Utah hiker trying to escape a mother bear runs straight into a moose, and thinks it actually saved his life

An experienced hiker in Utah escaped a scary encounter with a black bear and her cub on a trail only to run straight into a moose instead.

But Greg Rothman, who was running on the Desolation Trail in Cotton Canyon at the time of the double whammy of wildlife encounters, believes the moose may even have played a part in helping to stop the bear from chasing him.

Rothman shared his experience with a local TV outlet after reports of another hiker being attacked by a bear in the nearby Mill D North Fork Trail on Monday. That hiker was left with puncture wounds in his arms and had to drive himself to hospital. The bear in that incident was euthanized.

Rothman’s encounter happened a few days earlier.

“I basically ran smack dab into a mother bear on the trail,” says Rothman.

He started to act big and slowly back away – as you’re advised to do in bear encounters if it looks like the bear might approach – but then he discovered a complication that added to the potential danger.

“I turned around and saw a baby cub 15 to 20 yards behind me – at that point my stomach just dropped,” says Rothman.

“The mother bear gave me multiple warning signs. Grunting, jaw clacking. I didn’t get any false charges – a lot of dirt throwing, standing on hind legs – but she was blocking my path so she didn’t have any where to go.”

So he decided that making a run for it was the only choice. He says he, “ran for 30 seconds down the trail to try to create more space. I was still being followed by the mother bear.”

And then the plot twist.

“I came around the corner and ran into a moose,” says Rothman. “Full rack. Startled the moose, which is also just horrible.”

According to the local news channel, Rothman told their reporter that he thinks the moose, “may have played a role in keeping him safe from the bear”, but the details become a little vague. He does mention that he’ll be carrying bear spray with him in future, though.

And here’s a new video report about that other attack we mentioned:

This article by Dave Golder was first published by Advnture on 2 August 2024. Lead Image: (Image credit: Getty Images / Manuel Romaris).

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