Re: [pct-l] Grizzly

[Dan L Simenstad <whair96@juno.com>]

>:Griz in the San Juans? Rumor or otherwise, I'm glad to hear about 
>this. 
 
 In 1994 I was Elk hunting in the San Juan Mts about 15 miles west of
Monte Vista, CO.( 10 miles or so from the Continental Divide)  On the
first day I was at about 10,000' and suffering from a slight case of
altitude sickness having driven from Mpls ( 800') the previous day. 
After sitting on a log pretty much motionless for about 30 minutes
waiting for some aspirin to kick in I saw a bear walking straight for me
as if not knowing I was there.  When it aproached about 70' away I could
plainly see it's head was wider than it's shoulders and the trademark
hump on it's back.  I guessed it's weight to be around 500 lbs which also
is rather large for a black bear.  So I figured it to be a 3 or 4 year
old grizzly.  As it continued towards me I could only think of one thing
to do to scare it off if got much closer and that was to fire a warning
shot into the air.  I clicked the bolt down on my rifle which somehow had
been slightly raised and this was enough noise to send the bear bolting
towards a 100' bluff.  When it reached the bluff it began to climb it as
though it wasn't there. Very gracefull.  20' feet from the top it stopped
and stood broadside for about 1/2 a minute then on it went. I was indeed
awestruck. I told the story to a local artist in Alamosa and he said that
there had been several grizzly sightings in that area.  So I do believe
there's grizzlies roaming on or near the CDT in the San Juan mts.    

Eat a live toad first thing
in the mourning and nothing 
worse can happen to you
the rest of the day.  	Dan		

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