across my trail and surprised them while berry picking, not once have I had the unfortunate opportunity to be the “chased”. Now normally I have my dog on a leash, just as a courtesy to other dog walkers. My dog doesn’t mind the leash, but also enjoys the freedom away from such. And today the parking area at the trailhead was pretty open, which meant a lack of hikers and dogs alike, so maybe the leash wasn’t necessary. Regardless, my dog stays close by my side, a good dog she is! It was a beautiful day and the cup of coffee – that latte – just seemed to tip the scale as a luxury in that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness sentiment. What more could one ask for? Robins sang mating chants from above. Ravens flew over, grabbing the thermals off of the ski slopes. Gorgeous, right here in my own backyard! After a few minutes on the trail towards the ski area’s parking lot, I noticed my dog acting a little strange, from something behind on the trail section we had just traversed. I thought, maybe it was just another dog heading our direction. No big deal, as my dog sticks with me and it would be very easy to get a quick leash-up. But then it happened. So quickly, time did indeed stand still. From behind, a brown bear rounded the corner. My dog’s hairdo went “spiked”. The approaching bear didn’t waste anytime picking up speed towards my position, with the dog at my side. I yelled, not once but many times. The bear seemed to heal to my commands, but it was inching closer and closer. It was over curious. There was no way that I was going to keel over and play dead, not right here and now in the middle of nowhere. What for? So we started hoofing it, to see if the bear would loose interest. It wasn’t a panic run yet, just an attempt to throw doubt that we were not an interest or threat. The bear was still coming our direction. I stopped, yelled again, and the bear seemed to once again accommodate the demands to hold-off. This continued, as I tried to figure a way out of this mess. There were no trees to climb, plus dogs don’t climb trees, even though my dog is considered part “tree” dog. So it went on and on. We would retreat, the bear would advance. Then I would some how get up the courage to let out another yell. Stopping to yell allows what safe distance there was to diminish exponentially, believe me. Seconds are so precious in situations where time is of the essence. And one-step forward for this human meant three steps forward for the beast. That is how big this thing was. It was gaining as we were loosing our ground. It had a beautiful color to its face, prime shape I remember thinking. I must have been going crazy at this stage in the game, to think about things other then survival! Like a plea bargain I guess. It was amazing how this mass of muscle and fur rambled about, so quiet and elegantly, almost like a ballerina on tiptoes. I was going crazy. Now I knew that the beaten path could be exited and I could run down the hill and easily link up with the paved road that could provide an escape. And my hope was that there would be enough traffic to scare the bear off and maybe I could find a “good” Samaritan to lend a much needed helping hand. All it would take is the blast of a horn, as noise seemed to deter the bear’s advances. So with one last gigantic all-out yell, I changed my direction and headed off the trail, hopefully to freedom at last. It was interesting how my dog stayed right by my side, without any attempt to stray away. Like maybe the yelling was enough to alarm the dog that something was indeed wrong with this situation at hand. Maybe the dog knew what was at stake if we didn’t get away. I must re-iterate, time did indeed stand still up to this point. As we hit the sloping and unfamiliar terrain, it was tough going right off the bat, as there was no real path to follow. Next thing you know, I am head over heals. My nice felt beret goes airborne. My Café Del Mundo coffee goes flying and I hit the ground and get gouged by a stubborn branch, it hurts. I am momentarily grounded. But think, that pain cannot be as bad as a claw infliction or jaw bite. I can almost feel it happening, like a glimpse into the future. An adrenalin rush to judgment I guess. I look up, hoping that maybe the bear went in the other direction. WRONG I was. There it was heading through the underbrush in a lackadaisical manner as if this animal knew this human was out of his element and there was no real reason to get overly excited about this chase. The chase seemed to be over! I started having these nightmarish flashes of how this day was going to end. It was doomsday. But then like a miracle, the bear took an interest in something that had evaded my grasp during the falling out. It started relishing the contents remaining in the coffee cup, the latte! It was lapping it down, just 10-feet away from my “grave” position. It was indeed a beautiful blonde and glossy-brown streaked bear, with a big head and stuffed animal like ears - indicative that it was a young bear. My viewing angle was so close that it showed dental problems were not yet a problem for this maybe 3-year old bruin. Now normally I do go into bear country prepared, with one of those big cans of bear spray and a few safety flares. But all I had this time around was a Café Del Mundo coffee, given away not by choice but through fate. The bear stopped its so far seemingly non-aggressive “chase” and continued licking the coffee spill. It was enough of a reprieve to get myself back on foot, realizing that this situation was still critical and it was time to get back on the course to somewhere. My dog and I found the road. But we were about to realize that when things get pretty slow around these places – like on holiday Sundays – traffic and that “good” Samaritan thing seemed to be few and far between wishful thinking. And we were just a few seconds late in flagging down the guy that runs the horse riding business out of the ski area. I would find out later that he heard somebody yelling but thought it was another horse rider. At this point in this “catch and release” game, I was totally exhausted. It was indeed nothing short of an adrenalin “high” rush that was keeping me going. To at least reach the pavement signaled success. I needed to rest, but as soon as that thought crossed my mind, the bear had also found the paved road and was trying to catch up on lost time. The bear liked playing this “game”. Where was the traffic that would normally be up and down this road? So it was again a game of pause, yell and attempt a getaway. But the bear now realized that it had fallen behind in its pursuit - by taking time to enjoy the coffee latte - wherein it necessitated a gallop approach. Again, it was a unique choreographed display of mass and muscle. My as well enjoy it I thought, as there seemed to be no way for a win on win situation here today. Then to my greatest of desires, a vehicle was just exiting the ski area parking lot - towards my direction. I noticed the lady open the doors, so the real run to freedom was on – there was hope. My dog was way ahead of me, as this faithful canine companion knew all too well what was going on, even though she looked confused. But it was easy to realize that time, even though it was standing still, had run its course. Like this was the last ditch effort action, I was so close to the finish line! But I was totally exhausted. I was ready to drop and call it quits by playing dead. But the adrenalin was still going and the fact that the bear was still playing catch-up made for another attempt to safety. It was there, just a few hundred yards away. I picked up a big stick that just happened to be hanging out on the side of the road – how convenient I thought. I guess that saying that “luck is merely a virtue of coincidence” holds water. It was the only weapon at my disposal, it would have to do. I waved it back and forth, jumping around like a crazy maniac. I was making weird like yelling sounds. I laughed to myself, don’t ask me why! Then the bear seemed to get excited and backed off. I was gaining ground, or maybe the bear was starting to have second thoughts in unfamiliar territory, like paved roads. Then I remember how good it felt to grab the door handle of the “good” Samaritan’s vehicle. I really don’t remember what transpired from the stick waving to the safety of her vehicle. The lady seemed to also be in a state of shock, as she was witnessing the entire chase right in front of her very own eyes. Where’s a camera crew when you need one? Soon the bear was spooked off, back into its own domain of woods. It took me about ten minutes to catch my composure in efforts to explain to this “good” Samaritan what had happened. She drove me back to my car and also went about to warn other hikers out and about with details of the incident. I was still recovering from the adrenalin rush. My dog was safe. I was safe. I lost a favorite hat. But in the end, I swear it was the Café Del Mundo Latte that saved my “you know what”, by buying time away from the beast of burden. Of the few sips I remember enjoying before all you know what broke loose, it was one fine cup. So thanks to that friendly “barista” that made such a fine cup. The bear seemed to like it! And thanks to that “good” Samaritan that just happened to be in the right place at the right time. If she reads this story, the latte’s on me. So let me end by telling this about that. The experts will tell you what and what not to do when a bear gives chase. It happens so quickly and quietly, one must let that adrenalin pursue the “proper” course of action. What that action is may be everything and anything. And I also offer this added advantage, by one individual that has had such an experience of “catch and release” and lived to tell about it. Bring a “latte” along with you during your off the beaten track excursions, it may be your only saving grace in the Big Wild’s of Anchorage!

CopyRight 2007 MSK Media/Eagle Rock Press – Reprinting Permitted
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