Night of the Grizzlies - One Terrifying Night in Glacier National Park That Changed America's National Parks Forever (Part 1 of 2)

Glacier National Park - the Crown of the Continent. Its jagged peaks, icy cirques and green valleys have drawn generations to experience one of the most beautiful places on earth. In 1967, the park was as popular as it had ever been. Visitation soared as Americans took a renewed interest in connecting with nature and taking to the open road. The summer had been warm and dry - splendid conditions for hiking and camping. Venturing into the park's backcountry could not have felt safer - in the 57 years since it had been established, not a single serious grizzly bear attack had ever occurred. Visitors clamored to see bears from their lodges and campgrounds as the creatures would come in the evening to sift through the park's refuse. If the beautiful mountains and sheer drop-offs of Going to the Sun Road were the main event, the bears were a worthy encore for most tourists.

Then on one night everything changed. In the early morning morning hours of August 13th, two campers on opposite sides of the park would fall victim to separate attacks by bears. In this episode, the first of two parts, we examine the attacks themselves, and consider the history of human development in the park to better place the attacks in historical context. Next episode, we will explore the natural history of grizzly bears, learn about the parks' response to the attacks, and close a summary of bear safety tactics from the National Park Service. 

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