Bears On The Trails

Dale Matson

I have often been on a trail in the cool of the morning and seen fresh bear scat steaming in the morning sun. It never fails to make me feel somewhat discomfited. It seems that knowing that there is a bear close by but not knowing where, can often be more disturbing than actually seeing the bear, if there is distance between you and the bear. Distance provides a psychological cushion especially if you ignore the fact that the bear could cover that distance in a matter of seconds.

Bear scat with my cap for comparison

I am ambivalent about the absence of Grizzly Bears in the Sierras.  They once were prevalent throughout California but were hunted into extinction. They are represented on the California State flag. There is an excellent book on the Grizzly in California called, California's Day of the Grizzly: The Exciting, Tragic Story of the Mighty California Grizzly by William B. Secrest. With rattle snakes, black bears and mountain lions, however, there are enough apex predators to think about without considering the grizzly too.

In the past couple of years, I have run into several bears in Kings Canyon National Park. Two of the bears have been on the trail coming toward me. Last year I ran into a large black male on the first set of switchbacks that ascend along the Bubb’s Creek Trail heading east out of Roads End. This is a narrow trail on the exposed face of a cliff with a granite wall on the left and a steep slope on the right. About half way, I looked up to see the bear so close, I could see the flies on his face.

I was surprised that I wasn’t afraid even after breaking through the initial denial, “That is not a bear standing in front of me!”  We stood there facing each other and I decided it was too dangerous for me to walk below the trail. “Well, I’ll just take his picture.” While I slowly got my camera out and focused on him, he must have decided to go around below me. He then got back on the trail and continued down the trail behind me.

This summer, I headed out of Roads End again for an overnight at Charlotte Lake off the John Muir Trail. On my return leg, I saw a dark brown lump partially obscured by a large boulder beside the trail. It was not an ordinary wilderness color and got my attention. As I got closer, I realized it was a bear with her head behind a boulder. I stopped and whistled to let her know that I was there. She backed out and stood on the trail facing me. Then she started walking toward me.

Once again, I did not get off the trail. I was simply too tired for detours. Suddenly a cub came out from behind the boulder and started running past her toward me. I was not happy about this. The mother must have realized I was not a threat, wheeled around and walked away on the trail. The cub lost both his curiosity and courage at that point and fled back to the security of his mother.

They both eventually took a route perpendicular to the trail and I continued on. I believe she walked toward me initially to put herself  between me and her cub.

In both cases, I was not fearful and I didn’t try and drive the bears away with gestures and yelling. Is this the way to behave in a bear encounter? It was for me for those two bears. Neither bear seemed the least bit nervous or irritated. I have seen a mother bear circle back and begin to pace back and forth on another occasion.  That bear was nervous. She made me nervous also. Fortunately she eventually moved on. I don’t know if a bear can sense that you are not afraid or a threat but in both cases, I got good photographs. This summer (2013) seven people were attacked by black bears. I was glad that I was not one of them.

Here are some bear tracks in the snow on two different c.c. ski trips I took to Glacier Point from Badger Pass. My ski glove is in the first picture for comparison.

  

Bear On Hike To Cloud's Rest Yosemite   

Ten Rules for Wilderness Travel

Dale Matson

1. Remain oriented.  Don’t get lost in the first place. Use a map, GPS/compass and wristwatch. Pay attention to your surroundings. What is unique and distinctive? Was there a creek along the trail on your right outbound? Where will it be inbound? Is the highway perpendicular to the trailhead? Which direction are you heading on the trail away from the highway? 
2. Know your limitations. Your own ego is your worst enemy. Don’t succumb to summit fever. Things you step over outbound you may trip over on the return leg.
3. Everyone should have basic navigational skills. Lost people frequently began with a group and became separated. Put a good navigator in the rear too. Know your route. Is there water along the way to resupply?
4. Let someone know where you are going. Do not change your plans and hike a different area. Tell them you will call them when you are in your vehicle and headed home.
5. Stay on the trail. The trail IS the shortcut. Be careful not to follow the drainage from a trail (which can look like a trail) especially on switchbacks. Watch for blaze marks on trees along the trail.  Many trails are used in winter also and have tags high up in trees. Head out early to your destination if you are alone. People returning to the trailhead behind you are what could be called “trail sweeps”.
6. Mountains make their own weather. Be prepared for the worst but check the weather. If there is a storm coming cancel the trip. Winter driving itself can be dangerous. Rescuers are more at risk too. Air support is unavailable in a storm. Don’t put others at risk too.
7. Stay warm, stay hydrated and nourished and stay dry. Have these items with you at all times at a minimum. Know the essentials and have them in your day pack.  Always think of a day hike as a possible overnight. http://tinyurl.com/ten-essential-items-for-hiking (copy and paste in your browser)
8. Communicate with each other. Wait for people to catch up especially at trail junctions. The slowest person in a group will determine the pace.
9. Know when to turn back. How much time do you have? Check your watch frequently. Even If the trail is up outbound, figure on an equal amount of time required inbound.
10. When all else fails. Stay put unless you have to keep moving to avoid hypothermia. Stay in the open. Do not attempt to travel in the dark. The wind in the evergreens is not cars on a nearby road. Even if you are lost in the forest, you are probably safer than spending the night on the sidewalks of any major city.

Will I follow my own rules? I hope and pray that I will.

The Rim Fire

Dale Matson

“No arrests have been made, and the hunter's name is being withheld "pending further investigation," Forest Service spokesman Ray Mooney said. Investigators declined to release further details Thursday, including where he's from, whether they have interviewed him and whether there were other hunters involved.” http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24023173/rim-fire-blaze-was-started-by-hunter-an

(Paul Rodgers, San Jose Mercury News 09-05-13

It surprised me that there was no immediate claim about the cause of the fire by the U.S. Forest Service when the fire began in mid-August in the Stanislaus National Forest. My wife and I were returning from the east side of the Sierras via highway 120 over Tioga Pass on August 23rd when we saw the enormous smoke plume as early as the eastern gate of Yosemite. At that time 120 westbound was still open and the fire had not entered Yosemite Park.

It was initially reported that the cause of the Rim Fire was ‘unknown’. Then it was reported that the Rim Fire was caused by illegal marijuana growers. This reason was then denied because the area was too steep and there was no water source to grow the plants. Since that time the fire has been attributed to the illegal campfire of a ‘hunter’. It almost seems to me that government officials are reaching for a plausible cause that will also offer up a politically correct explanation and appeal to those opposed to guns. What follows is a quote from one of those who responded to the article in the San Jose Mercury News article written by Paul Rodgers. [Slightly edited]

“Hey, this response is to you, Paul Rogers, the author who wrote this article. Did you conduct any investigative journalism to validate/verify that this fire was started by a hunter? Have any of you in the media asked what an alleged hunter was doing in Zone D6 when hunting season isn't even open until Sept 21st? (Check the DFG regulations which are open for public viewing) I'd like to see the media produce some evidence...but no, they are just interested in narratives and story lines.

Could this be our failed government and the stupid media once again partnering to blame a terrible tragedy on gun owners? This is an endless effort to distort the truth and perpetuate myths in their mutual war on gun owners and gun ownership? If this alleged hunter was in Zone D6, "hunting", then he/she was there illegally and will get prosecuted for that. If an individual did start this fire, then I think they were at best a hiker or a stupid "poacher" and clearly not a law abiding hunter.” (Drew McLaughlin)

At this point, it remains a mystery to me that the individual(s) that started this fire has/have not been identified. Additionally, IF it was an illegal hunter hunting out of season, then the individual should be referred to as a poacher and not a ‘hunter’ and prosecuted accordingly.

In any event, I hope that the U.S. Forest Service will review their policy on the management of our national forests and not just pass fires like this off as caused by climate change and bad prior fire management practices. Privately managed forests have been demonstrated to be less fire prone because they are thinned and harvested. There is a Montana State University white paper on this that I no longer have access to.

Do we need to even rethink the concept of designating an area as “wilderness”? Fire policy in our National Parks where a U.S. Forest Service official told me confidentially that a “let burn” policy contributed to fires getting out of control in Yellowstone in 1988, burning over 800,000 acres.

A Time For Prayer

Fr. Dale Matson

“This evening, I ask the Lord that we Christians, and our brothers and sisters of other religions and every man and woman of good will, cry out forcefully: Violence and war are never the way to peace!"  Pope Francis

“Syria’s faithful Christians have suffered for many months.  We are reminded in Hebrews 13, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” I am calling the Anglican Church in North America to pray for protection for the Syrian Church, relief for those who are suffering and wisdom for the international community as they consider how to respond.” Archbishop Duncan Anglican Church North America

I humbly cry to You O Lord, restrain those in positions of power. Give them ears to hear the voices of those who seek peace. Let the cries of Your people be heard who are weary of war, violence, persecution and suffering. Give those involved in conflict hearts to negotiate. Protect the innocent and keep them from harm. Instill leaders with humility and patience. Give Your people hearts to pray and fast. Restrain the use of power and force in a futile attempt to punish others. Lord, find a home for those who are displaced; who have no place. Silence those who call for war, for bombs, for death. Give all Your people hearts of compassion and mercy. Let Your people see the good in others and embrace their right to live in peace and prosper. Lord, Let justice clothe herself in patience and wisdom gird herself with mercy. Amen

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)  

Communicating Mountain Emergencies

Dale Matson

Iridium 9575 (Extreme)

I am usually alone when I am in the mountains. Many would say that this is not prudent but this is reality. I would prefer traveling with trail companions but none are usually available. I usually stick to the trails and always let my wife know my travel plans. I copy extra maps of the areas in which I will be traveling and give her my itinerary. I’m not sure how closely the park and forest services monitor your itinerary on your wilderness permit.

Additionally, I have carried a satellite phone for the last ten years. On multiday trips, I call my wife every night to verify my location and confirm that I am well. There are some locations in the mountains where a cell phone will reach a distant tower but it would be foolish to assume that the cell phone is a reliable means of establishing an emergency connection.

Some would argue that having companions is better than a satellite phone and in some situations, this is probably true. I know of two situations in the last two years however that argue in favor of a satellite phone even when one has trail companions.

In the first case, two men were traveling off trail in the Sierra National Forest high country. The navigator fell and suffered a severe head trauma. His friend put him in a tent and went for help but was lost for quite awhile before he was able to get a rescue helicopter to take him back to his friend. In the meantime, his friend crawled out of the tent and over a cliff. The helicopter flew out his body.

In the second case a woman and two male companions were climbing a dome in the Sierra National Forest and she was cut severely while suspended and swinging from a rope. One friend went for help and the other stayed with her. By the time help arrived, she had perished.

I thought to myself on both occasions, if they had an emergency communicating device both people might be alive today. Additionally a person with an emergency device could help someone from another party if they had a problem.

Ten years ago Globalstar had good satellite coverage and I used their phones. The satellites prematurely degraded and I was left with a small communication window. Eventually they stopped charging me a monthly fee because they essentially had no phone service. Since that time they have developed the “Spot”, a small device (< 8 ounces) that will send one way messages to let people know your status. The purchase cost is relatively cheap and there is a subscription fee.

I bought a 9555 Iridium satellite phone and it had generally good coverage. I have run into problems in canyons. Sometimes a clear overhead sky is not enough.  Iridium has the most subscribers including most government agencies. The back country rangers in Kings Canyon have them and some use a solar charger to recharge the lithium batteries. Two way radios are not always dependable even with mountain top repeater towers. I was with the SAR team in Humphreys' Basin and they used my satellite phone to get out when the radios couldn't.

I recently traded in my Iridium 9555 for a 9575. The newer phone is a tad smaller, weighs in a little over 8 ounces, has a tougher case and is water resistant. It also has a red panic button that functions a lot like a Spot system. One nice feature is that it displays Latitude/Longitude. I pay the base monthly rate and per minute call rate. These phones can also be rented.  Some would say this is a lot of money. I call it a life insurance policy.  

Muscle: How Much Is Too Much Muscle?

Dale Matson

Well, the answer begins with, “It depends…..” This is a n=1 case study of a 69 year old man (me) that I think will generalize fairly well. I once talked with a trainer who was also a body builder and he argued that one could not have too much muscle. More muscle was better in any sport. I said, “What about those who run marathons? Wouldn’t that mean that Arnold Schwarzenegger could have run a sub 2 hour marathon”? He had no response.

I am an example of someone who has had muscle, lost muscle and gained some back for different reasons. When I graduated from High School, I weighed 160 pounds. In my early twenties, I was primarily a “poser”. The current meaning was not available then. I think we were called “players” then. I have an ectomorph frame and am 6’ tall. At that time I was 230 pounds, could military press 210 pounds and could do three sets of ten pull ups. I did no real aerobic exercise in addition to the weight lifting. Aerobic exercise wasn't really fashionable until Kenneth Cooper came along in the 1970’s.  I was very strong but would wake up at night with a numb arm. I believe I had increased body mass without increasing my circulatory system.

I was drafted into the army and quickly decided that basic training was not geared to the heavy folks. There are mesomorphs who are exceptions to this. I was in basic training with Ken Bowman a center for the Green Bay Packers. He was huge, fast and fit but even he would not set any marathon records unless he was in the “Clydesdale” category. We were tested in the mile run and needed to finish in less than seven minutes to pass. We ran everywhere we went. Since running is a gravity dependent sport (as opposed to swimming), I began to lose weight. By the time I finished advanced individual training (AIT), I weighed 173 pounds. Because of the other combat proficiency tests like the horizontal ladder, I maintained proportionate strength but was not nearly as strong as before. It was a worthwhile tradeoff.

After the Army, I gradually gained weight and was up to 220 pounds again at mid-life. I had begun to have health problems including high Cholesterol and high blood pressure. I decided to start exercising again and began walking two miles a day. Since my life motto is “Everything worth doing is worth overdoing” I eventually worked up to a marathon. I finished my first marathon (the American Odyssey) is Wisconsin in last place in 6:20. I was about 200 pounds by then. It was obvious that my weight was the primary limitation. More and more I thought about my high school weight as proper for my frame.

After that I got into trail running and ultra-marathons. Eventually, my weight dropped to 185 pounds and I could finish a marathon in less than four hours. I also realized that at age 50 I would have to be at 160 pounds to meet the 3:30 qualifying time for the Boston Marathon. I qualified and ran the 100^th anniversary Boston Marathon.

I wanted to finish the Western States 100 mile endurance run and finally finished after three tries at age 57 (20001) at 160 pounds. I was about seven percent body fat. 160 pounds is my optimal running weight but I began having trouble opening my friction fit windows in my house. I took on the challenge of the Hawaii Ironman (I was a lottery winner in 2004). In my training for Ironman, my weight increased to 165 pounds because of the upper body muscle developed by weight training and needed for swimming. I was still about 7 percent body fat.

As I age, it is also becoming evident that my heart and lungs are not as robust as they once were. This is another reason to keep my weight down. I still lift for upper body strength but my lower body is developed by running, biking, swimming and cross country skiing. I find that backpacking using trekking poles also is a great endurance workout. This summer, my weight is just below 160 pounds but my body fat is down to 5 percent. Climbing at altitude with a pack is quite a workout.

The point I am making is that each person has a particular frame size, V02 Max, sport and optimal weight. For the ordinary person like me to optimize my performance in endurance events, I need to be at my ideal weight. It only varies by about five pounds. It is exercise (and diet) that primarily shapes my body. I am no longer a poser. My training is directed to my real life activities. I can still do three sets of six pull ups. What I do now is directed less to competition and more to being in the Sierras.

If you play contact sports and are younger then that is another story for someone else to tell. Even in football there is room for the lean individual but that depends on the position he may play.

My Favorite Fresno County CA Mountain Passes

The Cover Photo Is Kearsarge Pass Looking West

Often my civilian and clerical lives merge. As a cleric there is a kind of prophetic mindset. By this I don’t mean future telling as much as stating what is obvious but hidden. I don’t mean this in a critical sense either because it is all too easy to distort the prophetic role into that of a critic or simply a grumbler. The older we become, the easier it is to do this. At my age one has to be intentionally positive.

 It is obvious to me, that most of the world, including Fresno County California residents, is not aware of the beauty that lies hidden in the mountains and wilderness of Fresno County. Much of this beauty is found along the wilderness trails of eastern Fresno County. We have become a nation that drives to beautiful places. The places I am referring to are not accessible by automobile. John Muir understood the importance and the need for humans to spend time in the wilderness. There is a twofold effect of immersing oneself in the wilderness. We need to be freed from the distract white noise of civilized living and once again attune to and reacquaint ourselves with the primitive sounds and smells of the wilderness. Once we have ‘acclimatized’, we have eyes to see and ears to hear once again. We are not blocking things out. We are taking things in.

I wrote this book to share what I have discovered in Fresno County California with those who are not familiar with her rugged beauty. It may seem odd to some that the combination of rock, trees and water can be so varied and wondrously beautiful. The primary purpose of this piece is to pass on beauty that is difficult to access and rarely shared in color in a digital format or black and white on the printed page. It would be too costly to produce a color version in paperback.

I am thankful that my health and fitness level allow me at the age of sixty nine, to continue to take on the effort required to find and experience the mountain passes that I am sharing. There is an emotional lift to reaching these high places where most will linger to chat with other mountain pilgrims. This work then is both educational and a sharing of the beauty that I have been able to capture in photographs. I hope others will be attracted by the beauty and see first-hand for themselves. I have offered suggested routes which are rough guidelines that are not intended to take the place of detailed maps. A wilderness permit from the agency that controls the entry point is required for all wilderness travel that requires an overnight stay.  For those of you who are unable to travel the trails, this is an opportunity to see the beauty from your chair. Someday it will be the same for me.

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” John Muir.

Fr. Dale Matson September 2013 

the book is available on Kindle now in color and will be available in paperback sometime this week.