Where Does Bear in Bear Lake Come From?

Doug and Elaine Alder

By Doug Alder, Historian

According to Robert Parson in his "History of Rich County," the name "Bear Lake" was only adopted gradually. Fur tappers used that name sometimes but also "Sweetwater," "Black Bear Lake" and "Weber Lake" for John H. Weber of the Ashley-Henry Fur Company. (p. 134-14)

There is no question that there were bears in the valley. That was not unusual. Bears roamed over much of the mountain areas of the west. Bears were the frustration of cattlemen and sheep herders. There are reports of bear killings in herds until recently.

The most famous tale of a bear hunt in our area is about Old Ephraim. The tale is told that in August 1923 Frank and Jared Clark decided to hunt down a bear that had moved from an occasional killing of sheep for sustenance to destroying many at a time. The Clarks were in Temple Fork Canyon, a few miles above the present YW Girl's Camp. The Clarks had tracked him; his trail was recognizable because of his misshapen paw. That he had recently killed a dozen ewes, motivated them to get him. They considered it pure lust.

They laid out several traps, but then discovered what they knew to be his wallow. Frank greased his boots and gloves and set a trap in the water and covered it with leaves. He dug a trench for the chain and tied it to a fourteen-foot log. He covered the entire apparatus with leaves and put drops of sheep's blood on it to drive away the human scent. It was his masterpiece. He went back to his camp and waited all night. His horses skittered. Frank had heard nothing all night. When he reached the trap site the next morning, he was stunned. There beside the wallow sat the trap, unsprung. Ephraim had defied him. Frank carefully reset the trap and went back to camp. Early the next morning he heard a log slam. He could hear the wounded bear moan. He grabbed his rifle which had six bullets in it, his side arm with one bullet, and his knife. He started running toward the sound. He ran with all his might while carrying his weapons. Then he suddenly realized he had run too far. Now Old Ephraim was between Frank and his comrades. Soon Frank and the bear were looking into each other's eyes. Frank fired. It had no impact. He fired again and again. Ephraim kept lunging toward Frank. Frank shot bullet number six. it did not stop

the bear. Finally the bear jumped with his mouth wide open, Frank fired his side arm into Ephraim's mouth, and the bear fell at his feet. Frank's brother and three friends arrived just at that time and saw Frank, unable to move, and the bear gasping its last breath.

If you want to go on a hike up Temple Fork Canyon, you will find a monument at the site.