James Hardy, a snowboarder at Lake Louise Ski Resort in Alberta, had an unexpected encounter with a grizzly bear on Wednesday afternoon, April 23, 2024. Hardy and a friend were snowboarding along Cameron’s Way when they came across the bear. Hardy captured the encounter on video, which shows the bear emerging from the forest and walking alongside the run.
A spokesperson for the ski resort confirmed that the bear was first spotted by staff members a couple hours earlier around 1 p.m. on the ski out and again a short time later on Pine Cone Way. In response to the sighting, the ski hill closed off access to runs and ski lifts in the area and monitored the situation closely to help keep guests and the bear separated.
Hardy, who was unaware of the bear’s presence until it emerged in front of him, said, “I didn’t know it was a grizzly, and it was too late to turn around when he spotted us, so me and a friend just rode by as quickly as possible. Definitely one of the most scared I’ve ever been.” Despite the close encounter, Hardy and his friend were able to ride away safely, and the bear eventually left the area.
The ski resort was able to manage the situation effectively by closing off the necessary areas and resuming normal operations once the bear left the property. According to the spokesperson, no further sightings of the bear have been reported. Parks Canada was notified of the incident but did not take any further action.
