The Boss Is Back: Banff and Canmore’s Most Famous Grizzly Wakes Up in 2025

In the heart of the Canadian Rockies, where snowy peaks pierce the sky and wild valleys stretch for miles, a legend has stirred. As of April 7th, 2025, Banff National Park’s most famous grizzly Bear, 122, better known as The Boss, Banff’s most famous Grizzly, has officially woken from his winter slumber. And when he wakes, the Bow Valley listens.

But this spring wake-up call wasn’t just another chapter in the bear’s already epic story. It came on the heels of an unexpected and spine-tingling appearance in Canmore late last year – an unprecedented event that left local residents both stunned and speechless. The Boss, with all his rugged swagger, had crossed into town. And he made sure we wouldn’t forget it.

A Legend of the Land

If you’ve spent any time in Banff or Canmore, chances are you’ve heard whispers about The Boss. Maybe you’ve spotted him from the safety of your vehicle along the Bow Valley Parkway. Maybe you’ve seen a grainy but electric video clip circulating online, where his massive frame lumbers through a snow-covered forest. Or maybe you’ve read the stats – over 600 lbs in the fall, likely sired up to 70% of the grizzlies in the region, and a survivor of not one, but two train strikes.

Yes, that’s The Boss.

Born sometime in the mid-to-late 1990s, Bear 122 is a living legend. For over a decade, he has reigned supreme across a 2,500-square-kilometre range, dominating everything from Yoho to Kootenay and deep into Banff. But dominance comes at a cost. The scars on his face, the notch missing from his right ear, and the powerful build of a lifelong fighter are all testaments to a grizzly who’s earned every bit of his title.

Spring 2025: The Wake-Up Watch

Locals and wildlife watchers alike hold their breath each spring, waiting for signs that The Boss is once again on the move. This year, he took his time. Emerging on April 7th, 2025 – his latest known wake-up in over a decade – a Parks Canada remote camera finally spotted the Boss.

While the image showed him looking a bit lean (as is expected after a winter’s fast), staff reported he looked “pretty good.” And if you know The Boss, that’s probably an understatement. Even on a bad day, he’s still one of the most physically imposing animals in the Rockies.

The delay this year could be a sign of age. After all, The Boss is well into his late 20s now – a truly venerable age for a wild grizzly. Combine that with the heavy injuries he sustained last year (likely the result of fights with rivals like Bear 136 “Split Lip”), and it’s understandable he might’ve taken a bit longer to recover in the den.

When The Boss Came to Canmore

But before he dozed off for the winter, The Boss left one final, unforgettable message: Canmore is on his map now.

In November 2024, residents in Canmore’s Cougar Creek neighbourhood were startled to find the legendary grizzly weaving his way through their residential streets. He was drawn in by ripe mountain ash berries, wandering bold and unhindered, as only he can. For locals used to bear sightings at a distance, the presence of Banff’s most dominant grizzly strolling past front yards was, to put it mildly, alarming.

This wasn’t just a random visit. It was the first documented time Bear 122 had crossed fully into Canmore – a bold move that speaks to shifting patterns in both food availability and territory. Parks Canada responded quickly, hazing him away from urban areas and issuing public safety alerts. Still, the memory of The Boss in town lingers.

One resident summed it up best: “You expect elk, maybe the odd coyote… but not him.“

From Battlefield to Backyard: The Changing Life of an Aging Titan

It’s no secret that The Boss is getting older. His injuries in 2024, some severe enough to keep him resting in unusual places, show that the crown is heavier than ever. Dominance takes energy. It takes grit. And at nearly 30 years old, even The Boss isn’t immune to the slow tug of age.

Still, this is a bear who’s dodged death on the tracks, chased off younger rivals, and fed on everything from train-killed elk to black bears (yes, black bears). He’s even been spotted stealing kills from wolves. That kind of savvy doesn’t fade overnight.

But his recent shift into townsites – first in Banff for crabapples, then in Canmore for berries – raises concerns. Parks Canada has been proactive, removing attractants and educating residents. Yet the pattern is clear: this grizzly’s habits are changing.

Is it age? Competition from younger males like Split Lip or Bear 126? Or is it the increasing challenge of finding enough natural food in a landscape transformed by roads, rails, and recreation?

Most likely, it’s a mix of all three.

The Boss and the Banff Coexistence Challenge

Managing a bear like The Boss isn’t easy. On one hand, he’s a celebrity – beloved by photographers and a living embodiment of Banff’s wild spirit. On the other hand, he’s an unpredictable force of nature. His presence draws crowds, causes “bear jams,” and creates real risks when he enters human spaces.

That’s why Parks Canada uses everything from no-stopping zones to hazing techniques like loud noises and chalk balls to keep him at a safer distance. It’s not just about protecting people – it’s about protecting him, too.

The Boss is, in many ways, the poster bear for the fine balance between wilderness and human use in the Bow Valley. His long life is both a success story and a warning sign. If he can’t avoid conflict in the years ahead, we risk losing not just a bear, but a symbol of the Rockies themselves.

His Legacy: More Than a Grizzly

Bear 122 isn’t just a big bear. He’s a father, a fighter, and a fixture of the Rocky Mountains. Through DNA studies, he’s believed to have fathered up to 70% of the grizzlies in the Bow Valley region. His daughter, Bear 148, had her own rise to fame – and her own tragic end, after human-wildlife conflict led to her relocation and eventual death outside the park.

His genes are in the land now. In the faces of younger bears roaming these mountains. In the quiet corners where he once denned. In the stories passed around campfires and pub tables from Banff to Canmore.

Looking Ahead: How Long Will He Reign?

Nobody lives forever, not even The Boss. Sooner or later, another bear will take his place atop the hierarchy. But for now, he’s still walking, still waking up the valley, and still leaving pawprints in the snow and in our collective imagination.

So if you’re out hiking this spring, keep your eyes open, bear spray handy, and brush up on your “bear aware” knowledge. The Boss is awake, he’s hungry, and he’s reminding all of us that wildness still lives here – raw, real, and walking among us.

Because in Banff and Canmore, you never really know who you might run into on the trail.