The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek

by Sid Marty

In describing the true events surrounding a series of frightening bear attacks in l980, a bestselling nature/adventure author explores our relationship with the great grizzly.

Many citizens of Banff, Alberta, valued living in a place where wildlife grazed on the front lawn; others saw wild bears as a mere roadside attraction. None were expecting the bear attacks that summer, which led to one man’s death. During the massive hunt that followed, Banff was portrayed in the international media as a town under siege by a killer bear, and the tourists stayed away. The pressure was on to find and destroy the Whiskey Creek mauler, but he evaded park wardens and struck again — and again. When the fight was over, the hard lessons learned led to changes that would save the lives of both bears and people in the coming years.

Sid Marty’s The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek is an evocative and gripping story that speaks to our complex and increasingly combative relationship with the wilderness and its inhabitants.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Canada, Animals, Book Club

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

With parts to this book being shockingly detailed (the injuries to the victims), educational (information on bear behaviour and ecology), and at times confusing (the constant introduction of different names and individuals), the author ultimately puts together a page turner! And of course reading the multiple causes for how such events could happen was intriguing and at times predictable (the human factor: poor garbage management in a wilderness town). Having limited knowledge on bears before reading, I found the pure amount of information on bear ecology, in this book the best part especially with a Canadian National Park being the setting. It helped having an author so obviously full of such knowledge as well as first hand accounts from many bear experts, park wardens, and other professionals. A notable part of this book that I enjoyed was the sympathetic accounts of this story from the perspective of the bear, which allows the reader to understand how these animals perceive the world through an attempt to de-villainize their deadly and violent public image. Although leaving me sad with the inevitable outcome for the bear, this book developed into a very insightful and educational read and a healthy reminder to stay out of grizzly territory!

[Chinchilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book. When I finished it, there was a profound sense of loss I couldn’t place from where it had surfaced. This is a non-fiction that is detailed, imaginative, invigorating and heartfelt. It is easy to sum up the premise of the book but so difficult to concisely describe the emotions this book has elicited from me.

The book is the re-telling of a series of bear-attacts that occurred over the summer of 1980 in Banff National Park. Marty told the story from the park wardens’ perspectives, the visitors’ perspectives and even the bears’ perspectives. He detailed the changes in park’s management policies and practices during that period of time, the struggles park wardens faced while enforcing the regulations, the visitors’ and Banff residents’ attitude towards bears in general and more specifically the bear attacks. The book begins with a brief discussion on some of the plausible factors that contributed to bear aggression in 1980. It also mentions a couple of fatal incidences and near-misses due to poor garbage management in Banff few years leading up to 1980. The main part of the book tells what had happened and what might have happened in late August and early September, over three bear attacts from (most likely) the same Grizzley bear.

As I read the book, I wondered just how much Sid Marty had pondered over what happened that particular summer. I’m guessing, without the plan of publishing a book about it, Marty conducted interview with parties involved (wardens, biologists, police officers, parademics, helicopter pilots, victims, victims’s families, etc.), searched government archives for investigation records, and kept news clips for references… All the effort spent trying to answer a question: “Why the Whiskey Creek bear didn’t finish what he started?” Through his thorough investigation, I could feel his frustration over government bureacracy and people’s ignorance. I could also sense his fondness for the nature and respect for the wildlife.

I find it very interesting that he intermittently writes from the bears’ perspectives. I think it is quite ingenious to use the bears’ point of views to fill the the gaps that remain mysteries to us. Perhaps Marty himself finds some kind of closure using this format of storytelling. It provides an explanation to bears’ "unexplainable" behaviour, an educated guess nonetheless.

I thoroughly enjoy this book. It is such as compelling story. I can’t wait to read other writings by Sid Marty. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the nature and has a soft spot for the wilderness. It is definitely a 5 star book.

[belle ੈ✩‧₊˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting book. However, it was mainly interesting to me as I am currently on exchange in Calgary and therefore am learning about the ecological management of Banff National Park.

The addition of the bears' perspectives in this book definitely threw me off in the beginning as it seemed very anthropomorphic to me. This seemed to defeat Marty's purpose for including the perspective of these bears in the first place. However, I came to appreciate the compassion these perspectives added to the novel. They worked to keep the reader from villainizing the bears as monsters.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book but felt it could have been a bit shorter and still have achieved the same message. I do, however, feel this would appeal mainly to a more local audience as it does get quite specific into the history of Banff National Park and the warden service.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some people I know disn't like the "inside the head of the bear" sequences, but I thought it added to the book by giving a different perspective on what was going on. Marty knows his bears and his insider status on the events lends a credibility that could have been achieved by any other writer.

[Adam Matejko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crazy sequence of events that reads more like a crime thriller than a nature story. Overall really enjoyable especially the latter half of the book, some of the sections written from the bears perspective kinda confused the timeline for me and a LOT of different names were introduced that were difficult to keep track of.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book overall, I think this book is an example of the author taking the wrong tack in telling a very interesting and compelling story. It wasn't until halfway through the book that we actually start discussing the incidents of the bear attacks. Some of what was discussed in the first half the book was interesting; for example, I think it was necessary to talk about the poor waste disposal standards in Banff leading up to the incidents as well as the way Parks Canada handled problem bears up to that point. However the entire chapters (albeit short) devoted to the bears' points of view were difficult to get through. I understand the author's intent of trying to make the bears more sympathetic (i.e. so we understand their "motives" and don't think they are just violent, blood-thirsty animals) but there were only so many descriptions of a bear gorging itself on garbage I could take. The point was made quite early that the sole focus of a bear is finding enough food before winter. I don't think we needed the various descriptions from the bears' perspectives to get this point across in a sympathetic way. I did learn a lot from this book and found it interesting to read about the ways these bear attacks changed the way Banff goes about wildlife management. I wish the book had put more of a focus on the attacks earlier on and then also went into more depth about how Banff handles balancing wildlife conservation and the need for tourism dollars today. Overall, though, this book was insightful and worth the read.

[Pcn · Rating 4 out of 5]

We visited the Rockies for the first time this September and when staying in Banff got talking to the owner at our B&B about bears and he recommended this along with a few other books. I picked a copy up in Canada and enjoyed reading this on our return. The fact that we had stayed close to where the action took place and so could visualize the location added to the reading experience but underlying this was a well written and sensitive true story written 20+ years after the events.

[Ceeceereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this off the back of Night of the Grizzlies (which I initially thought was just okay but then realized I had been glued to it all night and couldn’t stop thinking about after.) I found it such a fascinating story and was craving more which led me to this book.

The Bear of Whiskey Creek is a non fiction account of bears in Banff written by an ex park ranger who had first hand experience with all things bear. Having been to Banff and stayed at Rimrock which is mentioned multiple times, I found it fascinating, especially the insight into the dump/ garbage.

The format was different to Night of Grizzlies in that, instead of a coming together of events, it was more a bit of everything. Some facts about the park, being a park warden, the methods for dealing with bears etc. There were sections regarding the bear attacks that happened but then there would be sections about the hunt of the problem bear and debating if it was grizzly or black. I don’t gel with the sections written from the bear’s perspective and felt I would have appreciation a more structured version of events.

I thought the book was stronger for the first half but it lost my interest after.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the most interesting part of this book was the realization that I was very close to the action. In August 1980, a man was badly mauled by a bear in Banff National Park. I was out there hiking alone just a few days earlier, oblivious to the danger. This book describes the bear-human interactions that followed, and the bear’s ultimate capture. Unfortunately, I found that the writing style, especially early in the book, was a distraction from the underlying story. There are sections where the author tries to speak from the bear’s perspective, which I found downright annoying. This book will likely be of most interest to people who spend a lot of time in Banff.

[Hal Brodsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd combination of journalism, modern journalism, autobiography, Anthropomorphic creative writing, and revenge writing (the author formerly was a game warden under some of the men he blames for the events depicted in this book), what the book does spell out is the disastrous practices in national parks that were prevalent until the late 1980s where bear/human interaction was not successfully thwarted (see Yogi Bear stealing picnic baskets.... this was the norm) , now replaced with a declining bear population due to inadequate food supplies for bears once at home on the plains but now restricted to remote mountainous regions

[Mallory Witham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story that anyone who lives in bear country should read. A bit dry at points as the bureaucratic politics get explained, but it is a good book! I liked his segments where he was giving us the perspective of the bear. You can tell the Mr. Marty has vast experience with bears.

[Marc Rosove · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 stars. The first third of this book dragged for me. But it did pick up. Other reviews mention mixed feelings about the sequences described from the bears perspective. I felt somewhat neutral about them but would point out that they aren't a huge part of the book.

[Emily Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an interesting basis, but the author was focused entirely too much on inter personal and departmental drama and gossip. More focus on the bear and the victims would have made for a better read.

[Timmi Shorr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and heartbreaking this is a well written book and draws you in to the minds and experiences of all parties. How different it could have been with the knowledge we have now.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing tale, while sad, really engaging and educational. I highly recommend it.

[Gabby kampman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting to read while I was tour guiding around western Canada. Cool to be reading it while being 3 minutes from the mauling site. I learned a lot about black and grizzly bears.

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed, objective, fair and well written book about a frightening time in Banff, and more broadly our obligation to better manage and engage with the wildlife with which we share our planet.

[Rob Harbic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love some of the details provided, like what caused this to happen, but less so the pov of the bear.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gripping, couldn't put it down at the end. Educational and important read for anyone who cares about Alberta history or human-wildlife conflict.

[Charlie Beaudry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un livre tellement riche en informations, fait comprendre beaucoup de choses.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Local author writing about interesting local events from a local perspective! very engaging

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just finished my second reading of this outstanding book, in just a few weeks.
As an exposition on bear ecology I think it is just about unbeatable; the author simply oozes with experience and entertaining stories of his life in bear country; he is completely in control of the narrative, leaving the usual wildlife third hand formats far behind,

I was there! Well, I was camped three miles up the Spray River at a Parks Canada site called SP6, right when B757 was being persecuted over something he did not understand. For three weeks my companion and I hiked down the valley at dawn, through the 19th green at the Banff Springs (way too early for the guests), past the falls and along the Avenue to our place of lowly employment at The Travellers Rest Motel, and back again at night.
We were two of Marty's "Hippies", who cleaned every window in that motel, but I am unable to track it down now and suppose it has changed its name or been knocked down by one of those oversized grizzlies.

We completed our window cleaning mission on 4th September 1980 and hiked up to the TransCanada on the 5th to hitch up to Lake Louise. No one at the motel ever talked about the attacks and we never saw a bear or heard a single shot in all that time. We only found out about Whiskey Creek when we read a copy of the Edmonton Journal that someone showed us in his Chevy. We had actually passed the creek on the way to the highway. Only then did I realise why the motel manageress was crying as we said our goodbyes.
I clipped the article from the newspaper and still have it 42 years later.
Well worth a read, or two.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stayed in Banff in September and saw this book mentioned at the Whyte Museum so picked it up while in Canada and have been reading it on my return home. Great account of the events that happened in 1980 and have been there myself I can really visualise all the locations and the span mentioned. My only criticism is that it’s a bit wordy and repetitive, particularly during the first sections, but once the maulings start happening the book quickens up.

[John Ledingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really really good. Reminded me of Jaws which it makes reference to. Fascinating ecology aspect

[Kara Babcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a gift from a friend who spent a couple of months in Banff. Books about the outdoors, much like the outdoors themselves, are not a high reading priority for me. As an outsider to this genre, however, I enjoyed reading The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek.

The first couple of chapters were somewhat dull--but then Marty began relating the events during the hunt for the eponymous bear, and suddenly the atmosphere of the book became darker and laden with suspense. I was hooked. In many ways, Marty was in a perfect position to recount the hunt. On one hand, as an experienced warden, he was familiar with both the jargon and the task at hand, so he can do the subject justice. On the other hand, as he had left the service at the time of the hunt (even though he did eventually volunteer during the hunt), Marty had sufficient distance to relate events objectively.

Marty does a good job of capturing the story from several aspects, especially when it comes to respecting the majesty of the grizzly bear. I did not much care for the fictional portions in which he puts us in the mind of the black grizzly, whom he names Sticky Mouth. But that's just a matter of personal taste--your mileage may vary. However, Marty is careful to remind us that this was not a hunt for a bloodthirsty man-killer out to eliminate humans--it was a proud animal defending itself and its territory and trying to prepare for the coming winter. "Blame" is never too far off stage in The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek, but Marty's ultimate conclusion is that the blame can't be portioned out to one person or even a select group. Rather, he offers an account of how the failures of numerous parties, including Parks Canada and the CP hotels/restaurants around Banff, contributed to the bear problem in the 1980s.

"Well-written" and "gripping" are words I'd apply to The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek. Those with more experience with the outdoors, Banff, and bears will probably take more away from this book than a neophyte like myself. But if a friend hands this book to you as a well-intentioned gift, don't leave it sitting on your shelf gathering dust. Read it and wonder if outside your door, a bear lurks.

[Barbara McVeigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year, my husband almost bumped into a black bear, so we both picked "bear books" to read when we went back to the area this summer.

The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek was my choice. I have compared this book to John Valliant's book The Tiger. I preferred The Tiger because of personal bias: I really enjoyed how Valliant incorporates Russian history into his exposition and delivers suspense to the max.

On the other hand, some readers hated Valliant's diversion from the main story. The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek sticks to the facts--as much as it is able. The book outlines the hunt for an elusive bear who mauled tourists in Banff. The author spends a good portion of the book telling the story from the bear's point of view. Based on his expertise, I'm willing to trust what Sid Marty has to say about how and why this bear began to attack humans. Still, at the end of the book, no one has any clear answers. Perhaps this ambiguity is an important lesson to take away when dealing with wildlife.

I found that The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek was not as suspenseful as The Tiger, due to its straightforward narrative structure. As well, some of the book felt dated: The events and procedures happened in 1980, and are an indication of how far (or little) we have come.

I did learn that bears suffer from both hunting and anti-hunting lobbies, as well as human hubris when we encroach on the bear's habitat by putting in "parks...for people". These parks include restaurants, hotels, and hiking and biking trails. We expect the wilderness to be tame for us.

After reading The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek I have much more respect for the power of a bear and would not take a subsequent encounter so lightly.

One last, but important thing to add: Sid Marty also writes poetry, and it splendidly shows in this book.

[Leslie Wexler · Rating 3 out of 5]

November 7, 2009 - Markham Ontario

The surrounding area is by no means picturesque. Industrial, actually. The city is at that barren point just after fall winds have stripped the trees naked, but just prior to providing the cleansing white blanket for everything. Instead, there is a pervasive sense of brown, grey light, and the occasional rustle of decaying leaves that were once vibrant yellow.
I sit on a clean while bed in a room with windows with yellow sheers. The grey light filters into the hotel window with a warmer light than the actual drained colour beyond the yellow screen. The quiet, except for the occasional blast of wind, and a tray of room service whites sliver (sterling, I'll grant you), and blue napkins on white doilies feels like luxury.
The coffee is good, the light is soft, the book engaging - I need this kind of space (including the blue and sterling) in the future.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was absolutely brilliant. It's a retelling of the Whiskey creek bear maulings that happened in Banff in the 1980s. Marty recreates the events and sets up the scenes, using creative non-fiction techniques and interviews with park residents, friends, and personal anecdotes. I learned a lot from this book, and have a better understanding of why these attacks happened.

I remember my mom being scared of Banff bears in 1980, and now I understand why. Even though I was only 4 at the time, I remembered that fear. The garbage control in the Park was appalling, and has since changed, thank goodness.

This book reads like a crime story and would be of interest to anyone with an interest in natural history, conservation issues, Western Canadian history or the natural world.

[Kathleen McRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book whuch is a detailed account of an actual event that took place near Banff Alberta.The book was very detailed as to the difference between Black bears and grizzlies and had a lot of information regarding bear behaviour.I also really liked how Mr Marty explained how and why Parks Canada had to change the way they dealt with events. The incidents in the book take place in 1980 and the author described the politics that were in place at the time regarding rogue bears,Very interesting book told with humour and precision

[Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Sid Marty and his experiences in our national Park system. This book centres on the bear attacks that occurred in 1980 near the town site of Banff. I like Marty's style and he is able to bring the reader into his stories. I found this tale to be particularly sad as it personifies the struggle of the bears to survive in a world where we are forever encrouching upon it and the politics of their survival. Well worth the time to read this book.