Bear sightings prompt trail closures in Kananaskis Country

The province is warning hikers to stay off some trails in Kananaskis Country while grizzly bears eat the ripe buffaloberries in the valleys.

The latest closures are in the Evan-Thomas provincial recreation area:

• The area south ofMount Kidd,bordered on the west side by the Kananaskis River and Highway 40 on the east side. The Mount Kidd RV park is not affected by the closure.
• The Bill Milne paved trail, which is popular with cyclists.

The Lowline trail (also known as the Loki trail), whichextendsfrom the Peaks of Grassi to the Three Sisters subdivision near Canmore, is also temporarily closed because of bear activity.

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A bear warning has been in effect for the Ribbon Creek day use area and hostel since July 20.

2 attacks last week

And abear warning coverstheYamnuskaday use area, including theYamnuskaTrails.

Two people were attacked by bears last week in two separate incidents. A woman suffered serious injuries when she was mauled by a grizzly bear protecting her cubs on Tuesday in the Waiparous area.

A bear closure remains in effect along theTransAlta Road west of Highway 40 near theGhost River andbetween Don GettyWildland Provincial Park and Highway 40 because of that incident.

The next day, a woman cycling in the Canmore area was attacked by a black bear.

John Paczkowski, an ecologist with the province, says bears have been drawn down to lower elevations recently because ripe berries are so plentiful.

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