Day 66: Cute!
With ongoing fine weather we were up early again and hiking by 6 o’clock.
The deer that had kept us company overnight had also enjoyed licking OG’s hiking pole straps. He was not impressed and cut the straps off with a knife!
We passed many hikers today, sat with a group of other north-bounders at morning tea and lunch and then this afternoon and this evening we have passed a large group who are all heading south. All those we asked have reported that the snow ahead of us is not too bad so we feel encouraged by that news.
Our big excitement happened this afternoon as we commenced a descent on a path winding around the side of a mountain. I heard a loud crashing of some large animal down the hill from us and strained to see if maybe an elk or deer was moving there but the undergrowth was very dense and I couldn’t see through it. Then there was a scraping in a tree not too far down the hill and I caught a glimpse of black fur. I called to the others and watched as two little bear cubs climbed, racing each other up the tree right in front of us. Rob snatched a photo as one sneaked a last peek at us before disappearing to the other side of the tree. We watched just a minute more then moved on, realising that the loud noise I first heard would have been the mother bear and that she was probably still watching out for the cubs at the base of the tree.
26 miles today so just a few miles to the highway, where we hope to get a lift into Dunsmuir.
OG reckons they like to lick the straps because of the sweat on them. He doesn’t use the straps when walking and planned to cut them off anyway.
Glad you didn’t meet the Three Bears – the littlies must have been a lovely sight, though.
A paddle in icy water must have been refreshing for your feet.
Oh how cute to see the little bears, and get a photo, but that does mean mumma is not far away, that’s a scary thought. Curious as to why OG cut the straps off after the deer licked them?