Working in bear country: How one Neapolitan spends her summers

It is 11 p.m. and I am preparing for work. I am toting a backpack, a large flashlight, and a canister marked “bear spray” in large red letters. Thus began my summer working in Glacier National Park.

I have always been interested in adventures that provide unique and personal memories. Having traveled throughout the world, I am now more interested in getting paid to escape Naples’ summers and, as the railroads use to say, “See America first.”

This was my third summer working in a national park. For two summers I worked in Yellowstone, the first and the “granddaddy” of all parks. It is a volcanic caldera with thermal features erupting in rainbow splendor. You learn quickly to watch where you walk. Equal caution is advised near the herds of bison and elk. Once chased by an elk, I can attest to how incredibly fast they run. Watching a wolf pack pursue an elk, with a grizzly bear waiting for the kill, equals any “survival of the fittest” African scene.

Glacier offers its own unique adventures. The scenery created by the presence and retreat of the glaciers is spectacular. Winter snows often linger until July when beautiful wildflowers border every trail. However, don’t be too distracted, this is bear country!

In order to fully experience Yellowstone or Glacier you must get out of the car and hike a trail. For most employees, hiking is a big part of the adventure. Although my only hiking experience was two miles at sea level, i was able to hike more than 100 miles each summer, often with a knowledgeable ranger.

So, what did i learn about hiking in bear country? Know the difference between a black bear and a grizzly. This can be tricky since it has nothing to do with color and you don’t always have much time to think. You can spook a black bear by waving your arms, yelling and, in one case, squirting his nose with a water bottle. However, any of the above will encourage a grizzly bear to attack. Faced with a grizzly, stop, back away quietly and don’t look at him directly. My reaction was to back to the nearest tree, hold my breath and hope that if I couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see me.

Getting between a mother bear and her cub is the worst scenario. On a June hike people behind us started screaming “Bears, bears, bears,” pointing in our direction. Not knowing whether the bears were in front or behind, I yelled at a mother to grab her two children. Spotting a sow and two cubs walking toward us, we stayed in place until the threesome slowly moved up the mountain. Later in the season, hikers had to spray one of these cubs with a whole can of bear spray to fend him off. However, potential danger should not deter hiking. Not hiking alone, being aware of your surroundings, and carrying bear spray are wise choices.

Island Park Lodging Hotels and Vacation Rentals - Gourmet Coffee ...

 For a great family vacation this summer, check out Island Park Idaho.   Island Park  is part of the greater Yellowstone caldera system, and is nestled  in the Targhee National Forest.   Plentiful rivers, lakes and waterfalls   afford  excellent outdoor opportunities,   such as   fishing, boating, water sports, white-water rafting and wildlife viewing.  Island Park ID is  jsut   a 1/2  hour drive to Yellowstone National Park, and the wildlife  found in Yellowstone can also be  seen   in Island Park, from  the bald eagle to grizzly bears and moose.    Island Park also has  man-made recreation as well, such as golf, tennis and summer stock theatre, and also has some beautiful   and scenic drives.   Mountain Biking and hiking enthusiasts enjoy the many miles of maintained trails also. 

Island Park Idaho is  a destination  of its own,   but since it is so close in proximity to Yellowstone’s  west   entrance, many Yellowstone visitors choose to find accommodations here .  There are a handful of  Island Park hotels from which to choose .  Angler’s Lodge is  a nice hotel    right on the Henry’s Fork river   in the Last Chance area, and provides rooms with 1-2 queen beds  which are priced   from $159-$179 for summer rates.    The lodge specialized in guided fishing trips.    In the Macks Inn area  is Macks Inn Resort, which provides   riverside   rooms  from $89-$140.  On the north end of Island Park, near the golf course,  is Sawtelle Mountain Resort.  This hotel provides 1-2 queen bed rooms  from $89-$119 nightly during the  summertime .  If you are   who demand   luxury in a hotel, about 45 minutes south of  Yellowstone is Henry’s Fork Lodge, with average summer rates of $400 per person per night.   3 gourmet meals per day are included in the pricing. 

If you  think   Island Park Idaho hotels may  cramp your style,  you may want to consider an Island Park vacation rental.    This is a great choice for larger groups especially,  who want to stay together and not be split up into multiple hotel rooms.  People also choose to go this route when they want more seclusion and privacy than a hotel offers, of for those who want the option of cooking their own meals.   Island Park cabins range  in price from  the mid $100’s per night to the mid $800’s   per night, depending on size, quality of lodging and amenities.

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