Alberta Woman Filmed Tense Stand‑off with Curious Grizzly Bear Near Kananaskis

A female hiker filming her dog during a routine morning walk in the Canadian Rockies encountered a grizzly bear that approached within feet, prompting her to shout and retreat slowly; she captured the entire incident on video.

The encounter occurred on Wednesday when the unnamed woman left her lodge in Kananaskis, approximately an hour west of Calgary, to walk her leashed dog. On a gravel driveway roughly 300 feet from camp, she turned back, holding her dog’s leash and a coffee mug, and began recording after spotting the bear.

According to Jelmer de Blois, a local hiking guide with Wilderness Escape Adventures, the bear appeared to be a younger, curious animal drawn to the dog. The woman vocalized more than 40 times to deter the animal, which advanced toward her nearly the same number of times.

After the bear ducked behind a gate, she ran to a tent where previous clients were staying, remaining there for 15 minutes until the bear shifted its focus to a moose. Mr. de Blois later contacted her, posted the video on Wilderness Escape’s TikTok account, and by Saturday it had amassed close to 30 million views.

The incident prompted Alberta Forestry and Parks to issue a warning and temporarily close the nearby Tryst Lake parking area. The advisory noted the bear’s persistent, dog‑focused behavior and advised hikers to travel in groups, make noise, keep pets leashed, and carry bear spray.

Wildlife experts advise against playing dead when approached by a grizzly, especially when a dog is present. Spencer Peter of the North American Bear Center explained that brown bears attack when they feel threatened, but a dog can complicate the situation, making vocalization and retreat the safer response.

Statistical data from a Lakehead University review shows that between 1990 and 2023 only eight grizzly attacks were recorded in Alberta, resulting in nine fatalities and one injury, underscoring how uncommon severe confrontations are.

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