Boy Scout Troop 1776 traveled to Logan Canyon on Saturday to take a hike and visit the Old Ephraim grave.
Josh Wray, Keith Hamilton, Maddox Wray, Leif Ashby, Jersyn Shulz, Jace Call, Wesley Asay, Dax Nimer, Maverik Lewis, Zach Palmer, Tyker Hamilton, Bill Lewis
The Boy Scouts learned that Frank Clark from Cherry Creek Idaho who was part owner of the Ward Clark Sheep Company was experiencing his sheep being killed by a bear. Clark had set out traps attempting to catch the bear starting in 1914, but finally succeeded in catching the bear on the evening of August 21, 1923. Old Ephraim was caught in a trap Frank Clark set in a wallow just below his sheepherders camp. During the night Frank was awakened by the tremendous roars of Old Ephraim who was caught in Franks trap. Clark grabbed his .25-35 rifle and met the enraged massive grizzly with a huge bear trap on one of its front paws. Clark shot five rounds from his carbine rifle but the bear did not go down.
Clark spent the remainder of the night with his dog on the hillside above his camp listening as the great bear vocalized through the night and eventually fell silent. With the first morning light Clark investigated and found the great bear laying dead near his camp. The bear stood 10 feet tall and weighed about 1100 pounds. Clark later expressed remorse for having killed the bear. Today an 11 foot tall stone monument marks Old Ephraim’s grave site.