Running News Daily

California runner almost collides with group of bears on trail

A California woman lived every trail runner's nightmare

Having a run-in with wildlife goes hand in hand with trail running, and it’s part of the risk you take when you’re trekking off the beaten path. Every trail runner’s worst nightmare is encountering a bear, as they can pose a significant risk to humans if they feel threatened.

Laura Gold of Los Angeles was out alone for a run on the Mount Wilson Trail in California’s Sierra Madre Mountains when she turned a corner and found that she had some unexpected company. Not one, not two but three bears were on the trail, less than 10 metres ahead.

Thankfully, Gold came to a halt before potentially colliding with Momma Bear, and kept her footing on the narrow trail. Once Gold made eye contact with the bear, she started to backtrack, and the momma bear’s maternal instincts took over, as she stepped toward Gold. According to Gold, a hiker soon arrived, and together they scared the family off into the valley.

“Once I saw her, I stopped as fast as I could and almost slid down the mountain doing so,” wrote Gold on Instagram. “Once I saw the cubs, I knew I wasn’t safe.”

Gold said she was trying to remember what she’d read about how to deal with a bear encounter, but did not have bear spray with her. “The Momma bear continued to charge toward me until the hiker came and helped scare them away,” wrote Gold.

Bears are known to be unpredictable, especially if they are around their cubs. We’ll assume this will be the last time Gold heads out on a trail run without bear spray.

Earlier this summer, two hikers and their dog were killed by a bear in Banff National Park in Alberta. The Parks Canada response team was called via Garmin InReach GPS, but due to inclement weather, they arrived on the scene too late.The U.S. Wildlife Service and Parks Canada both recommend that people carry bear spray at all times when on trails and know how to use it. They also recommend that all runners and hikers watch for signs of a bear, such as tracks and droppings.