Spent the morning glassing the tundra basin, no grizzly but our little calf was still safe with its mom. We packed up camp and headed to higher ground.

Stan and I ridge-ran the high country before dropping down towards camp, several miles away. We came across two Bull Moose in a high mountain meadow and watched them for a half hour. The bigger of the two bulls had a very large body and good antler growth - already. He would be a good bull come September.

As we lost elevation and came down through the trees, the slope eventually gave way to the flats - just 1/2 mile downstream from our camp. It was here that we finally found fresh bear sign.

Video of the area with fresh grizzly sign (200k)

The bears had hit this area hard within the past couple of days, digging holes in the sandy soil to reach a root called pea-vine. With their keen noses they would locate the pea vine and dig it out of the ground. Unfortunately we found this sign late in the trip. I was not convinced, at this point, that this sign was more than just another passing bear that we'd missed.

We had one more day to hunt and with sagging spirits it was looking awfully grim to both of us.

It was early, only about 9 PM, but I called it a night and hit the sack. We were both exhausted from our hike down the mountain.