Bear Bell??

[CruisingLover]

I have never been to Alaska and have never been around bears (except at the zoo). My husband really wants to go hiking (on our own) in Skagway, specifically something called Sturgills Landing Trail. I know (and hope) I am being totally crazy and over the top BUT......will we be safe going on our own? What are the chances of running into bears or anything else? Is that a well hiked path with other hikers there? Is it a hard trail? I mean, I'm not opposed to walking on some rough terrain but I don't want to have to be pulling myself up a huge hill by some roots on the ground....ha ha!! We will be going with a 19, 17 & 13 yearl old.

 

One thing I have read is to take something called a bear bell and/or bear spray. What are those and where can I find some?

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated :)

[mapleleaves]

Bear safety from Alaska Fish & Game web site:

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livingwithbears.bearcountry

 

Talk loudly so that you don't startle any wildlife; with 5 of you walking together, that won't be hard to accomplish. :)

[PennyAgain]

When hiking in Alaska alone or with others, I do make noise especially by singing which is enough to scare off most wildlife.

 

Do not carry food with you especially smoked meats as bears like that sort of thing.

 

I've seen tourists walk right past bears.....never noticing them at all.

 

Keep your eyes open and chat away.

 

Bear bells are any sort of loud bell. I have some bells on my day pack and some folks put bells on their shoes.

[Gardyloo]

The saying goes that if you hear a bear bell you'd better watch out as the bear may be hungry again. And if you're close enough to use bear spray...

 

Make noise, stay in groups, keep your eyes open. I've been in pretty close proximity to bears in the Alaska bush (closest was when a brownie bumped my shoulder through a tent wall - a true sphincter moment) but I only know one guy who actually had a negative interface with one. You should be fine, but use your noggin.

[FlipperRae]

My brother is a guide in bear country and on one of my first visits there I was particularly nervous about bears on a hike. I was asking him about bear bells and he said he doesn't recommend them as they are "too repetitive", basically saying the bears would get used to the noise. He lets out little "yells" (sometimes a "yeehaw"), always keeps the wind in mind (try not to walk into the wind but rather with it so your scent is carried forward) and of course my favourite piece of advice "always hike with someone slower than you" LOL. He basically said bears want even less to do with us than we do with them. If they know you're around, they'll avoid you.

[azevedan]

Bear bells are not recommended by the National Park Service.

http://www.alaskacenters.gov/denali-faq.cfm

 

Basically, you want to be talking loudly enough so that a bear will hear you before you surprise it coming around a corner. As someone else mentioned, hiking with 5 people, including 3 teens, the bears *will* hear you coming and scatter. If you're hiking in open country, making noise isn't as big an issue, as presumably you will see the bears and avoid getting closer than the recommended 300-yard minimum. And whatever you do, never run from a bear in the rare event you do surprise one.

 

Being an east-coast hiker, it's weird to get into the mindset of purposely making noise while hiking. Back home, we strive to be quiet to catch sight of wildlife! We usually do a 'hey bear....hey bear', or talking in general, sometimes singing. We do carry bear spray. You can pick it up at an outfitters or outdoor sporting store. Bear (!) in mind you can't take it on a plane. We donate our to the rangers when we're done with our visit.

[PennyAgain]

Yes, I do understand about wanting to hike quietly outside of Alaska.

 

My greatest fear in Alaska is coming across moose on the trails. Happened to me at Exit Glacier one time and I got a lot of gray hair (but no injuries) out of the experience.

[Budget Queen]

I too find moose far more a problem than bears.

 

I always have with me, rocks in an empty soda can. I can't keep talking nonstop, like you "should" overall. That makes a lot of noise. :) I have seen bears, usually on the move, when I come up on them.

[tasha99]

Here's what I found:

 

The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Denali National Park to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

 

:D

 

Okay, that was a joke. Nobody I know uses bells, but it is smart to make a lot of noise. People do take either a gun or bear spray with them when they hike, though. They don't -have- to, and I haven't always, but it can be uncomfortable to come upon fresh tracks and realize you're pretty isolated.

 

When my daughter came up to visit me last summer, she camped all the way through Canada. I bought her bear spray for my own peace of mind. She saw lots of black bears on her drive, but it wasn't until I took her on an overnight fishing trip that she got to see some grizzly bears:

 

 

These were taken from across the Kenai River. The cub is eating a salmon and it looks like the mama was tagged. There was another 2 year cub with them, just not in the picture.

 

Edited to add: I agree that moose are a bigger issue because they aren't afraid of people at all. I got stuck out in the open between my car and the door to my work building a couple of weeks ago as a pair of moose sauntered by. I was pretty freaked out--not because I'm naturally afraid of moose, but because I was out in the open and they walked right by me.

[baadbee]

There is an easy way to tell the difference between grizzlies and black bears. If you climb a tree to escape and the bear climbs after you and eats you it was a black bear. If it knocks the tree down and eats you it was a grizzly.

 

People love to tell bear stories. All the advice here is good but the key thing to remember is that bear attacks are really quite rare. Many tens of thousands of people hike in bear country every year without a problem. In many cases they've been in close proximity to bears they never saw. You are more likely to get assaulted in the parking lot at the mall.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Just remember to take someone with you that you can beat in a foot race... ;)

[AKman2495]

Ok, having hiked for many years in Alaska I can honestly can say I have never run into a bear in the wilds. THat said, as has been noted, when walking, make noise. Just tie your kids together with some strong rope with the 13 yr old in the middle and that should solve that problem:D

 

Next. pay attention to the wind as is you are up wind (the wind in your face) bears may not smell you until it is too late.

 

Watch for corners as you can often surprise a bear coming around a curve.

 

Watch for thick brush on the sides of the trail-a good place for bears to hide.

 

In most cases, if a bear knows you are there and it is not protecting cubs or a kill there will be no problem.

 

 

As for moose, I have run into many moose on the trails. In most cases, moose are not aggressive and will not attack you just because you are there.

 

As long as you are not aggressive they will generally leave you alone.

 

It is best just to give them a wide berth and not get in their face.

 

The one time I had trouble with a moose was in the spring. I was actually walking home from the bus stop. As I got to the end of the block. I saw a cow moose with a calf on the other side of the street.

 

She was not too pleased and started to follow me down the road. She walked very slowly and was persistent, but not wildly aggressive. She kept going for about a 1/2 block when a car saw us and drove between us (we were that far apart). The moose suddenly realized that she was kind of far from her calf and quickly turned back to get it-crises averted".

 

Don't try to pet a moose but don't be petrified of them either. As long as you remain calm and friendly, they will too.

 

Another time we were having lunch -me, my wife and her good friend up in Power Line Pass valley. We got off trail and were sitting by the creek in the fall. After luck I noticed too bull moose about 200 yards away. I am not sure if they were fighting because they were not very aggressive and moved very slowly. They would move together and slowly butt heads and push. The older moose would eventually push the younger moose back. They would would break and rest for a while, all very nonplussed-but they were steady moving closer. At about 100 yards I suggested we move. My wife said I was crazy. When they were 50 yards away, my wife said "Gee, they look big". At that point she decided it was time to go.

 

We just packed up our stuff and walked calmly away. I was not worried about them attacking so much as them accidentally walking over us.

 

So, unless you are throwing stuff at moose , otherwise harassing them or they have calves around, you should have little problem with them.

[azevedan]

Came across this guy while we were hiking in the Grand Teton NP. Hung out waiting for about 15 minutes, and then made a slow off-trail circuit around him. He watched us while munching away.

 

[azevedan]

We've seen bear far off while hiking. Closest encounter was coming across steaming scat on the trail. We backtracked 1/4 mile, waited about 20 minutes, then went forward. Never saw the bear. Our best bear sightings (both black & grizzly) have been while driving!

 

[tee_harbor]

As the OP can see, people love to tell bear stories! And has it turns out, moose stories too. There aren't a lot of moose in the slopes around Skagway. Don't worry about that.

 

That many people in your group will help. There's fascinating data about the number of people in a group really makes a difference with an attack. But I can't think of a single attack in the Skagway area. Most of our attacks in Southeast are in remote areas (I realize it will all seem remote to you).

 

As for the trail, he does know you all are going to have to hike the Lower Dewey Trail first, which is 2.5 miles?

[fireflymd]

I have never been to Alaska and have never been around bears (except at the zoo). My husband really wants to go hiking (on our own) in Skagway, specifically something called Sturgills Landing Trail. I know (and hope) I am being totally crazy and over the top BUT......will we be safe going on our own? What are the chances of running into bears or anything else? Is that a well hiked path with other hikers there? Is it a hard trail? I mean, I'm not opposed to walking on some rough terrain but I don't want to have to be pulling myself up a huge hill by some roots on the ground....ha ha!! We will be going with a 19, 17 & 13 yearl old.

 

One thing I have read is to take something called a bear bell and/or bear spray. What are those and where can I find some?

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated :)

 

 

There is a section in REI's website for "bear safety"

 

http://www.rei.com/category/40006516

 

They sell bear bells and bear pepper spray.

 

This has great, sensible information on what to do if you encounter a bear:

 

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/safety/bears.htm

 

Scroll down to "Close Encounters" and "Protection". \

 

Here's another website with great information:

 

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livingwithbears.bearcountry

 

Being educated and vigilant is your best defense. Being prepared for "just in case" is very smart. Best of luck and enjoy your vacation!

[CruisingLover]

Thanks for all of the responses, whether serious or funny (and I have to admit I laughed at a few of them......so did my husband!)

 

I know I am being more paranoid than I need to be. It's more a fear of the unknown, never did this before type of thing than anything.

 

I'm pretty sure I will be nervous the whole hike (I'm a mom, that's what I do ;)) but I'm also sure I will really enjoy the scenery as we don't see stuff like that here in Michigan!