I just returned from a 6-day backpacking trip in North Cascades National Park. We went up and over Cascade Pass, down to Stehekin for a visit to the Stehekin Pastry Company!

On the way there (and back) we visited Horseshoe Basin, which is an incredibly beautiful, jaw-dropping place and will merit its own series of images…but along the way we met up with a denizen of the forest…

We are resting at the trail junction with the spur trail to Horseshoe Basin and looking up I spotted a black bear headed right for us! Excited to have a chance to photograph her, I ran for the camera and started shooting.

Slowly I approached her, as she came down the last switch-back to the trail junction, wanting to have a clear image but not get too close. The trails form a sort of highway for many creatures in the park, it is certainly the easiest way to cover ground in the thick brush and mountain sides…

She approached the trail junction, and I am shooting (pictures!!!) like mad…and then I realized that she wanted to head down the trail where we were standing!

We started to say nice words to the bear, and backed up along the hill-side, waiting to see what she would do.

The bear stopped and considered, sizing us up…then she sort of resignedly continued down the trail, out of our sight while she traversed the slope just below us, then once passed our location, climbed back up the hill made it back on the trail and continued on her way up to Horseshoe basin…

We sat for a while, in wonder, munching our clif bars and then set off along the trail, after her…