This week, the family hike took a wild turn. KTLA viewers Ulises Hernandez and his loved ones met the bears on Claremont’s popular trail.
Hernandez frequently hiked in the area with his family, and says a sighting occurred at Claremont Hills Wilderness Park around 5pm on May 27th. He was with his 12-year-old son, 11-year-old stepdaughter and girlfriend when the group met the bear.
“My son first found it,” Hernandez told KTLA via email. “We were pretty close so we started slowly backing up.”
As the other hikers approached, Hernandez warned them to keep their distance. He then pulled out the phone and captured a quiet, memorable footage of a bear leading down the hill, stumbling upon a nearby human.
This was Hernandez’s first bear encounter, but he said he was more relieved with the others around him. “Just to be safe, I always have a blow horn,” he said. “But I didn’t feel like I had to use it.”
Claremont City spokesman Bevin Handel has confirmed that bear sightings have been on the rise at Wilderness Park Loop in recent weeks. “It’s a very active time,” she said, adding that signs are posted along the trail, and that the city generally shares wildlife safety tips on a regular basis.
Authorities remind visitors to be vigilant, maintain a safe distance from animals and never feed wildlife. The Wilderness Park remains open, but hikers are urged to be cautious and respectful of the natural environment.
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