Rider jumps bear in Whistler Bike Park
Unlikely wildlife encounter caught on camera
An unlikely wildlife interaction was caught on camera at the Whistler Bike Park.
A bear was hanging out between the take off and landing of a gap jump in the park. Not seeing the bear, a rider came down the trail and jumped over the startled animal.
Both rider and bear emerged unscathed, but surprised, from the potentially dangerous encounter. The bear ran off uphill, and the rider continued down the trail.
Wildlife sightings, including bears, are not uncommon in the mountains across B.C. This includes bike parks. Usually human-wildlife encounters they do not end in such a close call.
In case anyone needs the reminder, this unlikely scenario that happened to be caught on film is not one you should try recreate. Startling or otherwise harassing a bear, or any kind of wildlife, is never a good idea. Wildlife interactions aren’t just dangerous for humans, either. They can end poorly for the animal, too. If they aren’t injured in the initial encounter, they could be deemed a threat to humans, which can end in the death of the animal.
For a reminder of Whistler Blackcomb’s position on interacting with the wildlife (do not, under any circumstances, feed the wildlife) check out S3E3 of Whistler Bike Park’s web series Trail Engaged below:
