Watch what happened when a grizzly wandered up to camp…
As it happens sometimes, we came upon a grizzly during one of our August trips this year. Guide Matt Dighton responded swiftly—and one of our guests* was lucky enough to catch it on video! Click here to see what a textbook response to a close encounter with a bear looks like.
Will Bears Be a Problem on My Trip?
That’s one of the most common questions we get before guests book with us.
Our answer? We cut straight to the chase: You will be in bear country! Both grizzly and black bears inhabit the backcountry terrain we visit—and we consider seeing these majestic creatures a thrilling privilege. However, we take safety seriously and always adhere to specific safety protocols to minimize the likelihood of a negative encounter.
Reason #672 to Travel With a Professional Guide: Bear Safety
Our guides are true multi-sport professionals that are medically certified as Wildnerness First Responders. They’re fully qualified to handle Alaska’s wilderness (including its bears!) whether by foot, kayak, or canoe. Not only that, most of our trips have a guest-to-guide ratio of 4:1, and—rest assured—each tour includes a thorough pre-trip bear safety orientation. These are the precautions we take:
- Pack food in bear-resistant containers to minimize odors
- Make noise when hiking through thick brush or windy conditions
- Keep our camp exceptionally clean
- Carry pepper spray as a last resort
Thirsty for more bear stories?
Read the blog about what happened when we stumbled upon the gut pile of a brown bear’s kill while trekking through the mudflats of the Alaska Peninsula…
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