(GREAT FALLS) Glacier National Park on Monday lifted restrictions on tent camping in the Many Glacier Campground.
Camping for the last several weeks had been restricted to hard-sided camping only due to grizzly bear activity.
On Friday, June 29th, a small grizzly bear weighing about 150 pounds entered the Many Glacier Campground. It crossed a stream, entered a campsite, and compelled two campers to move away from a picnic table where they were cleaning two recently-caught trout.
One of the campers sprayed the bear with bear spray from a distance of 15 feet. The spray was unsuccessful in deterring the bear’s approach, and it proceeded to climb on top of the picnic table and consume the fish. It also sniffed, pawed, and bit two nearby backpacks.
Park rangers responded and used hazing techniques to encourage the bear to move out of the campground. Prior to its departure, it dug into two fire pits, sniffed picnic tables, a tent, and an RV with visitors inside. The park has not captured the grizzly bear involved in the incident, despite trapping efforts.
The park will continue to monitor for unusual grizzly bear behavior in the Many Glacier area. The same bear involved in the Many Glacier Campground incident was reported on the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail several days earlier. At that time the bear was not exhibiting aggressive behavior, but was reportedly unafraid of visitors.
The park takes a proactive approach to food storage, and urges visitors to follow proper food storage protocols to prevent bears from obtaining human food and becoming food conditioned. Over a two day period this last weekend, rangers made 19 contacts for food storage violations, issuing both citations and warnings. They confiscated 12 unattended coolers from parking areas, and moved unattended food to bear boxes at 2 campsites.
The park welcomes bear sighting reports from visitors at ranger stations to help monitor bear activity.
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