"Originally planned to do the class three ridge of father dyer and crystal peak loop, but on the way up I was just hiking quietly when I heard what sounded like a big animal. I'm along crystal creek at this point and in a marshy area so I assume it's a moose. I continue, making sure to kick some rocks around to make noise and as I scan the area I see two big ears. At first I think oh crap a mountain lion. Then it moves to the left to get a better view of me and I realize it's a huge (brown) black bear! Once I realize I'm looking at a big bear just off to the side of the next section of trail I'm supposed to take, I slowly back away. I waited a few minutes trying to decide if I should continue (hoping the bear had left the immediate area), or turn back. I figured I startled the bear since I wasn't making noise, so I decided not to take the chance that he/she thought I was a threat and decided to leave father dyer/crystal for another day. Turned back and got back to my car around 9:30 figuring I'd do quandary instead. I was excited for my first class three though, so I didn't want to do the class one up quandary and I noticed the difficult class 2 route up the south face and went to t..." — tylerburg • Aug 31, 2015