Brown Bear Sightings - Destruction Bay Yukon

Destruction Bay, Yukon (52 degrees, blue skies, chilly)

                                         "You can't stay in your corner of the Forest

waiting for others to come to you.

You have to go to them sometimes"

Winnie the Pooh

Our next campsite involved traveling in Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon all in one day. Destruction Bay is a small town in the Yukon overlooking a very big lake. Wildflowers were in full bloom along the roadside and mountains. It was delightful.

Our plans included  relaxing for a few days and enjoying a few hikes.  We found out it is also Brown Bear country and our campground had lots of information warning us to be alert and careful with trash. In this area they are called Brown Bears or often times grizzlies They are huge and  much larger than ones we have seen in the Grand Teton National Park. They can weigh between 800-1200 pounds and are considered very dangerous. However, due to the plentiful food supply as a rule do not usually think of humans as food. They love salmon and sedge grass.

Grizzly Bears and Brown Bears are technically the same species. Basically, the distinction is based on where they are located and what they like to eat.

The bears were munching on the wildflowers and it seemed to be delectable to them. We saw four of them near our campground over two evenings. We got some great photos but keep in mind our camera has a tremendous zoom and we were safely at a good distance in our friends truck. What was fascinating was being able to watch them without any crowds. We spend two enjoyable evenings watching them for a long time. They were not the least bit interested in us but seemed aware of our presence.

In the past when we have spent the summers in the Grand Teton National Park we only got quick glimpses and most of the time were very concerned about the hordes of people getting way too close to them. It was wonderful to observe them quietly. 

Campground review:  Cottonwood RV Park, flat, gravel sites, with 15 amp electric and water, dump station available, carry out trash due to bears, pretty park, water view sites available if you are small without hook ups. Lots of nice landscaping and wildflowers, nice deck off of office, WiFi is poor, very limited cell phone signal (Verizon), could only text. Electric service is run by a generator and at times was not very reliable, be sure to use a surge protector, free video/DVD rentals. Not many services in the area so be sure to have some groceries.

Adventures In and Around Haines Alaska

Haines, AK (60 degrees, cloudy)

We have had a great time in Haines, a small fishing town enjoying the  beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife. It's such a tranquil place and there are some beautiful and challenging hikes here. Our first day we hiked part of the Seduction Point Trail (Chilkat State Park) thru a pristine dark forest with wild mushrooms, ferns and eventually a beautiful meadow filled with wild flowers. 

Bob and Patsy

We planned way in advance a boat trip with Alaska Fjord Lines down the Lynn Canal to Juneau. It was an all day trip and although the weather did not always cooperate, it was very enjoyable. We saw lots of glaciers, Stellar and Harbor Seals, and a few humpback whales. The town of Juneau was busy with several cruise ships at the dock.

Our high speed ferry to Juneau

While in Juneau we took a cab out to the Mendenhall Glacier. It's spectacular!  Unfortunately, it's retreating at the rate of 200 feet a year. I saw it in the 80's with my parents and the glacier went past the waterfall you see in the picture to the right. 

Mendenhall Glacier

This blue area was caused by a recent calving of the glacier this week

Humpback Whale

Whale Tail

Stellar Sea Lions 

Look at the power of this glacier

Eldred Lighthouse 

Wildlife viewing is a big attraction here. In the evening Kodiak Brown Bears are known to come out along the river and roads. One evening we went out and had an amazing wildlife encounter. This huge bear was very interested in a bundling which we later found out has a smoker for salmon. His sharp nose must have sniffed something he could not resist. We watched him for some time trying to gain access and despite the high windows and his rather large posterior was able to access.  It was so much fun to watch him (inside our jeep from a good distance).

Note his two humps

He had a beautiful coat

What is in there?

Is my butt too big?

There is some yummy stuff in here

We have really enjoyed our stay here in Haines. It's a special place and one we will always remember.