Bear Adventure at US Air Force Academy

 

Wildlife Adventure at the US Air Force Academy

We had a little excitement on our walk tonight!  We walked through the campground past the restrooms & down the slope to the tracks.  Our plan was to go along the railroad tracks & past the reservoir to the big train storage area where all the used railings are piled up and walk back up & around to the reservoir that way (almost 3 miles).  Just are the curve past the reservoir a bear cub ran from the tracks down towards up & started climbing the tree right next to us.  Then George saw Momma coming down the trail towards us and another cub ran towards us & up the next tree!  Momma was visibly upset and George started waving his stick around to make us look big, while I kept saying “we’re okay, we’re not gonna do anything, we’re backing away.”  Both of us kept our eyes on the bears and backed slowly down the tracks.  She paced us for about 100 steps up to the trees where the cubs were, but wasn’t growling or making any noises & then angled off into the woods.  We kept backing up while the cubs came down, then went back up.  We assume they were still wanting to watch us as we curved around the trail.  I was very proud, I didn’t pee on myself!  I didn’t get a picture of the 3 of them unfortunately, but it was certainly exciting!  We went up the road to the reservoir & looked down through the woods for a while, but never saw any sign of them.   It just happened that I had my camera in my hand – I had been playing with it – trying to see if it takes better pictures than the phone (it does).  So pictures aren’t great, but since it was in my hand & turned on, I at least got a few shots!