There are eight of us walking in a straight line in high grass doing something I never imagined I would do. We are talking softly as we walk so as not to surprise any of the creatures who created the paths worn through the grass. The woman in front of me is shaking from fear. I am alert and focused and a bit more apprehensive than I thought I would be.

We are alone in the wilds outside Katmai National Park. The float plane that brought us has left to pick up another group. All we have with us is our guide, our cameras and some bottled water. We are wearing waders because we are near water. We carry no weapons of any sort. Not even a pocket knife. The high brush and grass we are making our way through have to be pushed out of the way from time to time.

Watching us as we walk is a mother grizzly and two cubs sitting on a sand beach just a few yards away. They are the reason we are in the grass in the first place. When they walked out of the water to lounge on the beach we had to walk around them to get to our intended destination.

They are curious but not threatened. After all, we, not they, are the potential prey in this situation.

How did we find ourselves walking in the wild among 70 grizzlies on this morning? It all started with a conversation the night before. We were having dinner after a full day of grizzly viewing at Katmai National Park when our guide mentioned she was disappointed with the number of bears we had seen.

Our trip was the last of the season for our outfitter and the declining salmon spawn at the falls had resulted in fewer bears than she expected. We had all been thrilled by the day's encounters but she knew there was a potentially much more robust experience available if changed our schedule for the next day.

If we were interested, she could arrange a float plane to take us outside the park were larger numbers of grizzlies had been spotted. We would walk among the bears with her as our guide to get a more intimate experience with the bears.

We all jumped at the chance. You may think this odd but let me explain. Our guide had spent years working as an in field observer of grizzlies at and around Katmai National Park. She was thoroughly trained in how to behave while among them.

So, this is how we wound up walking on a cool September morning in high grass and shrubs near a shoreline and lake crowded with giant grizzly bears. We had been walking along a fragrant beach littered with the rotting salmon carcasses when it became necessary for us to walk into the grass to avoid running into a family on the beach.

The paths we followed through the grass had been beaten down by the grizzlies we had come to observe. Before we had been on the path for ten minutes, a trio of 250 to 300  pound cubs came running toward us down the path. They stopped in the path about 10 yards away but kept their eyes on us.

We froze. My pulse raced and the woman in front of me gasped.

Our guide, standing in front, talked calmly to the bears. They hesitated and moved a step closer. Our guide raised her arms slowly and calmly admonished the bears to move on.

The bear to the right above and staring at us below charged a few feet closer and slapped down a paw. He was only a few yards away.

Our guide continued her conversation and then slapped her hands together and, a bit more sternly now, instructed the bear to move on.

At this, the cubs quickly turned and sped down the path away from us.

Another larger bear appeared in the grass ahead and to our left. The mom, I guessed, coming off the beach to retrieve her charges. The cubs raced to her and she and they disappeared as they headed back to the beach.

It may have been play or just curiosity but in the wild on their turf it was an exhilarating and somewhat frightening experience. It was also a confirmation of our trust in our guide. After this brief encounter, we all settled in and continued our trek through the grass.

By the time we made our way back to the beach we were in the middle of the action. More than 70 grizzlies were on the beach, in the water and in nearby grass. Many were in small family groups of three or four led by a female. Others, mostly males, appeared to be alone.

In our next post, we will take our time in the wild to observe the bears up close. Join us to spend some quality time with the grizzlies.

Not all of the action occurs on top of the falls. If you looked closely at the first image in our last post you would have noticed a large grizzly sitting in a pool just below the falls near the outer bank. Here he is above just after consuming a salmon he caught in the waters below the falls. The gull was a constant companion, sharing no doubt in the bear's catch.

Here he is again just after securing a fish. This angle gives you a hint of just how big he was.

He pretty much owned this spot while we were there, getting up just once to check around above the falls when a particularly tall and corpulent male walked across the falls. That bear took up residence at the top of the falls enabling this bear to return to his "spot."

As you can see above in an image taken just a few yards downstream from the falls, he was challenged once. After a short sizing up that looked frightful from time to time, he held his ground and returned to his spot. While there were growls and open jaws, nobody lifted a paw during the entire ritual.

A few of the younger bears worked the area below the falls. One, in particular, would search for a likely target from above water and then dive after his intended lunch.

We never saw this approach succeed. A lot of head shaking followed each dive and after a bit the activity evolved into play.

I'm not sure what was going on here, about 50 yards downstream from the falls. The bears seemed to be enjoying themselves and now blows were exchanged. Just before this shot, both were standing. If you look closely you can see how abundant the red salmon still were.

One last image to close out this entry. A mother and first year cub are together near the opposite bank. Mom watches as the cub consumes a salmon.

Once you clear the Park Ranger, who limits the number of people who can stand on the viewing platform near the falls, you walk a short distance on an above ground walkway until you are there. The platform stands right next to the falls. The bear above is not more than 50 yards away.

Above and below the falls, the water is shallow enough for a grizzly to move around without swimming. Many of the bears are in groups of two or three, although the males are usually alone.

The salmon spawn which drew the bears here is beginning to peter out but we still see about a dozen bears in and around the falls. It is almost time to hibernate, so it is not surprising how big some of the bears are. At most, they only have a few weeks left to fatten up for the long nap.

The bears here are among the biggest grizzlies anywhere. The abundance of the salmon run makes them well fed. This big fellow is standing on the bears' favorite spot for fishing. While we watched them fish, they kept their eyes forward waiting for a salmon to jump while also attending to who might be approaching with a view toward taking over the spot.

This fellow is about to be challenged.

Lots of growling and teeth bearing, but we did not see any real fighting. The bears seem able to size one another up, and I do mean "size," with the smaller bear routinely giving way to the larger bear. Once things are settled, its back to the serious business of fishing for the victorious bear.

The trick is to stand where at the top of the falls where the fish jump. Then it is a question of timing. When it works the fish is plucked out of the air into the bear's open jaw.

The female below just scored a catch.

Soon the serious work of consumption begins, just to the left of the fishing spot at the top of the falls.

It does not take long for a cub to arrive from below the falls. This is a small one, probably not more than a year or two old.