My mom grew up in New Jersey, where the corn grows knee-high by the Fourth of July, and black bears battle raccoons over breakfast. She was raised on stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder and taught to be brave by women like her Aunt Sally.
“Hey, bear! Hey, bear bear!” they’d chant as they gathered raspberries from the bushes each summer to make jam.
My mom’s ancestors hailed from the misty moors of England, the verdant glens and rugged highlands of Scotland, and the forested mountains of Germany. With a fiery spirit and red hair to match, she is a living descendant of the Vikings and the Celts. While mapping her origins, I discovered an ancient history steeped in mythology.
Artio, whose name derives from the Gaulish word artos (bear), was revered by the Celtic tribes of Europe. She was a goddess of wildlife, abundance, and transformation — but above all, she was a figure of maternal strength and divine feminine energy.
Artio was intimately attuned to the cycles and seasons of the Earth. Just as pregnancy and menopause are sacred times of restoration and internal growth for women, denning periods allow for Artio’s corporeal counterparts [female bears] to emerge more resilient.
Mama Bear & Baby Bear
The relationship between mother and daughter is complicated…particularly during those turbulent teenage years.
Mother and daughter brown bears. Photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Leader © Rylee Jensen
We thrash our claws and gnarl our teeth to prove we can leave the den and claim our own territory. The mother must shield her cubs from the dangers of the world while preparing them to face it. She has the impossible task of being both a fierce protector and nurturing guardian, a fearless warrior and a sensitive soul.
As an adult, I’ve developed profound empathy for my mom.
This One Time, At Bear Camp…
Last summer, I invited her on a women-only adventure to show her how much she means to me.
My mom is afraid of heights, so naturally, I booked us on a trip to see coastal brown bears in Lake Clark National Park, which is only accessible by boat and bush plane.
“I accomplished something I never imagined: flying in a little Beaver plane. The strength and resilience of the women around me gave me the courage to try.” — Nat Hab Guest Kelly Brief. Photographed by © Megan Brief
To prepare, we bought matching Darn Tough socks with bears on them. They would be our good luck charms on the Beaver ride to Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp.
As the plane took off from Homer, my mom closed her eyes and squeezed my hand with a death grip. Once we reached altitude, I nudged her to open her eyes and look out the window. It was a bluebird day with panoramic views of snow-clad volcanoes, jagged glaciers, and meandering meltwater rivers.
Her eyes welled with tears as the wheels touched down on the sandy shoreline. “I feel alive!” she exclaimed. In that moment, I knew she had experienced something life-changing, and that was only the beginning.
“I didn’t have to worry about makeup, hair, or how I looked in oversized rain gear and insect nets. Trudging around in giant boots, I realized how valuable women-only adventure trips are. They create rare opportunities for bonding, support, and community. The women guides and guests in our group shared stories, life lessons, and many laughs.” — Kelly Brief. Photographed by © Megan Brief
Roxy & Pebbles
In the days that followed, we became close friends with the 10 other women of our group. Some had traveled solo, some came with their best friends and wives, and others came as multi-generational family members.
Everyone was there to experience the wonder of the bears, and our combined feminine energy made the experience all the more powerful.
The highlight of our bear-viewing experience was witnessing the bond between brown bear mother Roxy and her cub Pebbles, who have been frequent visitors of Nat Hab’s Bear Camp since July 2022.
Roxy guards Pebbles from territorial males competing for fish © Megan Brief. Watch this video to see the drama unfold!
“Observing them sleep on the rocks next to camp is how Roxy earned her name. She would nap with her cub—always with one eye open—and we’d watch as she brought Pebbles down to the beach to clam and graze on sedge.” Explained Expedition Leader Jessica Morgan.
“Over the years, we’ve earned Roxy’s trust, and she now feels comfortable walking right by us with Pebbles in tow.”
Jessica’s fondest memories include listening to Pebbles’ purring sounds when being nursed by her mom. She also enjoyed seeing Roxy take some “much-needed downtime by bathing in the river behind camp while Pebbles watched from the bank.”
© Megan Brief
Bear Necessities
I reflected on this dynamic, lying in bed as the rain tapped gently on our canvas tent. Our bellies full with Michelin star-worthy salmon, prepared by the camp chef, and our bodies warm from the hot water bottle bags filled each night.
Nat Hab’s Women’s Journeys occupies a special place in the heart of Nat Hab Founder Ben Bressler, whose passion for ecotourism was sparked by his mother, Rozie. “If my mother were still alive, she would have understood the power of women joining together to explore the world and discover themselves. And she would have signed up for this trip in a heartbeat.”
In brown bear society, females (sows) play a central role in ensuring the success and continuity of their species. They are the sole caregivers, responsible for raising their young without male intervention and shielding them from threats like infanticide and other environmental dangers.
Cubs typically stay with their mother for two to three years, during which time she teaches them critical survival skills. Behavior such as foraging for high-calorie and nutrient-rich food in mudflats and through tidal zones supports the mother’s reproductive health and the growth of her offspring.
Looking toward the twin bed across from mine, I saw my mom lulled peacefully to sleep and imagined how the bears felt in their den. Safe and loved.
“This was the first time I have been on a women-only trip, but it won’t be the last. My bond with my daughter Lara was enhanced by amazing encounters with the wildlife we love. Sharing it with other women added another level of pleasure to the experience. I will always cherish the connections I formed with these women and the knowledge and leadership of the women guides gave me even more appreciation for female empowerment.” — Nat Hab Guest Harriette Frank
The bear goddess Artio embodies the duality of motherhood. Fierce yet gentle, she reminds us to connect with our natural rhythms and primal instincts. She teaches us that rest is not weakness, and that nurturing — whether of children, ideas, or ourselves — is an act of power.
To honor the bear is to honor the wild within us — the protector, the dreamer, the mother, the warrior.
