Close Encounter: Bear Follows Hiker Along Mount Rainier Path
A man documented the moment a black bear began following him while hiking down Mount Rainier, Washington, on Saturday, July 16.
Video recorded by Yuriy Trebushnoy shows the bear following him while Trebushnoy walks backwards holding a canister of spray.
Trebushnoy told Storyful the bear followed him for approximately three minutes and got as close as ten feet.
In a Facebook post to the page Washington Hikers and Climbers, Trebushnoy said that he only wielded the spray as precaution and that the bear did not appear to be aggressive.
“I know that you can read a lot about what a bear is going to do based on their body language, seeing the bear not showing any signs of fear or nervousness I knew he wasn’t curious about me,” Trebushnoy told Storyful.
Trebushnoy said that once he descended the mountain he notified other hikers and park rangers about the bear’s activity. Credit: Yuriy Trebushnoy via Storyful
Video Transcript
YURIY TREBUSHNOY: So I ran into this bear on the trail. I'm just walking slowly backwards, making sure he doesn't look too cross. Keeping my distance. I've got to find the place where I can get off the trail, so he can cross. Here's calm, calm, calm for the most part. But I've got to find a place wide enough where I can let him cross comfortably.
[BACKGROUND NOISES]
Hello, bear. How you doing? There we go. Nope. He's trying to do the same thing, find a place where he can get off trail, because he doesn't want to be near me, just like I don't want to be near him. There we go.
[BACKGROUND NOISES]
OK. So that's not good enough for him. Let's see. He's still following me, but I can tell he's trying to get out off trail. Hey, bear. Because he doesn't want to be near me. He's just trying to go where he needs to go. There you go. Just got to let him pass, but this is just in case. Good job. Now, you can get back on trail, if you want to.
