Black bear sow and cubs make themselves at home on Many Glacier Hotel steps; woman survives plunge over McDonald Falls

The Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park has hundreds of human guests in the summer months. But July 22, it had a guest of the furry sort. A black bear sow and her cubs were hanging out on the front steps. A ranger shooed them off.

The same day, a sow black bear and her cubs bluff charged a Glacier Park Boat Co. employee at the Many Glacier boat dock, presumably the same bear. While black bears aren’t typically overly aggressive in Glacier, they have been known to bite people just like grizzly bears. Black bears, like all wildlife, should be viewed with caution, park officials warn.

In overall bear news, park rangers in the past week responded to numerous “bear jams” along park roads and even responded to an “elk jam” as well. 

In other news, a woman is lucky to be alive after she slipped and fell over McDonald Falls in McDonald Creek on July 23. The 45-year-old woman was reported clinging to the rocks below the precipice, which is at least 30 feet high and a torrent of water. Passersby helped her get ashore just as rangers arrived. She suffered multiple bruises but decided to self-transport to the hospital. 

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in Glacier. Three people have already drowned this summer in Glacier and one victim’s body, Siddhant Vitthal Patil, 26, from India was recovered from Avalanche Gorge after he fell into the swift and freezing water July 6. 

In the past week, rangers also responded to numerous falls and other medical calls, where people received non-life-threatening injuries, such as cuts, sprained ankles and other illnesses. 

There were numerous reports of overdue or “lost” hikers. All of them were accounted for.  

All in a day's work for Glacier Park’s rangers and support staff. 

Editor’s note: The preceding accounts were provided by Glacier Park through its weekly blotter release.