Near the end of a 50-mile run in Yosemite National Park, ultrarunner Jon-Kyle Mohr collided with a black bear. He suffered some bloody scratches, but he knows it could have been a lot worse.
Let’s dive into the wild adventure of Jon-Kyle Mohr. Just imagine, you’re almost at the end of an intense 50-mile run, muscles aching, sweat pouring down. But wait, there’s one last surprise – and it’s not a water station. Jon-Kyle encountered a large black bear just as he was about to complete his run in Yosemite National Park.
On a scorching day with temperatures soaring to 107 degrees, Mohr was less than a mile from his finish line when he saw a dark shape moving towards him. Before he knew it, he felt a sharp sting on his shoulder. As he staggered and tried to regain his balance, he heard people yelling, and realized that he had just been swiped by the black bear.
Reflecting on the incident with the Los Angeles Times, Mohr noted that it was just a bizarre accident. “If I had rested my feet for 20 seconds longer at any point over the 16 hours, it wouldn’t have happened,” he mused. Talk about timing!
California man responds when he saw bear ‘coming back at me’
Now, here’s where it gets even more gripping. Bears in Yosemite have been quite active, mainly scavenging for berries. So far in 2024, the park has already recorded 10 bear encounters.
Earlier that Sunday, the park rangers had tagged and GPS-collared a bear after it rummaged through food at Cathedral Beach picnic area. By 9 p.m., the same bear was spotted running off with a bag of trash from the Upper Pines Campground when it had its unplanned meet-up with Mohr.
Yosemite National Park spokesman Scott Gediman reassured everyone that this wasn’t considered a predatory attack. With bears searching for any available food, it’s crucial for visitors to store their food and trash properly. Remember, black bears, despite their size, generally prefer to avoid us humans.
If you ever find yourself face-to-face with a bear, the National Park Services has some advice: gather your group together, make some noise, and shout aggressively at the bear until it backs off. Avoid getting closer, chasing, or throwing things at it. Simple and straightforward, right?
For Mohr, his instinct to make noise and the clamor from nearby campers did the trick. The bear dropped the garbage and started coming back towards him. Quick thinking had Mohr yelling and making as much noise as he could with his running poles. Campers joined in, creating a racket by banging pots and pans, ultimately scaring off the bear.
Although Mohr sustained a couple of gnarly scratches, tore his hoodie, and got some holes in his running vest, he was patched up by medics on the scene. No hospital visit necessary.
Interestingly, Mohr got to learn that the bear had been tranquilized and tagged earlier that very day. “It sounds like the bear and I had equally crazy days,” he mentioned. Both survivor and bear were probably feeling the day’s chaotic energy.
When the dust settled, Mohr felt lucky. He was aware that if the bear had wanted to cause serious harm, it totally could have. Less than a day after his close call, he reflected on his fortune and the randomness of the encounter.
