Yes absolutely - I'm used to, and have great admiration and respect for Mr Grizz. To not do so would be putting his life at risk if it went badly (statisticly, I stand a better than even chance of surviving a bad encounter. The bear *will not* - he will get shot after) and I like our bears. I think they're magnificent.

And in fact Daisy, I've encountered a lot of them at those kind of altitudes - it depends on the season and what they are after, and how territories are going, cubs, etc.

I have had more of my Sow and cub encounters in high passes, digging up stuff, food caches, marmots, pikas, etc. I've hear from a bear biologist friend that (unbelievably) there are some times of year they go high to eat *moth larvae* - I think a lot of the moms take baby up high to stay away from males in overlapping turf (who will kill cubs).

For reference, spot the Grizzlies in this photo



(there's a Mom and cub who were up in the pass when I came over and spooked them, they are two dots slightly away from the centre of the picture at about the 2 oclock position, they are heading for the trees in a direction of 2 oclock from the middle of the photo )

Your biggest issue with Mr Grizz will be that you're hiking solo, and you're probably used to being quiet. voices carry a long way so when with a partner and you're talking, you won't surprise them. when solo, I give a little "yip yip" every few hundred yards of travel if I'm making no other noise. (I think I did it out of habit when leading once on the eagle creek trail with people from here and everyone thought I was strange)

And no - I don't cook in my tent. I will boil water next to it in a pinch, but I won't cook in it, or eat in it - if I can get out of my tent to take a dump, I can get out of it to eat