I just have to laugh...

The notion of the "one gun man" is laughable at best. If you are hunting deer in TX, elk in NM, Caribou in Canada, Moose and Sheep in the Yukon and gizz' in Alaska then I can promise you with 100% confidence that you have enough money to purchase more than one rifle!

I also have to laugh at the fellows on here who quote stories and reloading manuals with regards too big ol brown bears, they arent simply blackbears that have another 1/4 ton+ added too them. They have the potential to be as dangerous as just about anything in Africa and for the most part you aren't chasing dangerous stuff in Africa in cold climates at high altitudes. The BEST bear rifle? The biggest thing you can shoot half way decent. Yep I would MUCH rather be behind a fellow that can shoot a 460 Wby at bears and hit within 6" of the mark versus one that can shoot his lil deer rifle into a 1/4" target. Bears are like anything else, you CANT kill one too dead!!! But you CAN piss one off that can cover 100yds in a blink and will think not once about re-arranging your anatomy allover the mountainside.

That being said if you STILL had to pick only one rifle, then I would go on up too a 338 Win or 340 Wby. If you could only select two then either a 30/06 or a 7mag would do for the small stuff and I would then lay hand on a grand ol 375 H&H. The .375 isnt flashy, fast or pretty but it will flatout kill anything and do it with GREAT athority.
RA

ps
Forget carrying a rifle around for "offseason" bears, why not get one of the new 4.5" barreled super cannon handguns like a .454 Casull, .460 Ruger or the mighty .500 S&W. They are REALLY built for light carry in bear country without the cumbersome rifle banging around on your back. I would MUCH rather tote one of those on a summer hike trip or fishing trip in Alaska vs luggin a rifle and ammo around.