Following the closure of popular trails due to the sighting of mountain lions in Whistler and other places, and the emergency evacuation of the campsite due to a bear biting a tent in Yoho National Park, just last week, a couple was hiking on a popular trail and was followed and chased by a grizzly bear.
A Calgary couple celebrating their anniversary on the Troll Falls Trail in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, were stalked by a wild grizzly bear on July 19, but their wits helped them escape, prompting Alberta Parks to issue a new bear warning. Howard Mah and Lori Arnason had never seen a grizzly bear before, but this experience was one they would never forget.
On that day, they planned a short hike to celebrate their wedding anniversary. At first, they were immersed in the tranquility and serenity of nature, completely unaware of the danger approaching.
“I was walking in front of him, and he was behind me taking pictures of me,” Arnason recalled. “Then all of a sudden he said, ‘Lori, don’t move!'”
It turned out that Ma spotted a grizzly bear not far behind his wife, walking down from a clearing in the woods and approaching the trail they were on.
“I thought it would continue across the trail and leave,” the horse said, “but it turned and came towards us.”
Faced with the approach of the giant beast, the two men tried their best to stay calm and slowly backed away to avoid triggering the bear’s attack instinct.
“We knew we couldn’t run,” Ma explained, “and I happened to have my phone in my hand, so I quickly switched to recording.”
In the video, the bear can be seen approaching them, standing up several times, waving its front paws and snorting, and at one point running a short distance towards them, making the whole situation volatile. Despite their fear, Ma and Arnason did not panic. As the bear got closer—estimated to be only 15 meters at its closest—they decided to act.
Roaring out a way out “I remember someone said something about making yourself look taller,” Ma said, “so I raised my hands and roared at the top of my lungs.”
“After he did that, I stood next to him and yelled the same thing,” Arnason added. “And it worked!”
The grizzly bear eventually turned off the trail and disappeared into the woods, so the two men interrupted their trip and quickly returned to the parking lot to warn other tourists. They also submitted the video to Alberta Parks and assisted rangers in handling the follow-up. The park then issued a grizzly bear warning for the Troll Falls Trail, calling the incident a “bluff charge.”
This incident is not an isolated incident. On July 8, the Bill Milne Trail was also warned due to similar grizzly behavior. On July 11, the Rawson Lake and Sarrail Ridge trails were even closed because a grizzly bear with cubs charged at tourists.
Kim Titchener, a bear safety expert, said bluff charges usually result from a bear feeling threatened or suddenly disturbed. “If you’re walking in the woods without making any noise, it might think you’re sneaking up on you, which could trigger an aggressive response,” she said.
Looking back on the experience, Ma and Arnason admitted that they were too quiet during their hike. “We were immersed in nature, we didn’t talk much, and we didn’t make much noise,” Arnason said.
They also said they must carry bear spray when hiking in the future. “We originally thought that this road was crowded and should be safe, but now we know that we must be prepared at all times,” Ma said.
They hope that by sharing this experience, more tourists will be reminded to raise their safety awareness and avoid similar dangers. “When you’re alone on a forest trail facing a bear, unarmed, the feeling of helplessness is unforgettable,” Arnason said.