Comments on: Night Of The Grizzlies

By: Jim Olson

Jim Olson — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:30:50 +0000

Bert, and #24 Ben Rankin.
Thank you both for the information that I was looking for. Bert, thanks for responding via e-mail so quickly. It is an excellent telling of the events. It seems to give a visual picture to those who have read Jack Olsen’s book, but have never been to either location in person.

Thanks again

Jim

By: Ben Rankin

Ben Rankin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:55:24 +0000

Jim,

Here’s a link to the entire documentary…

http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/16992/grzz_20110503_full_program

I just finished reading “Night of the Grizzlies” last night. I’ve always enjoyed the Nevada Barr series of books, but fiction pales in comparison to this heartbreaking story. I was expecting a book about grizzlies, but I took away more about mankind from this book than the great bear.

Ben

By: Jim Olson

Jim Olson — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:35:16 +0000

I have applied for several different NPS jobs in Glacier this year and it got me thinking about the events of 1967. I have spent 34 summers in the park, and have hiked most of the park over the years. I agree that over the years that the the NPS has drastically improved procedures, and practices to reduce unfortunate encounters with bears in the park. I have seen many many bears, and have had 3 close encounters of the grizzly kind. I always carry bear spray, though I have never had to use it. To me the best defense from attacks is to educate ourselves. (make ourselves bear smart) I would like to know how to obtain a copy of the PBS documentary on the night of the grizzlies. I have never seen it. Thank you.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:56:08 +0000

I’ve just learned of the passing of Roy Ducat (Julie Helgeson’s partner at Granite Park) in July. Very sad news. RIP, Roy and Julie.

By: Ken Zifer Sr

Ken Zifer Sr — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:28:13 +0000

WOW We watched the documentary on WUSF TV Channel 16, we have watched it 4 times and shared it with our family.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:18:40 +0000

Does anyone know if there is a memorial for Julie at the chalet? I’ve long been interested in bears and have always felt somehow connected with these two girls. I would love to visit these areas of Glacier one day to pay my respects to Julie and Michele and maybe to better understand that connection with them.

By: Brent Hudson

Brent Hudson — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:21:39 +0000

In the summer of 1967 I was a young Marine stationed at MCRD San Diego Cal when I heard about the the events at Glacier Park. After I was discharged from the Marine Corps in late 69 I applied for a job with the USFS and secured a job in Thompson Falls Montana in 1970. One of the first things I did when I had a chance was to hike into both Trout Lake and Granite Park Chalet. Untill I had made the hike into Tout Lake with a friend I had never seen a Grizzly in the wild. We made our camp at the old camp site. My friend was busy fishing from the log jam and I was walking the trail to Arrow Lake looking for a fresh water stream for camp water when I heard my friend yelling my name and Grizzly! I ran back to camp, a Grizzly had walked onto the log jam from the other side of the lake. What had alerted my friend of the bear’s presents was when it slipped off the log and into the lake. It then swam to the other side and and walked the lake shore toward Arrow Lake. We had broken Park rules as I had a .44 mag handgun in my pack and my friend a .357. We had no intentions of suffering the same fate as those poor Girls had in 67. We had no futher bear sitings and hiked back out the next day.
In 1975 I moved to Alaska and became a big game guide. In 2000 while working as a Safety officer on a construction job on Kokiak Island I was attacked and mauled by a large Male Brown Bear. I survived the mauling and continue to guide here in Alaska.
Brent Hudson

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:54:49 +0000

Dear Bert, very ineresting site. Congratulations on your involvement w. “Night” and your site and outdoor activities. Will read further later.
Am rereading Olsen’s book and plan to incorporate information re: the tragic event in passing. It will be my 5th “bear book” hoping to share information about being safe with bears…instead of the litany of bear mannerisms experts want backwoodsers to know, itis more important to know 1) whether the bear’s in your space and 2) to be prepared to stop the animal. I’m convinced the young women would NOT have been attacked with more adequate NPS intervention and those attacked had been armed with a bear stopper. Pepper spray was in its infancy, tasers probably were not available, flaregun probably would have scared off tears or a firearm (not allowed). Some information is available at http://www.kaniut.com. Would like to correspond with you.
To Mark, poster # 15 I agree totally with you. We have a growing number of bears in Anchorage which need some serious reduction but our department of fish and game is of the greenie persuasion (animals are more important than people),as Ryan #3 above. We have a state legislator introducing a bill to reduce the numbers of bears to try to avoid a repetition of 3 grizzly maulings in our city in 2008. I amazed by the general public’s philosophy regarding man as the tresspasser. Wow.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:11:49 +0000

Any idea when Montana PBS is going to air the reinactment of the Night of the Grizzles?

By: Lani

Lani — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:56:43 +0000

My husband and I are currently Airstream full-timers and spent a week in Glacier National Park last week. On the shuttle bus to one of the trails, I met a local woman who told me of this event and recommended the book. Yesterday, I sat at the Bozeman Public Library and read the book. Wow! is all I can say. I completely annoyed my husband last night because I couldn’t stop talking about the book, the work and evolving role of the National Park Service, and our coexistence with bears. I could go on and on, but I won’t. Thank you, Bert, for the work that you did that night and the work you continue to do.