Bearpacker is Backpacker’s annual celebration of bear safety, science, and stories.
A rustling in the woods. A large, round footprint in the middle of the trail. Remembering at midnight that you left a Clif Bar wrapper in your pocket. It doesn’t take much to set your amygdala, the fear center of your brain, on high alert when you’re in bear country.
The idea of coming face-to-face with 3-inch claws, sharp teeth, and 650 pounds of muscular, hungry animal is enough to strike fear into the stoutest of hearts, and for good reason. After all, it’s not elk that rangers are chasing away from parking lots at Yellowstone with shotguns in hand or bighorn sheep they’re warning hikers to avoid during peak berry season. With their massive heft, impressive canines, and clawed paws that can do the most damage if not treated with the respect they deserve.
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