Yellowstone biking + grizzlies?

Article in today's paper says 500 grizzly bears now in Yellowstone
Nat'l. Park, no longer endangered species there. I was planning to
drive there from Boston in Sept. and bike around in various parts of
the nat. park. Will I be the endangered species on back roads there?
Does any anti-bear spray work on full-size grizzlies? Or should I
just find another cyclist to accompany me, making sure it's someone
slower than me?

C.C.

wrote:
Article in today's paper says 500 grizzly bears now in Yellowstone
Nat'l. Park, no longer endangered species there. I was planning to
drive there from Boston in Sept. and bike around in various parts of
the nat. park. Will I be the endangered species on back roads there?
Does any anti-bear spray work on full-size grizzlies? Or should I
just find another cyclist to accompany me, making sure it's someone
slower than me?

C.C.


Distracted motorists, large motorhomes, and herds of bison grazing near
the road are all more likely to cause problems to cyclists than grizzlies.

mark

wrote:
Article in today's paper says 500 grizzly bears now in Yellowstone
Nat'l. Park, no longer endangered species there. I was planning to
drive there from Boston in Sept. and bike around in various parts of
the nat. park. Will I be the endangered species on back roads there?
Does any anti-bear spray work on full-size grizzlies? Or should I
just find another cyclist to accompany me, making sure it's someone
slower than me?

C.C.



Use common sense and grizzlies are not a problem. When camping, stow
your food and anything else that has a strong scent (soap, toothpaste)
in a bear box ... away from your tent. If you don't try to feed a bear
(inadvertently, as well), you've got virtually nothing to worry about.
Moose and bison probably pose more of a threat than grizzlies.

"From 1980 to 1997, over 47 million people visited Yellowstone National
Park (YNP). During the same period, 23 people were injured by bears. The
chance of being injured by a bear while in the park is approximately 1
in 2.1 million."
http://www.yellowstone-bearman.com/yell_bear_maul_info.html

Here's what you do need to be concerned with:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/press/0683.htm

Here's the only injury related bear incident from last year
http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/press/0630.htm

And here's what NOT to do:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/press/0685.htm

Annnnd ... it you haven't found this yet, I hope you find it useful:
http://www.cycletourist.com/Yellowstone.html

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

Thanks, Chuck. Good information and good advice.

C.C.

wrote:
Article in today's paper says 500 grizzly bears now in Yellowstone
Nat'l. Park, no longer endangered species there. I was planning to
drive there from Boston in Sept. and bike around in various parts of
the nat. park. Will I be the endangered species on back roads there?
SNIP

Yellowstone has very little in the way of back roads that I am aware
of. It's basically just the main figure-8 road, plus the entrance roads.
If you see grizz at all you will be very fortunate. Generally if they're
sighted they cause "bear jams" of cars stopping to observe. After a while
the rangers arrive and do whatever they can to minimize problems. You
will certainly have more problems with bison and motorists than with
either grizzly or black bears.


Bill

__o | How many wilderness areas do we need?
_`\(,_ | How many Brahms symphonies do we need?
(_)/ (_) | - Robert Marshall

mark wrote:

Distracted motorists, large motorhomes, and herds of bison grazing near
the road are all more likely to cause problems to cyclists than grizzlies.

Grizzlies can also be road hazards. A friend of mine hit one on a
bike trip through Glacier Park. He ended up in the hospital with
some serious injuries (the friend, not the grizzly).
--
terry morse - Undiscovered Country Tours - http://www.udctours.com