General Information

Grizzly Bear, sometimes called the silvertip bear, is a powerful brownish-yellow bear that lives in the uplands of western North America.

Grizzly bears reach weights of 180–680 kilograms (400–1,500 pounds) and stand a height of 2.44 m (8 feet) tall when standing on its hind legs; the male is on average 1.8 times as heavy as the female. This dimorphism suggests that size is an important factor in the male's ability to successfully compete for and attract breeding opportunities. Their coloring ranges widely across geographic areas, from blond to deep brown or black. These differences, once attributed to subspeciation, are now thought to be primarily due to the different environments these bears inhabit, particularly with regard to diet and temperature.

The grizzly has a large hump over the shoulders which is a muscle mass used to power the forelimbs in digging. In spite of their massive size, these bears can run at speeds of up to fifty-five kilometers per hour (thirty-five miles per hour).

Normally a solitary active animal, in coastal areas the grizzly congregates alongside streams and rivers during the salmon spawn. Every other year females (sows) produce one to four young (most commonly two) which are small and weigh only about 500 grams (one pound). Sows are very protective of their offspring.

Safety camping in grizzly territory

During the continuous evolution of the grizzly bear a premium has been placed on spatial memory. Without this adaptation, the grizzly would not be able to forage efficiently over large territories. This strong sense of memory thus ties in with their tendency to return to human habitations which rewarded them with food in the past. It is imperative for all campers in bear country (both black and grizzly) to maintain a "clean" site. Reports have indicated that something as innocuous as a tube of chap stick has enticed a bear to come near a campsite in search of food. Any bear that is conditioned to finding food around campsites, will almost always return and expect the same reward. The bear is then a threat to campers and itself, and park rangers will be forced to kill it. For backcountry campers, hanging food between trees at a height unreachable to bears is a common procedure.

Safety hiking in grizzly territory

Hiking in grizzly territory requires a different set of rules than hiking in your local park. The consequences of making a mistake can be deadly and are well documented. First, it is imperative that you are aware of your surroundings at all times. Recognizing grizzly signs is the first defense in preventing an attack. A grizzly track is unlike that of a black bear in that one can trace a single line from the innermost (closest to the foot pad) point on the left toe to the innermost point on the right toe without intersecting the pad of the foot. Other signs include: talus slopes that appear raked, fallen logs which have been torn up, and high claw marks on trees. Surprising a bear typically precedes the most violent attacks. By making noise, at a cost to the ambient peacefulness of nature, you can ensure that a bear will know of your presence. This technique works in the case of a lone grizzly wandering through the area, or the more dangerous high-strung sow with cubs of the year. It will not work when a bear has a carcass near the trail. In this case, the hiker must listen for ravens or other scavengers which may also be hanging around the kill site. In any case, if the bear does not exit the premises as you approach, it's time to make a series of potentially life-saving decisions. First, back away and talk to the bear in a calm voice. If it hasn't charged, it probably doesn't consider you a threat. Keep backing away (DO NOT RUN) and try in any way to make yourself seem less threatening. In the unfortunate event that the bear does charge, and you are not equipped with a sidearm or bear spray, promptly drop to the ground stomach-first, leaving your backpack on as a barrier between the bear and you, and cover your head and ears with your arms (hands interlocking behind your head). In this situation fighting back will almost certainly intensify and prolong the attack. Humans are ill equipped to fight grizzlies, so do not attempt such a feat.

Other Information

Mountain Goat Range Map, statewide scale

Grizzly Bear Scat

Grizzly Bear Track