Page 11 - Breath of the Bear
P. 11
a healthy and robust salmon population for and can be dangerous if you don’t know in every situation. These guides make the tour
all to enjoy. Bears instinctively know when the what you are doing. From first-hand enjoyable, memorable, and most importantly,
salmon are returning and arrive at Neets Creek experience, I count my blessings for my they make it safe so you can come back to
ready for a meal as if an internal dinner bell Katmai guide who knew exactly what to do Alaska again and again.
has been rung. At any time, dozens of bears
can be seen feasting on the salmon behind
the hatchery. Tours are limited to this area and
include a float plane or boat tour. If arriving
by floatplane, passengers will disembark and
walk the guided trail to the fish hatchery. There
is an observation area including a gazebo and
benches. If you arrive by boat, passengers will
not disembark but will instead stay on the boat
and watch for bears along the shore line.
Prince of Wales Island
One of the lesser-known spots, and not as
popular as some of the other bear-viewing
sites, but is still a unique tour where visitors
disembark upon the shore and explore a rain
forested island with the chance to see bears.
Herring Cove
Another lesser-known spot that rivals
others in its serene rainforest walk on elevated
platforms.
There are many ways to view bears in Alaska,
from just driving down the highway to hikes
and treks on forest trails. However, the safest
way would be to book a tour with a guided
bear-viewing company. In the excitement of
seeing these massive animals, many tourists
can forget that bears are wild, unpredictable,
9