You probably knew all along that bears make trails. I didn’t know. So, when the expedition leader mentioned the opportunity to walk a bear trail at William’s Cove, I took notice. The trails in Sitka are beautifully maintained by forest services. A bear trail is not that, there are no convenient wooden planks over streams and bogs. It is created by repeated comings and goings of bears over the years. It is a rough trail, overgrown in some places, perhaps there a little more bear scat than normal. Otherwise, imagine the rainforest, the forest floor is bouncy due to years of fine leaf deposition, from the spruces and hemlocks, then the perpetual rain allows mosses of various kinds to flourish. The undergrowth still has occasional fruit on the bunchberries, watermelon berries, red -berried elders and devil’s clubs.
One of the zodiacs drop us on the shore of William’s Cove, the bear trail is just behind the camera
Apparently, bears like building trails next to waterbodies, just one tree deep into the forest. Our bear trail is just the other side of the first tree.
We walk up the beach, stepping on live barnacles while Jim, our expedition naturalist, repeats the words of wisdom on things to do in case of bear sighting. By this time, I have started imagining bears as they head out from their caves, the momma bear telling her cubs, what to do in case of human sighting.
First view from the trail
Jim pointing to an elderberry tree. He shares a charming story about a canoeing trip where elderberry trees line the canyon walls and his friend’s childhood memories of batter fried elderflowers.
Tree conks. If I were a bear cub, I would be tempted to use them as footholds to climb up.
I imagine I am crossing these fallen trees like a bear would?
Yes, it is a distinct trail. I imagine the trail made by my mother, and her mother before her. My siblings have walked the trail before me. And my children will walk with me and their children will walk after me.
Locomotoring 
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