‘Bad timing by all parties’: California cyclist suffers cracked ribs and a separated shoulder after colliding with a bear near Pinecrest Lake

A California man was injured after his road bike reportedly collided with a black bear crossing a mountain road near Pinecrest Lake in Stanislaus County. Don Terres, 67, of Riverside County, was riding downhill at approximately 25 mph when the animal stepped into his path, leaving him no time to stop or swerve, he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Terres said he and his wife had left their lakeside cabin earlier that evening and cycled up toward the Dodge Ridge Ski Resort for exercise before sunset. On the way back down, as he came around a bend on the curvy road, the bear appeared directly in front of him. “I didn’t see the bear until it was literally five feet in front of me and I just hit it,” Terres said. “All I remember is a close-up of the bear’s face. He looked about as scared and surprised as I was.”

Terres said he crashed into the animal and fell onto the pavement, briefly losing consciousness. His wife, who was riding behind him, said she arrived moments later and found him on the ground. She reportedly saw the bear run through the trees and up a nearby ridge after the collision. Terres estimated the bear weighed between 200 and 250 pounds and appeared to be traveling alone, which he said suggested it was likely an adult male.

Bear-vehicle collisions are relatively common in California mountain communities, but cyclists being involved is rare

Terres said a passing U.S. Forest Service fire engine stopped to assist Terres as he sat on the road. An ambulance was later called, and he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with a separated shoulder, three cracked ribs, and severe road rash on his leg and back, according to Terres. Speaking to the Chronicle from home the following day, he said he felt fortunate his injuries were not more serious.

Terres said he has a long history with the Pinecrest area, having visited a family cabin there since childhood, and has encountered bears multiple times over the years while camping and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada.

He said that while on the Pacific Crest Trail the previous year, he woke up to find a bear outside his tent, which had been going through his backpack after he had left food inside. “I generally don’t panic around bears,” he said, “but this is the first time on a bike I’ve come anywhere close to them.”

He also noted that bear sightings in the Pinecrest area have become more common over the decades. “When I was growing up, you’d never see a bear here,” Terres said. “But in the last 10 to 15 years, it’s increased gradually.” In one recent California incident, a black bear reportedly went after a couple’s dogs, prompting the owners to defend their pets with a water bottle and a hatchet handle.

That observation aligns with broader trends in California. According to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, California is home to approximately 60,000 black bears, which is the largest population of the species in the continental United States. Wildlife officials say this time of year, after bears have emerged from their winter dens, the animals are particularly active as they move around and forage for food.

Peter Tira, a public information officer with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Chronicle that collisions between bears and motor vehicles are not uncommon, particularly in mountain communities that see heavy traffic and tourism. Encounters between hikers and bears on trails are also described as routine.

However, Tira said a collision involving a cyclist is a different matter. “I have not heard of it before,” he said, “but it doesn’t seem like a far-fetched scenario. Sounds like bad timing by all parties.” Tira also issued a general reminder to drivers using mountain roads. “We ask drivers on these mountain roads to please be cognizant that wildlife are out and about,” he said.

Terres said he is currently recovering at home. The incident is a broader reminder of the unpredictable dangers that can arise in wilderness settings, risks that can turn fatal, as seen when a group of hikers ignored volcano safety restrictions, and two were later found dead. There is no indication that any investigation has been opened by wildlife authorities in connection with the incident, and the bear was not reported to have been located or harmed following the collision.