Man runs into a grizzly bear right outside his campsite
  • last month
This is the moment a man ran into a grizzly bear right outside his campsite.

Nate Luebbe, 36, was camping in Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA when he came across the bear outside his tent.

Nate and his friend Cody had set up camp near Brookes Falls, a waterfall where bears fish for tuna, to photograph the animals but the pair got more than what they bargained for.

A video shows Nate standing just meters away from the grizzly bear, which can be seen walking past, sniffing at the air and spotting him.

Nate, of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, said: "I was there to see some bears but not from this up close.

"I was camping there on the way to the waterfall when I saw it. It was 50 meters away, right by the campground."

Nate had only just left his campsite and was on the way to take his pictures when he ran into the bear right on the path.

The pair stopped immediately to not provoke it into an attack.

He said: "The bear was an adolescent so it was a bit smaller but Katmai is famous for its big bears.

"It was right there. It felt like I could have touched it."

Luckily, Nate is an experienced wildlife photographer and was able to keep his cool in front of the beast.

He said: "My main goal was to not appear like a threat. I was yielding the trail, letting it know it was the alpha.

"I was feeling a mix of fear, cool, collected and nervous, trying not to remember that it's an animal the size of a car with knives on its hands."

The bear eventually moved on and the pair was able to continue their trip.

Nate said: "Once you confirm it's not a life-threatening situation, it's beautiful to see an animal like that in its habitat."
Recommended