Well, this is timely! My daughter and I were out all day Sat. and Sat pm on a LONG ride to see if her mare was ready for the AR ride this weekend! And came back in the dark! We rode up from Granite Bay, had lunch/dinner and went out again around 5pm. Since it was so very hot that day we took our time which brought us back into the Overlook around 9:45pm. It was already dark out of Cool, (our last stop) and we rode about 1 hr. 45 minutes in the dark w/a little moon. No sign of bears nor did we hear anything thank goodness as it would have been harder to deal with. I do carry pepper spray. Horses were fine and we walked in the last 2 miles from the last spring past the waterfall pretty slow and relaxed. (It was really dark in there). So the bears must have not been in the area at that time.
This was just Sat. we went thru about both at 5-6pm going out, and back 9:30-9:45pm (we were doing part of the Olmstead Loop).
Horses didn't seem spooky or stop and sense anything so I guess we were lucky.
Actually, it was a wonderful ride. The small moonlight on the river then looking up to see the stars. So I guess ignorance is bliss. We hadn't heard of any bear sightings since the fall where there were two bears not acting quite right and we too were concerned and contacted the rangers. That was a busy Saturday w/as you mentioned even kids and parents w/children in baby strollers.
There was a young man on the bridge when we crosssed but we were leary of him. He had asked if we'd see two women w/ababy. We didn't and told him so, but he gave me the creeps and we just trotted by as we were on the bridge. I was more afraid of the two footed creatures.
Thank you for the warning. I hope all will be okay for the AR ride coming up.
Is there a website for the runners so they can be forewarned?
I'm sorry your horse got scared. Some do at bear scent. My mare is fine w/bears and is curious about them, but she certainly gets frightened at Mt. Lion scent.
What day was the day fellow was scared last week? Gosh, if the bear was on that side Sunday I hope it hadn't been tracking us that night.
kathie
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