Coming face to face with a grizzly bear was the last thing a Calgary couple had in mind as they hiked along a popular mountain trail in southern Alberta.
Lori Arnason and Howard Mah had planned a short hike Saturday through Troll Falls in Kananaskis to celebrate their wedding anniversary when they got the scare of a lifetime.
“We picked what we thought was a pretty nice little hike,” Arnason said, adding the trail was unusually empty when they got there.
About halfway through the trek, Mah pulled out his phone to photograph his wife. As she walked ahead, he noticed a bear to her left in a meadow.
“I knew right away it was a grizzly, even though I've never seen one before in real life,” Mah said.
The couple said they knew not to run and kept their eyes on the bear while slowly walking backwards.
“My hope was that perhaps he would just lose interest or whatever and just move off the path eventually,” Mah said.
However, the bear continued following the couple. In a video captured by Mah, the bear can be seen growling while lunging and standing up on its hind legs.
“After that, we kind of quickened our pace,” Mah said, adding the encounter lasted for several minutes off-camera.
When it seemed like the bear wasn't going to give up, the couple tried to scare it away by raising their arms and roaring as loud as they could.
The animal finally jumped off the path and was gone.
“There were times when my life actually did flash before my eyes and thinking, ‘OK, is this, is this going to be how it ends for us?’” Arnason recalled.
Once they approached the parking lot, the couple warned incoming hikers of the bear.
Next time, they'll take extra precautions, they said. And carry a horn.
“The lesson is that no matter what, you should be prepared,” Arnason said.
