Yosemite National Park

"Yosemite Valley Black Bear"

March 2009, Yosemite National Park, California

I've had my share of bear encounters in the wild. This enormous black bear was by far the largest. Grizzly bears get much larger still, but they became extinct in California sometime in the 1920's. As far as black bears are concerned, this is about as big as they come. Even though they are called black bears, their color can vary. Over the years I've seen brown, cinnamon and of course black. I've been told that these bears can reach speeds of up to 30mph. That's a lot faster than any human can run, but like the old saying goes, "you don't have to outrun the bear - all that matters is that you run faster than the guy next to you".

Black BearCaliforniaDangerousIntimidationPredatorSnowWinterYosemiteYosemite Valley