Mountain Biker fights off Grizzly with a knife....

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/mountain-biker-fights-of-grizzly-bear-with-pocket-knife.html

 

That's insane.

 

Thanks for sharing this

 

The craziest part... when they went to find the bear, it was actually STALKING them - and they SMELLED it coming up from behind. !!! That bear wasn't going to stand down for anyone!

 

Bears are quite stinky if you know what you're smelling.

 

I’m sure they say the same about us

 

I’ve always been told that a good bike is a weapon. I wondered why he didn’t use it. Then it dawned on me that maybe he was protecting the bike. $$$

I kid. Tough guy and glad he survived.
I was traumatized by the movie “Night of the Grizzly “ when I was a kid.
The hero stabs the grizz and is finally able to polish him off.

 

Happy birthday to him!

 

Last Grizzly in OC was killed in Joplin area. There was a effort to make Joplin area a national Monument area a few years ago because of this.
Grizzly bears were completely extinct in California by 1924.
https://www.bowers.org/index.php/co...t-silver-tailed-grizzly-bear-of-orange-county

 

If I was riding solo in grizzly country, I'd have a canister of bear spray within arms reach. I've seen photos of people carrying them in a feed bag type thing on their handlebars. I know it gets debated plenty but I'd probably figure out some way to carry a firearm as well, probably a Glock 20SF 10mm. Luckily, I don't see myself being in that situation anytime soon. I've ran across bears in close proximity in Downieville (25 yards away) while walking back to our rental from dinner in town and on a trail outside Durango (3-5 feet away) while riding dirt bikes. Luckily, they were both smaller bears and the one in Durango was more scared than I was.

I will say that we saw bears, including a momma bear with two cubs, every day we rode in the park at Whistler last July. They were black bears and it wasn't until after I left that I heard about trails getting closed down due to grizzly activity. I rode the 'Comfortably Numb' trail solo and I was sure I was going to get eaten by a bear. I didn't see another human and every random sound was freaking me out.

 

If you go hiking anywhere in Yellowstone, they HIGHLY recommend it. In fact, they even RENT bear spray canisters at the shops in the park. If you drive out the northeast end via Cooke City, you will see signs saying "NO TENT CAMPING ALLOWED" at the campsites due to bears.

I am curious if any of you bike with knives? I just bought a small dive knife that I can attach to my hydration pack... but haven't determined whether I am being stupid or not. I ride back in the mountains by myself, often without seeing another individual for hours at a time. Never seen a mtn lion, though I have seen the tracks. Every now and then I'll be biking in near-dark conditions, and hear a large animal moving in the brush off to the side of the trail...

 

I always carry a very sharp folding knife with me when I ride and when I hike.

 

Being aware of your surroundings and alerting of your approach will be more productive than trying to decide what weapon you’ll bring to slay an enraged predator.

Slow down, especially where the trail is overgrown. That could have saved a life near Kalispell three years ago. Make lots of noise. Carry bear spray where you can access it. Use common sense. Don’t assume because someone got lucky with a knife that you will. Or a gun.

We tent camped in WY in a CG posted no tent camping due to griz. We had nowhere else to go, and how is another place up the road more safe? No issue.

 

I actually have a can of bear spray in the garage. Bought it for Yellowstone... and then realized they wouldn't let me pack it in my suitcase Doh!

 

This guy was my boss at the time of this grizzly attack. He won, but he did miss a few days of work as a result.

Last Grizzly in Colorado?

Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

That’s when he saw an arrow that had fallen out of his bow when the bear took him down.

“The broad head fortunately was pointed at the bear already. (I) Was on my left side. I just grabbed the arrow with my left hand then rolled from my side onto my back and at that point stabbed the bear, attempting to drive her off more than kill the bear.”

 

Guess you were lucky. Heeding warnings is probably a good idea. Glad there were no issues!

 

Maybe not the best night of sleep on the trip... A tough situation to comply. Nightfall on a bike tour, nearest other camping 20 miles away. The host got the gravity of our situation and let it slide.

Again, how much “safer” would it really be up the road, potentially alone? Still in the middle of griz country. Risks, sometimes, have to be assumed. Grizzlies had easy access to our/my tent for dozens of nights thru MT/ID/WY, in places no one would post a sign.

 

It would be an honor to share a tent with you and have to fight off a Grizzly together. I think we’d kick its ass.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!

Maybe a marmot...don’t underestimate the marmot...

 

The wolfie mask and paws alone would scare the damned thing away!