Here is the reason we need bear spray...

While in Wyoming recently Susan and I and a couple of the kids decided a hike up the Grand Tetons to Surprise Lake would be a great way to fill the day with some physical activity. Susan bought bear spray before the hike saying we would need it if we encountered a bear. I proceeded to make fun of her for buying it and when she told me it cost $40 I really could not believe she had spent that amount of money on something we would obviously not be needing.

Well we had been on the trail about 20 minutes when Susan informed us that there was a bear up ahead on the trail. After settling the kids down I got the bear spray out of the backpack and walked up the trail a little bit and sure enough there was a bear cub right in the middle of the trail. Bad sign indeed. If there is a cub then momma is around some where. The cub sat on the trail a minute and was soon followed by the mother grizzly and another cub. They finally got off the trail and after another group of hikers went up the trail we soon followed hoping the bears would eat them and not be hungry by the time they got to us.

It was a great hike and after 4 and a half miles of climbing we made it to Surprise Lake. The elevation there is almost 9800 feet and it was a tough hike but we made it. Susan was truly vindicated in her purchase of the bear spray as we actually saw 7 other bears on the way up and down the mountain.