Rainier rangers: A sharp eye on the slopes

A guide friend of mine in Alaska has had better luck using an air horn - you know, the kind you buy at Boaters World with the air canister - he just gives the curious or pushy river grizzlies a good blast and off they  run.   More recent research is  showing that pepper spray is the best real deterrent - probably good for bushwhacking b.c. skiers as well.

I'd probably try the air horn first.  If need be, the gun is next.  Warning shot, if there is time. I'm sure your guide friend would say the same.  (Although those guys usually carry shotguns.)  Obviously, if things go further, then it's no longer deterrence. 

You may be right about stopping that grizz with a handgun, but it makes me feel better to know that I have it.   I've got alot of friends that bowhunt for bear...now that's hangin' it out there.   

Many, many, many years ago I was very young and hitchhiking through Idaho looking for a place to go backpacking when I got a ride with a guy from Texas. He was also looking for a wilderness experience so we decided to head into the backcountry together. We pull up to a trailhead somewhere in the Sawtooths and strap on our gear, which includes a holster and pistol for my new backcountry buddy. He honestly didn't feel comfortable in the woods without a gun to shoot at any bears that decide to attack. He also brought a fishing rod and a frying pan and we had the best fried trout for breakfast that I've ever tasted. No bears were shot and a memorable time was had by all. The liberal Seattle perspective just doesn't work for everyone and there's a lot of good people from Texas.

Be careful - once you start this sort of conversation, the hard core Biathlon Branch of the NRA will put the word out to join TAY to balance things out and half the threads will become gun debates...

You're right but it passes the time until the real( powder ) skiing starts again.

Blower powder for the winter and black powder for the summer?

Besides her side arm, she had what looked like an AR-15 and a shotgun in the truck.  I asked her why she needed all the guns...  said that things were different in the national parks now, especially other parks, like in California. 

The NPS has had a lot of resources siphoned off into preventing drug-related shenanigans on Park land. It's not terribly surprising to me that the LEOs, just like police officers, would have some extra firepower in their vehicles.

It is sort of unfortunate to me that he wasn't pictured wearing more climbing-oriented attire (Look, ma! A carabiner!), as he's running a climbing ranger program, but them's the breaks.