On the trail...close...it's different!

This photo taken in GNP approximately two miles up the Grinnell Glacier trail, trailhead of which begins at the Many Glacier picnic area. Seeing bears from the safety of a vehicle, or watching them through binoculars from a distance, is all quite enthralling, but close encounters such as this put things in an immediate and unarguably different perspective, with the words "humble," and "vulnerable," becoming overwhelmingly relevant. This particular bruin was chowing down, and seemingly ignoring us; believe it, that no one tested how close this bear's approach limit was! I was glad to have a couple others on the trail with me, snapped two or three quick pictures, and was only too happy to be on my way! Photo by Vernon, June 24, 2008.