I Nearly Killed Myself!!!!!!!!!

So if you can imagine a hike as steep as the Preacher Hike but doing that three times in a row, both directions, UP and DOWN!!!! Plus you are rising 700 feet in just 200 yards in, you know you are going pretty steep!!! That was just the hike I did today with Casey and a bunch of other DWR employees and guests!!! We set out to find a bear den and it took about 3 and a half hours to reach a point where we can look for the den! It was literally was the hardest hike I have ever been on! Black Mountain will be a piece of Cake!!!!!

Once we reached a point where the experts could start looking for the den the rest of us sat down for a much needed breather. They use telemetry to locate to collared mother bear!!!! It was so B-E-A-UTIFUL!!!!!! We enjoyed just sitting there looking a the view!!!

Casey even got down in the hole that lead to the den!!!!

The Mama Bear sleeping in her den!!! It takes a while for them to get the babies out and to drag the mother out far enough so they can fix her collar and take measurements!!!

I even got to hold the baby bear!!! They are so cute and cuddly!!! One of the biologist said you are not a true biologist until you kissed a bear and I can say that I am a True Biologist!!!!

This is the second baby bear!!!! They are both boys. It was so much fun to be able to hold both of them! We had to keep them wrapped up in coats to keep them warm because they are use to being by their mother in the hole.

I think Casey really liked the Baby Bears too!

I think they are so stickin cute!!!!!!

This is the Mama Bear. They inject her with medication that causes her to be temporarily paralyzed. She was a pretty big bear!!! They had to stick her twice with the medication!!!! So she was not sleeping during this time, she was a wake, with her eyes open, she just couldn't move!!! And for those who are concerned..............even though we were touching and holding the babies, she won't abandon them!!!!

Even though I felt like I was going to die during the hike, It was worth it in the end!!!!