It’s Peak Hibernation Season, But Bears Were Just Seen Charging at Tahoe Ski Slope, Puzzling Skiers
Believed to be a mother bear and her two cubs, the trio were captured in an Instagram video.
Three bears spotted across a California ski slope. (Image Source: Instagram | @barclay.weyhrauch)
It is currently peak hibernation time for bears, but their surprise appearance has shocked everyone. A normal day on the slopes at California’s Northstar Resort quickly turned into something unforgettable when three bears suddenly ran across a ski run. There was a winter storm in the North Lake Tahoe mountains, which already buried the area under feet of fresh snow. That makes the bear spotting even more surprising. Believed to be a mother bear and her two cubs, the trio was captured in an Instagram video shared on February 18. The rare moment was captured before the bears casually made their way back toward the surrounding forest.
Wildlife experts say bear sightings are not rare at lower elevations around Lake Tahoe. In that region, animals can sometimes be seen moving about throughout the year. But spotting bears on high-elevation ski slopes is not as common. According to wildlife conservationist Beth Pratt, the bears may have left their den in search of food before the recent winter storm arrived. “It is not something typical for bears to be out like that this time of year, but it’s not unheard of,” Pratt said, according to Cowboy State Daily. Black bears frequently appear near the Lake Tahoe region, partly due to the abundance of “human-provided food sources” that can attract wildlife.
Three bears at Northstar Resort (Image Source: @barclay.weyhrauch | Instagram)
“However, bears that continue to find and access unnatural food sources like garbage, bird feeders, pet food, and other human attractants may bypass hibernating altogether and stay active through the winter. This can create a reliance on human food that can be harmful for bears,” The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team wrote on their website. Furthermore, retired federal ecologist Chuck Neal also noted that this winter’s mild weather may be contributing to increased bear movement. The animal going into hibernation usually depends on their ability to find food. Natural food sources start to decline during the winter season, and snow covers mountainous regions like Tahoe. Bears generally go into hibernation to save energy and resources, but that is not always the case.
Northstar resort (Image Source: Jared Alden/Getty Images)
According to Neal, bears do not enter a deep, uninterrupted hibernation; instead, they remain in a lighter sleep state. “They’re not truly hibernating, they’re just sleeping,” Neal said. This means that they can wake relatively easily. Neal explained that nearby human activity or other wildlife may have disturbed the bears’ den, prompting them to wake up and explore. It is also possible that the animals simply woke up hungry or decided to roam in search of food. “Another possibility is that they went to bed really hungry and they couldn’t stay asleep,” he added.
The Lake Tahoe region is not new to bear encounters, as a large population of American black bears lives there. Many of these bears have cinnamon-colored fur, and they are often confused with grizzly bears from a distance. However, experts note that grizzlies no longer exist in California. It makes it highly likely the animals seen on the ski slope were black bears. Wildlife sightings near ski resorts have happened before as well. In January 2025, another group of three bears was spotted by visitors riding a chairlift at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe.
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