By Miles Pierce
The backpacking trip had ended in disaster.
It was meant to be a reset. He had just left his job and broke up with his girlfriend and the two weeks he planned in and around the Lassen Volcanic Park were meant to be the beginning of a fresh, new phase in his life. Jake had planned his route and food meticulously and looked forward to this solitary trek.
Ten days into his hike and deep in the backcountry, he ran into a decent-sized black bear while cooking dinner.
No stranger to the California wilderness, he took the necessary precautions and strung his pack and food up. He also went back to the shore of the lake to wash off any cooking smell he might have on his clothes and body, leaving the entirety of his gear tied up high off the ground with a bear line.
It wasn’t enough.
Continue reading The Bear Encounter: A story inspired by The Bear Trap