Bears, Oh My!

As a city girl born and raised in Los Angeles, I never saw too much wildlife growing up unless it was at the zoo. The occasional deer or coyote wandering around my crowded suburban town would always grab my attention, without a doubt. But for the most part, L.A. wildlife consisted of overly confident squirrels and fat pigeons threatening to steal a bite of your $12 avocado toast or almond milk smoothie.

Moving to the Rocky Mountains this summer, I knew nature was going to be a bigger part of my life than ever before. After all, that was one of the main reasons I did it! But I never would have anticipated seeing a formidable black bear my first day here. 

Strolling around nearby Lily Lake listening to music, I decided to take a detour onto Storm Pass Trail. I was used to the concept of taking "walks"or "strolls" in my suburban neighborhood, where the only thing to watch out for is passing cars. Little did I know,

There is no such thing as a casual walk in the Rockies! 

Mid-stride, I spotted the all-too-familiar side profile of a gigantic black bear about 50 feet away. After pausing just a second to take in its beauty, I slowly walked away and back down the path I had came from. What an experience to welcome me to the Rocky Mountains!

The Baldpate Inn is no stranger to diverse wildlife either. Check out this incredible video of three playful black bears finding their way into the Library and Key Room on one October night. They didn't do any damage to the place, just checked out our wondrous keys! Experiences like these remind me of the awesome and intimidating beauty of nature. Like a Curator cares for their collection, we should all be responsible stewards of the Earth. For ourselves and for us all. From The Baldpate Inn, have a bear-y good day everyone! 😉

Written by Danielle New

Museum Curator