I lived in Kodiak Brown bear country in Alaska and grizzly country in Montana and North Idaho and I usually went hiking alone...knowing the risks.
It was just hard to come up with a hiking partner all the time, and I preferred to hike alone.
Ed
I can understand, but "knowing the risks" assumes responsibility and the state (this is OUR money folks) doesn't owe someone money for a mishap in dangerous country.
If this bear wouldn't have gotten him, a number of other life-threatening mishaps might have, risks he ran by going alone. Hell, he could have died easily from twisting his ankle or throwing his back out trying to pack the thing out. I don't ride alone in the wild country here, and we don't even have grizzlies...
All that said... I have real concerns and qualms if they're baiting bears.
I'm assuming you had a 'noise maker' in your pocket. Hunting whitetail in the UP of Michigan, you kick up a black bear on occasion. Those puppies climb trees.
well, at least your alive!
when we were up in British Columbia a few years back, there were articles in the local papers about an experienced hiker (he was handicapped in some way, but i can't remember how) who went out hiking alone and never came back. they had not found him by the time we left, so i guess SUMfin ate him.
while we were there, there were several sightings of mountain lions in the area.
lots a kool critters up north!
when we went hiking, we kept talking real loud so the bears would hear us and hopefully stay away.