a***@gmail.com
2020-01-09 06:57:37 UTC
Jan 9, 2020
I’m not sure if anyone in this group will see this. But, tonight for the first time in all these years I looked up this tragic story. I was the first of 3 people who encountered the Scouts after this happened. As I hiked with my backpack up the the Halfdome cables, someone passed me and said, some Boy Scouts stones to death a bear.
Horrified I kept going up the trail and it wasn’t long before I came across 2 Rangers. It was a somber morning hearing what happened. Being that it was before smart phones and social media, no one took pictures to document. I had my 35mm but never even thought it because back then we were so in the moment, angered & sad that this happened.
I had not been very far away camping. And I know I had a bear visit my campsite also. The thing is...if you make loud noise they will go away. All the times I had been there, I had never felt the need to pick up a stone. It was always clang pans & yell.
This incident has kind of haunted me over the years. It could have turned out even worse if the mother bear turned on these people. But to me...this was needless. There was no doubt that morning, to me, the leaders overacted and did not do what in my opinion was the proper thing. While I’m thankful I didn’t walk up on a person dead. I certainly do not think that would have happened. And it is I’m embedded in my head picturing a small bear was needlessly stoned.
Hopefully the Scouts are taught better skills for wilderness camping. And I really hope those Leaders & Scouts are now working in the forestry, National Parks or in life doing something worthwhile giving back to humanity. If nobody reads this...I’m good with that. But it’s been something I’ve thought about all these years and it’s good to release it. Nothing could be done.
I’m not sure if anyone in this group will see this. But, tonight for the first time in all these years I looked up this tragic story. I was the first of 3 people who encountered the Scouts after this happened. As I hiked with my backpack up the the Halfdome cables, someone passed me and said, some Boy Scouts stones to death a bear.
Horrified I kept going up the trail and it wasn’t long before I came across 2 Rangers. It was a somber morning hearing what happened. Being that it was before smart phones and social media, no one took pictures to document. I had my 35mm but never even thought it because back then we were so in the moment, angered & sad that this happened.
I had not been very far away camping. And I know I had a bear visit my campsite also. The thing is...if you make loud noise they will go away. All the times I had been there, I had never felt the need to pick up a stone. It was always clang pans & yell.
This incident has kind of haunted me over the years. It could have turned out even worse if the mother bear turned on these people. But to me...this was needless. There was no doubt that morning, to me, the leaders overacted and did not do what in my opinion was the proper thing. While I’m thankful I didn’t walk up on a person dead. I certainly do not think that would have happened. And it is I’m embedded in my head picturing a small bear was needlessly stoned.
Hopefully the Scouts are taught better skills for wilderness camping. And I really hope those Leaders & Scouts are now working in the forestry, National Parks or in life doing something worthwhile giving back to humanity. If nobody reads this...I’m good with that. But it’s been something I’ve thought about all these years and it’s good to release it. Nothing could be done.