Page 6 - Breath of the Bear

average 800-1200 pounds. Their diet is rich in
salmon and they use many different tactics to
catch the fish, including waiting at the bottom
of the falls for the fish to jump, standing at the
top of the falls and catching the fish in their
mouth as the salmon leap out of the water and
even pinning the slippery fish to the rocks with
their massive paws.
There are several kinds of bears that a
traveler will see in Alaska and it helps to All grizzly bears are brown bears but not all Scenic Bear Viewing
have a knowledge of the names as they are brown bears are grizzlies. Grizzlies are smaller
sometimes used interchangeably, though they than the Kodiaks and coastal bears and can
differ in size and shape: be found roaming the interior of Alaska and
Canada, and down into Montana and Glacier
The black bear is the smallest of the Alaskan National Park and Yellowstone Park.
bears, though small is relative in the bear family
as this animal on average weighs 350 lbs, and Up Close and Personal
though their name has the world “black” in it, While popular conception has bears around
they can also be brown, gray and cream. A black every tree trunk in Alaska, they can still remain
bear can be distinguished from others as they elusive. However, there are some favorite sites
lack a large shoulder hump and their profile is to view these creatures in order to take that
that of a straight head and snout. Their rump framable quality photograph or just to spin
is higher than their shoulders and the ears are a few bear-raising tales for the friends back
longer and come to more of a point. The claws home. Scenic Bear Viewing
are black and short giving them a great ability
to climb trees. All bears are omnivores and Katmai National Park and Preserve
opportunistic, meaning they will eat anything Katmai encompasses over 4 million acres
that is available to them such as insects, berries, and is located on a peninsula in southern Alaska
fish, deer, moose and caribou. The yearly cycle across from Kodiak Island. There are several
of all bears is the same. They emerge in the active volcanoes in the area with the last major
spring from their dens hungry and ready to eat eruption occurring in 1912 with Mount Katmai
the first green plants that are springing up from and Novarupta erupting simultaneously,
the winter months. In summer they are feasting causing a pyroclastic flow that covered a
on fresh berries and the salmon runs, putting nearby valley with ash. As the volcanic deposits
on as much weight as possible. By fall there is cooled they produced steam from fissures
a mad dash to eat the dwindling food supply. earning the name “Valley of 10,000 Smokes”.
Those that don’t gain enough weight by this Katmai gives the visitor a unique opportunity
point risk starvation or being killed by other to explore immense, untouched wilderness Scenic Bear Viewing
bears. As soon as the snow begins to fall most and volcanoes, as well as opportunities for
bears are hibernating and mothers give birth to backpacking and camping. It is Alaska at its
cubs inside the den. finest. It is also here in Katmai where you can
experience up-close and personal Alaska’s
Adult brown bears are massive, powerful, famous and massive brown bears. While the
the top of the food chain and they rule the park is open year round it is remote and cannot
forests of Alaska with absolute authority. There be accessed by car.
is a good chance that you will see them on your
trip as there are 32,000 brown bears in the state Brooks Lodge & Falls Fly-in
compared with 1200 in the lower 48. They are There are over 2,200 bears in Katmai and
solitary animals except for a mother with cubs there is no better place to watch these amazing
and when they are fishing in the same area. animals fish, sun and congregate than at
Browns are distinguishable from blacks by Brooks Falls. During the height of the salmon
their large shoulder hump which gives them run in July up to 70 bears can be seen from the
the strength to dig for roots and turn over wooden platforms, each one wading into the
fallen trees and logs. They also have a concave water with its own unique fishing technique.
face and long claws used for digging. Despite Seeing these bears in the unspoiled beauty of
their bulk they are very agile and can run up the forest instinctively foraging for fish creates
to speeds of 30 miles per hour. Like blacks unparalleled photography opportunities that
they can be found with coats that range from will surely dazzle family back home.
cinnamon to blonde. In this classification there
are some sub species: Most visitors to Katmai come to this area via
float plane, arriving on Naknek Lake as Brooks
The Kodiak is the granddaddy of brown Lodge is one of the only developed areas in the
bears. Standing over 10’ tall on their hind legs park. There is a 60-person capacity campsite
and weighing up to 1600 pounds from a steady as well as cabins, cooking shelters with a fire
diet of grass, plants, salmon and berries, they ring in each shelter, food and gear storage
are the largest terrestrial carnivores on earth. cache and an electrified fence surrounding
About 3500 of them can be found on the the area. One of the most enjoyable ways to
pristine Kodiak Archipelago, making it one of explore this area is through a guided tour with
the most dense and popular bear-viewing sites operators having both day and overnight trips
in Alaska. available. A guided tour can add much depth
to your Katmai travels and often includes sites
The Alaskan brown bear or Alaskan coastal and experiences you would not be able to have
bear comes in second to the Kodiak and can on your own, as well as the added safety of
be found up and down the southern coast. being with skilled guides in bear country. TM
While not as large as the Kodiak kings they still

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