Is it possible for a wildlife encounter to be a cliche?
It seems that's the case at Brooks River Falls in Katmai National Park, at least according to Sonny Petersen. And he should know. Petersen is the owner of Katmailand Inc.'s Brooks Lodge at Brooks River. He sees lots of bears and lots of visitors during the summer season at the lodge.
In this case, a bear cliche isn't a bad thing.
"Brooks Falls is world-famous. You see it on Discovery Channel, on National Geographic. We've been on a Geico commercial," Petersen said. "The falls really are world-famous, so much that it's almost a cliche.
"It's so recognizable that it leads people to think there are situations like that all over Alaska. But the facts are there is only one Brooks Falls. It's kind of like going to Machu Picchu; there is only one."
While the Brooks River Falls might be the best place to nearly guarantee a bear sighting, it is far from the only place in Alaska to see bears. Alaska contains more than 98 percent of the U.S. population of brown bears. The state also has large populations of black bears and polar bears, although most visitors won't see polar bears. (Brown and grizzly bears are essentially the same; brown bear is the term generally associated with coastal bears, which get larger thanks to a more calorie-dense diet. Grizzly bears live in the Interior.)
In addition to lots of bears, Alaska also has plenty of bear-viewing companies. Most trips require a Bush plane flight, often across Cook Inlet to Katmai National Park. Grizzly bears are frequently spotted by visitors to Denali National Park on one of the bus tours. Private vehicles are not allowed beyond Mile 15 of the Park Road.
Alaska being Alaska, occasionally a bear-viewing opportunity will present itself at an unexpected time and place. In the past couple of summers, bears have been spotted along the Kenai River and at Bird Creek south of Anchorage.
Some recent survey numbers indicated there are about 2,000 brown bears in Katmai National Park. Petersen said during the peak season at Brooks -- usually July and September -- there can be 60 to 80 bears on the river and up to about 12 bears fishing for salmon at the falls.
Sometimes, visitors will see a couple of family groups -- mother bears with cubs -- at the river. If some large male bears show up at the river, the sow and her cubs will scatter.
And despite being in a remote, roadless part of Alaska, Brooks River is fairly easy to get to. That's assuming you have at least a day to spend and plenty of cash. A trip to Katmai isn't cheap.
Katmailand (www.katmailand.com, 243-0649) offers a day trip from Anchorage for $589 per person. It includes a flight to King Salmon and a 20-minute floatplane flight from King Salmon to Brooks Lodge. Several other operators also offer trips to Katmai and Brooks River Falls.
Depending on flight times, Petersen said, visitors will typically spend from five to seven hours in Katmai.
When visitors arrive at Brooks, National Park Service rangers provide an orientation, which lasts 20 to 30 minutes and explains some simple rules visitors should follow around the bears. Once out of the orientation, visitors are free to roam about looking for bears.
There are three main viewing platforms -- falls, riffles and lower platforms. And there are so many bears around that visitors need not be on a platform to have a bear encounter.
In addition to its day trips, Katmailand offers one- to four-night packages with accommodations at the lodge. While bears are the main attraction at Katmai, if visitors have more than a day in the national park, they shouldn't miss a tour of the Valley of 10,000 Smokes. A 1912 eruption at Novarupta Volcano covered more than 40 square miles of the Alaska Peninsula with volcanic deposits. The eruption was 10 times more forceful than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Bear-viewing opportunities are not limited to Brooks River Falls.
Regal Air (www.regal-air.com, 243-8535) offers an eight- to 10-hour trip to Brooks Falls for $649 per person, but also offers trips to Big River Lakes ($249), Redoubt Bay Lodge ($599) and Silver Salmon Creek ($599).
Mike Laughlin, owner of Regal Air in Anchorage, said seeing a bear anywhere is a memorable experience.
"I think bears kind of encompass a lot of what people think of when they think of Alaska -- big and wild," he said. "They are very interesting to watch. It's amazing how excited people are to see the bears."
Laughlin said his company's floatplanes go to different places for different reasons -- variety of prices, visitors' preferences and likelihood of seeing bears.
"Katmai is great in July and great again in September, but there are a few times when it tapers off a bit," he said. "Also, we don't want to necessarily put everybody in one place. It's a busy time of the year, and some people want something different. Some people want to do some walking, while others want a more pampered lodge experience.
"Big River Lakes is a three-hour trip. It's perfect for people who have a money or time crunch. It's not as spectacular as Brooks, but you'll see bears, wildlife and have a great flightseeing trip. It's more condensed and viable for some people."
For those who have even more time and are looking for a unique experience, consider a few days with Kodiak Treks on Kodiak Island.
Harry and Brigid Dodge offer small-group, low-impact bear viewing in Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, home to the largest brown bears in the world. Harry Dodge has been hiking and guiding through Kodiak bear country for 30 years. Trips are a minimum of three days and generally up to five days. They are $300 to $350 per person per day and include all meals, excursions, equipment, guide service and lodge stay.
A Kodiak Treks (www.kodiak treks.com, 487-2122) experience will be different from one at Brooks Falls.
"Our trips are first and foremost educational," Brigid Dodge said. "We strive to minimally impact the bears and other wildlife while leading visitors into their realm. Our goal is not to try to get as close as possible to animals for that 'trophy photo' but to view animals in a discreet fashion.
"Our program is the opposite of bear-viewing operators on the Katmai coast who aim to change bear behaviors so that bears accept an airplane landing in close proximity. We choose to leave the motor and hike, sometimes for multiple days. ... We approach bear viewing holistically."
So whether you have a couple of hours or a few days, the bears are out there; you just have to select a way to find them.
Special sections editor Steve Edwards can be reached at sedwards@adn.com or 257-4316. Visit his Alaska travel blog at www.alaska.com/alaskology.
Bear viewing locations
Some state and federal parks in Alaska offer excellent bear viewing. Below are some of the better-known bear viewing locations. For more information, go to www.nps.gov/aplic for the "Bear Viewing 2007" brochure.
Katmai National Park and Preserve / Brooks River Falls
Where: Alaska Peninsula, southwest of Anchorage.
What you'll see: Brown bears fishing for salmon. Sometimes you will see several at one time on the falls.
When to go: Peaks in mid-July and again in September.
Access: By commercial air service to King Salmon, then charter air service to Brooks Camp; you can also catch flights direct to Brooks River Falls from several Southcentral locations. Be prepared for cool, wet weather.
Cost: Approximately $500 to $600 round-trip from Anchorage, not including lodging.
Information: Katmai National Park and Preserve Headquarters, 246-3305, www.nps.gov/katm.
Denali National Park
Where: Interior Alaska, 250 miles from Anchorage.
What you'll see: Grizzly bears, usually individuals or small family groups. Usually only visible from a distance.
When to go: Late May through September.
Access: By road on the Parks Highway. Private vehicles limited to the first 15 miles on the Denali Park Road; visitors may take shuttle or tour buses.
Cost: Varies, from about $30 per person by shuttle bus to more than $130 for a bus tour.
Information: Denali National Park, 683-2294, www.nps.gov/dena.
Wolverine Creek Cove / Redoubt Bay State Critical Habitat Area
Where: Western side of Cook Inlet, east of Lake Clark Pass.
What you'll see: Brown and black bears fishing for salmon.
Access: By plane and then boat.
Cost: Varies depending on where your flight departs.
Information: www.nps.gov/aplic/bearviewing.pdf.
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Where: Western side of Cook Inlet, south of Redoubt Bay.
What you'll see: Brown bears eating sedges or fishing for salmon. Some black bears.
Access: By plane, usually from Homer or Soldotna. Some charter boat service.
Cost: Varies, but day trips typically range from about $300 to $500.
Information: Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, 781-2218, www.nps.gov/lacl.
More information about bears is available at www.dced.state.ak.us/oed/student_info/learn/bearwatching.htm Where to see some bears "What I tell people is that if bears are their No. 1 thing, they should just spend the $600 or whatever it's going to cost and go see the bears. Otherwise, they may go all over the the rest of the week and have a great time but never see a bear."
-- Candice McDonald, owner of Salmon Berry Tours What locals say
Bear safety basics
Whether you are traveling in the backcountry or to a designated bear-viewing location, some basic tips can make any bear encounter more enjoyable:
• Stay alert: The sooner you are aware of a bear's presence, the more time you and the bear will have to react appropriately.
• Safety in numbers: The larger your group, the less risk of a bear attacking. Stay in a group, particularly if visibility is poor.
• Keep a safe distance: Never approach a bear, even from a boat or kayak. Give bears plenty of space, and allow room for bears to get past you if need be.
• Be visible, make noise: Avoid surprise encounters by traveling in areas with good visibility. Make noise as you walk. Be extra alert in windy conditions or near noisy streams that may mask your sounds. When possible, travel with the wind at your back.
• Food: Store your food properly.
Sources: National Park Service, Alaska Public Lands Information Centers
