Baloo

Every spring and early summer, we find ourselves watching for a simple but meaningful sign… the moment the dandelions begin to go to seed. It’s something many people overlook, but for us, it signals the return of the bears.

As the mountains begin to wake, grizzly bears start making their way down from higher elevations, drawn to these nutrient-rich plants. Dandelions are one of their first reliable food sources after a long winter, packed with protein and essential nutrients before the berry season begins.

It’s often along the edges of forests and open hillsides that we find them… quietly grazing, moving slowly, methodically, feeding as they go.

On this particular day, we spent time watching a large, older grizzly making his way across a sunlit hillside. He would stop to graze on the dandelions, then wander a few steps further before flipping over rocks with surprising ease, searching for insects hidden beneath. There was a rhythm to it… unhurried, almost peaceful.

At first glance, he seemed completely unaware of us.

But we knew better.

Every so often, he would pause, lift his head with a mouthful of greens or bugs, and glance in our direction… not with alarm, but with a quiet acknowledgment. A look that said he knew we were there… and had simply chosen to carry on.

There was something about him… his round, well-fed frame and his slow, easy stride… that brought back memories of Baloo from The Jungle Book, a character I had loved as a child.

Calm. Content. Completely at ease in his world.

Moments like this are a reminder that spring in the mountains isn’t just about new growth… it’s about life returning in ways both subtle and powerful.

 - Stan Masters

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