I am trying to get my husband interested in thruhiking the PCT, but there is mention on the PCT website of grizzlies in some areas along the trail. My hubbie isn’t too keen on encountering a grizzly, so I was wondering if those of you who are more familiar with the trail could fill us in on where you might encounter grizzlies along the trail and how heavily populated they are. Thanks a lot.
Anne
The only place you might have any chance of seeing a grizzly on the PCT is in the northernmost section of the North Cascades. However, your chances of meeting one are so remote as to be non-existent. There are only a very few in that area, estimated at no more than 10-20. There is an enormous amount of rugged, isolated (no trails) backcountry for them to roam in, and they avoid people. http://www.nps.gov/noca/naturescience/grizzly-bear-research.htm
Neither California nor Oregon nor most of Washington have any grizzlies. Plenty of black bear, but no grizzlies. I’d be curious to know where you found mention of grizzlies on the PCTA site–I’ve never seen references to other than black bear.
grannyhiker
Hi Grannyhiker,
Thanks for your response. I thought that people had told us before that there really are no grizzlies on the PCT, but on the National Parks website for the PCT it does mention that they occur along the trail. I didn’t find any mention on the PCT Assoc. website, though. I just wanted to check with someone who knows the trail. Thanks for your input.
Anne
hmmm, I thought Grizzlies were “extinct” in the north 48.
I know there are some in BC so I guess they could somehow wander across but I thought they were in the far north of BC.
jalan jalan
From wikipedia:
The current range of the grizzly bear extends from Alaska, south through much of western Canada, and into portions of the northwestern United States including Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming, extending as far south as Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, but is most commonly found in Canada. It is argued by some that there still remains a small population in southern Colorado in the southern San Juan Mountains. In September of 2007 a hunter produced evidence of grizzly reinhabitation in the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem by killing a male grizzly.[5] Its original range also included much of the Great Plains and the southwestern states, but it has been extirpated in most of those areas. The grizzly currently enjoys legal protection in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and European countries. However, it is expected that its repopulation of its former range will be a slow process, due equally to the ramifications of reintroducing such a large animal to areas which are prized for agriculture and livestock and also to the bear’s slow reproductive habits (bears invest a good deal of time in raising young). There are currently about 60,000 wild grizzly bears located throughout North America.
jalan jalan
In '05 I saw Grizzly scat on the PCT in the Pasayton Wilderness about 30 miles south of the Canadian border. The scat itself was confirmed as Grizzly scat by a section hiker named “Raven” who currently lives in Winthrop, WA and has taken classes on mammal scat. I’ve never heard of anyone seeing a Grizzly on the trail though. Your chances of having an encounter are probably less than 1 in a 1000!
Happy Trails!
freebird
On the trail in 2006 I ran into a NPS wildlife biologist in North Cascades NP who told me there had not been a confirmed sighting of a grizzly in the park since 1996. They may be out there but you would be really lucky to see one.
You would have a much better chance of seeing a grizzly over on the CDT.
Paparazzi/PCT 06
Paparazzi