Heiko’s Trail is now closed until further notice due to grizzly bears in the area. On September 1st a second group of hikers encountered a grizzly sow and cubs on Heikos by the Tamarack trail.
Heiko’s Trail is grizzly bear habitat and hikers have been camping directly in their narrow corridor. Know what you are getting yourself into and be prepared. When it reopens, consider doing Heikos as a day hike rather than camp in a grizzly bear corridor.
As we approach the end of summer, bears become especially active in preparation for winter denning. During this transition of seasons, bears eat as much as possible to increase their body weight by approximately 30%. This phase for bears is called hyperphagia. Bears are opportunistic feeders, will travel great distances for food and will eat almost anything they can get their paws on. Like people, they will choose the path of least resistance, our trails and roads. As more people are hiking and biking, the potential for human/wildlife conflict and wildlife encounters is high. Be prepared and expect encounter bears anytime.
For more information on bear safety go to www.wildsafebc.com
