Backpackers Book Club: Night of the Grizzlies

This month we’re reading Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen, a nonfiction account of a tragic night in Glacier National Park that explores the intersection of people, wilderness, and unpredictable danger. The book looks at what happens when human expectations meet a place that doesn’t follow human rules.

Note: Location for discussion is TBD. This book can be a bit harder to find in print, so most people may need to use an ebook or audiobook version.

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Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen

1. The Illusion of Safety

• What responsibility do visitors have versus park authorities?
• Can wilderness ever really be “managed”?

2. Confidence in the Outdoors

• Why do humans tend to become more comfortable around risk over time?
• How might familiarity with nature shift how people judge danger?
• Where do you see overconfidence show up in outdoor settings?

3. The Attraction of Danger

• Is risk part of what makes wilderness meaningful or memorable?
• Do stories like this change how you think about nature?