Do I need to bring a can of rocks from home

[LaBayouBabe]

to shake while walking around Mendenhall Glacier to keep the bears at bay? I'm not sure I will be up to talking non-stop while I'm there. Do they have cans of rocks there? This is not a joke - I'm serious.:o

[plenox]

to shake while walking around Mendenhall Glacier to keep the bears at bay? I'm not sure I will be up to talking non-stop while I'm there. Do they have cans of rocks there? This is not a joke - I'm serious.:o

 

From what I read, it seems there are bus loads of people there. Do we still need to worry about unexpected bear encounters?

[LaBayouBabe]

From what I read, it seems there are bus loads of people there. Do we still need to worry about unexpected bear encounters?

I'm hoping we don't have to worry because I really don't want to have to hunt up a can and some rocks or bring it from home. I'm going to be maxed out weight wise with my luggage as it is!

[fti]

If you want to carry rocks, just buy a soft drink in a can once you get to Juneau, drink or just dump out the contents, add a few rocks that you find on the groun. Presto. Can't be easier.:D

 

If there is going to be a small group of you, no need for the external noise. The point is to make noise - who cares if it is rocks or talking. The bears certainly don't care. If you are not hiking on one of the longer trails, it won't matter anyway - the Photo Point trail and visitor center are full of people all the time.

 

The best idea given to us by park rangers in Katmai where bear encounters are about a 100% certainty is if you are walking alone to clap. That works great.

 

John

[PlanoGuys]

I don't think that it will be a problem to find some small rocks.

 

We were at the Mendenhall Glacier in July and we actually saw a black bear up in a tree right near where the MGT shuttle dropped us off. The driver told everyone not to get the bear mad so we kept our distance.

 

I didn't think about bears for the next few hours at the glacier. I guess that we should have watched out for them but it never felt unsafe since so many people were around...

[JohnQ]

We just got back from HAL cruise and we saw bears at Mendenhall. I guess this mom and cubs have been there for weeks near the wooden walkway thru the nature area between the parking lot and the visitor center. They had two rangers to provide info on the bears and protect THEM. I just think how much money and time we spent in two weeks looking to get close to bears!!!

 

As FTI said, unless you are going on a long hike there, you will have plenty of people around and you will be fine. These bears were about 30-40' from the walkway and had been there all day. We saw in early morning and came back later hoping they would be out of tree to get better look and photos. The cubs were still in tree and mom was sitting, laying at base of tree for security purposes. No interest in people.

[LaBayouBabe]

It will just be me and DH and we are thinking about doing the Photo Point Trail and the Trail of Time and maybe trying to get to the waterfall (ify at this point). Hopefully there will be other people around to make plenty of noise. I'm not really worried about a bear getting me, but because of that attitude, I'll probably walk right up on one that's in a foul moud.

Thanks everybody for your responses!

[PhatPhil]

It is suggested you carry a can of pepper spray and a little bell to ring. If you see bear scat (droppings) you can tell if it from a black bear if it smells faintly of blueberries and earth, and a brown bear if it smells of pepper and has little bells in it.

[mapsmith]

It is suggested you carry a can of pepper spray and a little bell to ring. If you see bear scat (droppings) you can tell if it from a black bear if it smells faintly of blueberries and earth, and a brown bear if it smells of pepper and has little bells in it.

 

:) :) :)

[Arrow's Mom]

It is suggested you carry a can of pepper spray and a little bell to ring. If you see bear scat (droppings) you can tell if it from a black bear if it smells faintly of blueberries and earth, and a brown bear if it smells of pepper and has little bells in it.

 

ROFLMAO!!!

[LeeW]

We saw lots of this in the Jasper area. Tons of tourist with bells on their shoes, making loud noises on the trails. Locals found it hilarious since these people seldom saw any wildlife. Of course the locals also don't walk up to within 5' of a bear and wave food or a camera at them. And putting the kids next to the feeding bear for a picture also isn't too smart (yes, we have seen this).

 

If you are in a group, don't be concerned (there is a joke somewhere about not being the slowest runner...). Let someone else wave the kid or an apple at the bear and you will be just fine.

[LisaH]

I don't think that it will be a problem to find some small rocks.

 

We were at the Mendenhall Glacier in July and we actually saw a black bear up in a tree right near where the MGT shuttle dropped us off. The driver told everyone not to get the bear mad so we kept our distance.

 

I didn't think about bears for the next few hours at the glacier. I guess that we should have watched out for them but it never felt unsafe since so many people were around...

'

 

hey PlanoGuys, notice I am from Plano also. We were in Alaska in July. I guess Plano held the fort down without us. Our trip was fantastic. But with the 100+ the last week, I wish we were back there but can't complain as this summer has been very pleasant.