Old Ephraim or Ol' Ephraim is a term popularized in the 19th-century American West to refer to grizzly bears. As well as describing the archetypal grizzly bear, the name has also been used in frontier folklore to refer to specific bears, most notably Old Ephraim, a very large grizzly bear that roamed the Cache National Forest in Idaho and Utah from circa 1911 until his death on August 22, 1923. He had the same name as another grizzly bear in California described in a story by P. T. Barnum.
Frank Clark and Old Ephraim
The grizzly bear from the Cache National Forest known as "Old Ephraim" was first identified by its distinctive tracks. The bear lived within a large wilderness from as far north as Soda Springs, Idaho to as far south as Weber County, Utah, before settling in Logan Canyon, about 20 miles east of Logan, Utah. Frank Clark was a part owner of the Ward Clark Sheep Company since his arrival there in July 1911. During his first summer in the Cache National Forest, Clark counted 154 adult domestic sheep that had been killed by bears in the area. In 1914, Frank Clark set out to stop Old Ephraim. He set many traps in Old Ephraim's favorite wallows, but the traps were always removed, un-sprung, or flung away. Although Clark seldom saw the bear, dead sheep around the herd indicated its presence. Despite Clark's efforts, Old Ephraim killed more and more sheep without being stopped. He is said to have once killed 50 sheep at a time.
Death
Though Clark had attempted to kill the bear since 1914, he did not succeed until 1923. On the night of August 21, Clark was awakened by the tremendous roars of Old Ephraim, which had been caught in a trap Clark had set earlier in a wallow just below his camp. Clark grabbed his.25-35 rifle and he and his dog set out down the ravine towards the wallow. Clark met the enraged massive grizzly with the huge bear trap on one of its front paws dragging the very large, heavy log which Clark had connected to the trap by a large chain Clark described killing Old Ephraim as "the hardest of them all". He later expressed remorse for having to do it.
Memorial
Old Ephraim was skinned and buried, but was later dug up by Boy Scout Troop 43, which sent the bear's skull to the Smithsonian. According to Clark, a pile of stones was erected by Boy Scouts over the bear's remains. Most of the remains were eventually taken by tourists as souvenirs. Later, an stone monument designed, lettered, and erected by Max Arthur and Howard Jorgensen was placed at the grave site. This memorial was officially dedicated on September 23, 1966. Affixed to the monument are two plaques, one with a poem that reads: At the time of his death, Old Ephraim stood tall and weighed. His skull was sent to The Smithsonian, where it was identified as a grizzly bear. It was eventually returned from the Smithsonian and put on display in the Special Collections section of the Utah State University library in Logan, Utah.
Legacy
The Old Ephraim Trail is a popular "fat tire" bike trail in the Logan area. It is a 20-mile loop with almost 3,000 feet of vertical gain, and is intended for intermediate or advanced riders. The loop starts with several miles of moderate climbing up Cowley Canyon and proceeds uphill to the upper trailhead of Ricks Canyon. The loop circles north through aspen groves and meadows. After passing Old Ephraim's grave it descends to the Right Fork of Logan River, after which there is one more sizable climb. At the top of this climb, you can see the Mt. Naomi Wilderness and the terraced cliffs of Logan Canyon. The loop ends on the single-track Willow Creek Trail. The Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run, starting in the Logan area and ending in Fish Haven, Idaho, is a 100-mile ultramarathon through the Wasatch and Bear River Ranges. Though considered one of the most difficult 100-mile races, it is also considered one of the most scenic, taking advantage of the fall foliage of September. Male and female overall winners receive the Old Ephraim award. A lifesize bronze statue of Old Ephraim stands along U.S. Route 89 as it enters Montpelier, Idaho from the west. The original sculpture, installed in 2002, was replaced in 2014 by a new sculpture depicting Old Ephraim fighting against a bear trap. In 2003, during its first deployment to Iraq from Fort Hood, Texas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, B Company, 16th Signal Battalion, 3rd Signal Brigade adopted Old Ephraim's name as its company motto to represent the same fighting spirit as the famous bear. The company presented the Old Ephraim Award annually to the soldier who best exemplified Old Ephraim's fighting spirit, as voted by the company's soldiers.
