BEARS

Were you living at Longmire Springs in Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park at the present time you might expect to be greeted thus; "Good morning -- are the bears bothering you yet?"

For each spring about this time members of the bruin clan shake off the shackles of hibernation and descend from their dens in the timber to various and sundry points that hold promise of a feed. Usually the first point to be rewarded by an early visit from bruin is the garbage pit (did someone say that the bears must know their vegetables?) -- not a savory thought but then the pit offers an a la carte cusine that spells nourishment at least. The first bear track of the year was noted here on March 21st and since that time many more have left their dens and begun to search for something to eat. In fact their tracks, which a few weeks ago were an object of interest, rarely cause comment at the present time.

About the springs here whose tepid waters melt the nearby snow and encourage early plant growth bruin finds another item of his early spring diet -- the root stalks of the Skunk Cabbage. Here the manner in which the marshy soil is stirred up given evidence that the bears have made the most of the opportunity which Nature, in the warm springs, has presented to them for the yellow stalks of the Skunk Cabbage were the first signs of plant growth to become evident at Longmire this year. All of us are revising our habits which have become lax during the winter -- the practice of leaving eatables in places where bears can take liberties with them for it won't be long now before, tiring of their spring fare, they will begin their regular visits to the back doors of the hotels and homes. And what a pest a hungry bear can be!

The first bear in Paradise Valley emerged April 16th, according to the caretakers of the Inn. Evidently the fact that 20 or more feet of snow still lies on the ground there did not discourage this fellow. Most of us would be content to sleep away the entire winter, under these conditions, if it were in our power to do so.