WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A GRIZZLY

‘Most likely they’re going to go the other way,’ says Wayne Kasworm, grizzly bear biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. ‘They don’t want anything more to do with us than what we want to do with them.’ But you should have a plan for when an encounter is unavoidable.

MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN

Talk (don’t yell) to alert the bear to your presence as you slowly back out of the area. If a bear is too close or doesn’t leave, do not run – that signals that you’re prey.

CARRY BEAR SPRAY AND KNOW HOW TO USE IT

‘Most charges come from 15 m or less. That takes [a bear] 1.6 seconds,’ says Neal Wedum, retired Glacier National Park ranger. Be prepared to deploy bear spray by practising pulling it from the holster and flipping off the safety (in an outdoor area) so it becomes an instant reaction. Carry the can in the same place on your belt or pack so you reach for it without thinking.

SPRAY IF CONTACT IS IMMINENT

Aim low, and spray even when the bear is beyond the can’s range (about 9 m) since they will run into the cloud. If that doesn’t stop a grizzly, Kasworm says, ‘play dead.’ Curl up or lie flat on the ground, protecting your neck and other vulnerable areas.