This piece is not about the politics of bears, but about the philosophy of bears. This is not to debate whether or not the Black Hills has a bear population, but simply to accept the possibility. How does this prospect affect our interaction with the outdoors?

 

Should the chance of sighting a bear keep us from enjoying the forest? No, it should not. It’s possible that bears could add to our outdoors experience. Being in nature, the forest, should not be as tame of an experience as sitting in your front yard. Knowledge of bears makes the forest seem wilder, more apart, than our day-to-day existence.

 

Many states have resident bears, New York, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota and Montana, to name a few. Like South Dakota, those states have areas of state and/or national forest in which thousands of people camp, hike, boat, hunt, and fish. They know there are bears, they expect bears; they act accordingly. There are precautions people take when they spend time in bear country, which do not detract from the outdoors experience. The forest, the river, the mountain, the bear are bigger than you. You are not the center of universe; it doesn’t hurt to realize that once in awhile.

 

The celebrated wildlife photographer Michio Hoshino wrote this passage about the existence of bears in Alaska:

“If there wasn’t a single bear in all of Alaska . . . I could hike through the mountains with complete peace of mind. I could camp without worry. But what a dull place Alaska would be!

“Here people share the land with bears. There is a certain wariness between people and bears. And that wariness forces upon us a valuable sense of humility. . . And how precious these places, these bears are.”

 

A bear population in the Black Hills need not send us fleeing indoors; it should send us outdoors into a forest ripe with possibility.

 

 

*Passage cited from The Blue Bear by Lynn Schooler.

Ever since we moved to our Custer home, which is situated across the road from a pond, I wanted a canoe. Finally, after two years, I bought a used canoe this spring. Not that I knew how to canoe, but my desire silently paddle about the pond was strong. After I became proficient, I was pretty sure I’d haul the canoe to nearby Bismarck and Center Lakes and do more “serious” canoeing.

 

My 13-year-old daughter, who had been canoeing once at Outlaw Ranch, taught me how to canoe. Whereas I was little nervous about tipping it over and “landing in the drink,” she was very calm and happily took the bow position in the front. We both wear life jackets and are strong swimmers (perhaps not graceful, but strong), and the pond isn’t that deep, but it’s got a mucky bottom and a lot of algae – I had no desire to slog out of the pond looking like Medusa on a bad day. Well, we didn’t tip it, and pretty soon I got the hang of it. She was a great instructor.

 

I have yet to “seriously” canoe on a lake; it’s such fun just to paddle around here. Maybe we’ll get around to it yet this summer, but if not, we’re happy gliding about watching the ducks, geese, herons and trying to catch glimpses of the turtles.

Did you see the full moon last night? It was such a deep yellow color — looked like a big wheel of cheese!

Escape the crowds on the Harney trails and take a less-traveled route, Sunday Gulch. For some reason, the trails up Harney are always busy, but nearby Sunday Gulch is much less populated. The trailhead is at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park; follow the trail around the lake back behind the dam and there you’ll see the trailhead sign.

 

The gulch is a 2.8 mile loop where the most strenuous terrain is right away at the beginning. To descend into the gulch, you’ll walk over large boulders with handrails and go down stairs. All the while, water is rushing merrily alongside you. This is fairly steep, rough ground, but since you’re going down, it’s not too difficult for kids (people with poor balance or knee-replacement surgery may want to forgo this one).

 

The soaring granite walls alongside this section of the trail are magnificent, and everything is covered with moss. Once down in the gulch, you’ll cross and re-cross the stream several times, sometimes on small footbridges and other times on rocks. The rest of the trail isn’t flat, but probably only moderately steep in spots.

 

Kids seem to enjoy this trail a great deal, perhaps because of the running water which adds an element of interest, but also because it’s a loop and you don’t retrace your steps back over the same terrain.

 

Take plenty of water since by the time you walk along the lake to the trailhead, plus hike the gulch loop, you will have gone over three miles. Have some snacks as well, because there are many boulders and logs along the trail on which to take a break.

Hiking is not difficult, nor does it have to be an expensive endeavor. A few simple items make hiking with the family more enjoyable. I can’t count the times I’ve seen people hiking in flip flops or without any water. Injuring your feet or being thirsty are sure-fire ways to ruin the experience. So let’s go over the basics:

 Water: Everyone in your party should have water; a good rule of thumb is one quart for every hour spent hiking in hot weather. At least have a bottle of water per person! For people who intend to do a lot of hiking, consider a Camelbak, which is a water reservoir in a backpack. Kids can carry their own water more easily and drink directly from the attached hose. However, don’t think you must have one immediately and run right out and buy one – they’re an investment that’s worth it IF you go hiking often.

 Shoes: Hiking in flip flops and crocs is a good way to get an injury. Wear sturdy lace-up shoes and socks. You don’t have to have hiking boots; they can be expensive, and honestly, kids grow out of them so quickly they may only be able to wear them a few times. Tennis shoes are fine – just remember they’re not waterproof if you will be crossing streams. I wouldn’t recommend basketball shoes because they have very little traction and slip dangerously on rocks.

Now that we’ve covered the two most important points, there are a few other items that will make hiking more fun and safer for you and the kids.

 Snacks: Easily packed snacks make the difference between a fun outing and a whining/crying meltdown (hey – I’m talking about myself!). Nobody likes to hike hungry. Granola bars, cookies, trail mix, PB&J sandwiches, apples, and muffins are all easy to carry and don’t have to be kept cold. Just remember to pick up any trash.

 Other Stuff: A few small items can make a big difference!
• A small first aid kit with band aids, gauze padding, alcohol wipes, and antibiotic cream.
• A map of the area, the US Forest Service has free trail maps of all their major trails, check at any USFS information office. Custer State Park has a trail map in their Tatanka magazine, which you get at any park entrance. I get a couple of copies, tear the map out of one and put it in my pack.
• Sunscreen, chapstick, and bug repellent. You’re going to be outside for a few hours – it will come in handy. Keep in mind that these items can be shared by the whole group, and all of these can be fit into a small pack.

Now that the basics are covered, get out there!

The idea for this blog came about after reading two particular books this summer. The first was Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, which addresses children’s lack of proximity to nature. Louv’s book outlines how disconnected our children have become from nature, and thus they either fear or romanticize it. We can blame TV all we want, but we, as parents, have allowed this to happen. It’s time to change the tide.

The second book was Going Alone: Women’s Adventures in the Wild, edited by Susan Fox Rogers. Reading this book I thought, “Is it so notable for women to be outdoors by themselves that they wrote a book about it?” Then I took a look at myself and considered how often do I “go alone?” Not often. While I run and walk on forest service land close to my Custer home almost daily, I didn’t set out for a day hike without my daughter and/or husband along. So this summer I changed that and have started taking solo hikes. (Note: To me, spending a couple of hours walking along forest service roads near my house isn’t a hike, it’s a walk, and I often do that alone.)

So WildMom will address the two prongs of women and the outdoors: getting out there with our children and getting out there by ourselves. I hope you will join me on this adventure!