Black Bears seem to pop out of their dens just before the snow starts to melt. I'm guessing it's the spring sun, and the heat it brings, that causes a bear to stir. Unfortunately for the bear, they usually find snow still underfoot on those warm spring days. Snow too rotten to travel far upon, and too deep to easily locate food. Hence most bears habit of lying up on a patch of ground free of snow, which are usually south facing slopes. There they can lounge about in the sun, dig for roots, and search for the previous years' Rose Hips. There they can also find Birch Trees whose sap is starting to rise. Black Bears will bite a tree, then lick the sweet sap that oozes from the wound. These small bits of food allow a bear to make it to green-up, which comes in a rush in Alaska!