Michael Glidden was out exploring glacier caves a few days ago in Chugach National Forest in Alaska with his two American Eskimo dogs.
Michael and his dogs, Aspen and Shasta, found an ice cave to wander into. Michael describes the cave as an open ended tunnel with light filter through however there was a dark passage off of the main shaft. Michael began taking pictures of the cave and snapping flash photos down the darkened tunnel. Later, once Michael got home and began posting his pictures online, was he surprised to find what was hiding in that dark cave.
One of Michael’s dogs, Aspen, was in the dark tunnel when Michael snapped the photo. Just a few short seconds later Aspen yelped and ran out. Michael assumed Aspen was surprised by the flash from the camera. That was not the case. Michael noticed a dark spot in the photos with Aspen and found why the dog ran out spooked. Just a few feet away from Michael and his dogs was a hibernating black bear!
Even though black bears are the least aggressive of the bears in Alaska, Michael considers himself, Aspen, and Shasta very lucky that the bear remained asleep. Michael says they would have never gone into that cave if they had known the bear was in there however now he considers the picture to be priceless.