Questions about solo hiking in Alaska

(Been visiting Alaska for work and play since 1979, lived here since 1998)

Bears are only scary because they’re new to you, not because they are any objectively relevant risk.  I felt the same way my first time in Africa.  Crocs and hippos in the river!  Lions!  Elephants that pop out of seemingly nowhere as you’re eating an orange!  There are over 2 million tourists in Alaska each year and we almost never lose one to bears.  So far under 1 in a million risk.  Sure, you’re out in the wild more than most tourists, but you’re going to be smart about it, right?  More on that later.  Every brown and black bear I’ve encountered while hiking did the right thing and headed the other way (less three black bears we shot and ate).  I make noise when the sight lines are poor, the water noise masking my approach and there’s fish or berries around.  If a companion wants me to, I’ll carry pepper spray.  I’ll only carry a gun if 1) we’re trying to eat the bear or 2) it’s work rules on a job site (our company trucks have 12-gauge shotguns loaded with flash-bang, bean bag, slug, slug, slug, slug.

If you’re still concerned about bears, the best guidance is from Stephen Herrero’s books – an actual PhD researcher who looks at all the data from throughout North America.  Short answer: Pepper spray has far better outcomes for humans compared to guns (and vastly better for the bears).   Slightly longer answer: group size is the bigger variable for if you’ll have a bear encounter (or even see one).  A large group of people NEVER travels quietly, so they spook the bears long before they get there.  If you’re nervous on a trail, tag along 50 feet behind a talkative group and, alas, you’ll won’t see any bears.

Of all of those hikes, the ones where you’re most likely to encounter bears at the ones in Denali NP.  Thankfully, the NPS has them trained well – or rather, has avoided them getting habituated to humans and associating people with food.  They have strict rules for backcountry hikers and especially backpackers that have kept the bears wild.

I’ve never found parking at Denali NP to be an issue (unlike Yosemite).  Follow the signs for the shuttle buses.  Make reservation(s) in advance.  Don’t want till the very end of the day to catch a bus coming back, since other hikers do that and there are only so many empty seats on the returning buses.  Don’t use the bus only to get 15-20 miles in for a day hike.  Dedicate a day to take the round trip out to Eielson Visitors Center (dang, or is the road closed due to a landslide this season?) to see a lot more critters.  Between the bus driver and all the other eyes on the bus, you’ll see far more bears, caribou, Dall Sheep, etc than if you’d been on your own.

Dress in layer and wear things that dry out as you wear them.  I prefer to let myself get moist in the drizzling rain dressed in poly and nylon to stay warm, rather than attempt to be waterproof and be in a self-created sauna all day long.  I never step off an established trail in Alaska without long-sleeve shirt and long pants of 100% nylon.  They can be thin (I like a 100% nylon fishing shirt with a collar), but you want the tough nylon to take the brunt of the willows, parsnip, wild roses, and Devli’s Club.  I wear low-cut, ventilated hiking shoes with very good socks and accept that my feet will be wet all day.  Bring dry socks and camp shoes if you want.

Are you renting a car?  It’s the easiest way to get around (and you’re going to a LOT of different places), but they’re not cheap in the summer.  Historically, rentals cars out of ANC or FAI were $29/day in winter and $500/week in summer, but then there was the pandemic and then pent-up demand.  Looks to be around $1000/week this July (down from $2000/week two years ago).  I’ll often conspire to leave a car at ANC for friends.  Compare on Turo – elsewhere I find Turo to be about 50% of rental agencies and an older local car is probably safer from mischief at a trailhead than an obvious tourist’s rental car.  For the rental car agencies, anywhere in the US, I compare on carrentals.com  Hitchhiking is more viable in Alaksa than elsewhere in the US and single females get rides faster than anyone else.  Still, you’ve got a lot of stops planned on a short trip, so your own car would be really helpful.

The Magic Bus 142 isn’t out the Stampede Trail anymore.  Here it (and I) are at UAF:

although the replica they used in the movie is front of a restaurant in Healy, north of Denali NP.

I like The Museum of the North on the UAF campus for half a day.  It will eventually display the original Magic Bus, but it’s being restored now in the Engineering Building.

Nat’l Geo maps are pretty and great for day dreaming about the trip in advance.  I’m increasingly using my phone and an app (AllTrails, etc).  There will be basic maps for free at Denali NP and lots of options to purchase maps once you get there or at Walmart, REI or any bookstore in any town.

Sounds like you’ve got budget for some adventure stuff.  White water rafting the Nenana River just outside Denali NP has totally changed since they went to dry suits.  Now it’s an exciting ride and quite safe.  35 years ago when I first did it, they just gave you yellow rain slickers and if you went overboard you’d be in a very bad way, so they stayed out of the haystacks and bumpy stuff.  There are also four-wheeler rides and zip-lining available out of Healy.

Everyone has bear spray for sale in Anchorage and Fairbanks – Walmart, REI, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and I think Safeway.  All those places also have backpacking stove fuel.  I just got back from Fairbanks; if I have another trip north of ANC before July, I could stash some bear spray at, say, the base of the MilePost 39 sign in a ziplock bag.  It saves folks having to buy it for $50 and then leave it behind.  Or if you go to the Kenai Peninsula early, pick it up from me in Kenai.  Propane stove and fuel, too, if you’re basically car camping.  If you have lodging in Anchorage, I’ve dropped off bear spray at hotels and AirBnB for future guest arrivals.  Some lodging might have bear spray for loan (the previous guests couldn’t take it with them).  Call ahead and ask.  It’s more weight for the remotely unlikely benefit for me on the hikes you describe, but to each their own.  HYOH.  BYOBS (bring your own bear spray).

I’ve done that trip to Grewingk Glacier, but privately.  We reserved a yurt on the salt water a mile from the beach trailhead to Grewingk and hiked in.  We didn’t kayak on the lake (although I’ve got a pack raft if you could borrow want to do it on your own) and that sounds like a cool experience and, yeah, photo op.  We got out there on a water taxi (all the locals use Mako’s Water Taxi) to get to the yurt (or trailhead) and get picked up later.  Leave your schedule a bit flexible and head out when they’ve a got boat going there anyway and pay a seat rate rather than rent the whole boat.  Or do the packaged tour if the price is right for you.  Other cool things to do out of Homer: Make reservations to the Saltry restaurant in Halibut Cove in part because it includes a 45-minute trip on the Danny J from the Homer small boat harbor – an old wooden boat, each way and you’ll see birds, otters, and sometimes whales on the way to lunch or dinner.  Halibut Cove has boardwalks to wander before/after your meal, and an art gallery or two.  The Pratt Museum and the Islands and Oceans Visitors Center are each worth a visit, especially on a rainy day.  When you see the views from Homer, you’ll see why they got all the artists.  Here in Kenai, we only get these views in one direction:

while Homer has glaciers and volcanos on three sides.

In addition to world-class sea kayaking out of Homer (I’ve got a bunch on the garage ceiling), there’s the OTHER wilderness canoe trails area in the US.  The one that’s not Boundary Waters.  The Kenai Canoe Trails can be a day trip, a weekend or two weeks.  You can paddle around the first few lakes, go further out to the most distant ones, or make it through trip and get flushed down the Swanson River 

The “Difficult passage” isn’t difficult, it’s just tedious.  You’ll leave a lot of green rocks behind (if you borrow my green canoe).

Erin was on BPL a decade ago while preparing for an 800-mile, hiking/packrafting trip with their 4- and 2-year-old.  Here are she and Hig, pre-kids, far out the Alaska Peninsula on their first crazy long trip (4,000 human-powered miles from WA to the Aleutians).  Look on Amazon for “Erin McKittrick”, for all her books about remote Alaskan travels.  In a small state thing, we ended up on the same utility board some years after I arranged remote food drops and housing in town for one of their trips.  Anyway, here they’re showing how to properly respond to a brown bear encounter.  They had pepper spray, no firearm (duh).  The comments meet one’s (worst) expectations of YouTube commenters.

Yes, Exit Glacier is a super popular trail (it’s basically wheelchair accessible) to the base of the glacier.  Still, I’d recommend it due to the signs telling you “the glacier retreated back from here in 1956”, 1961, etc . . . which I found fascinating to learn about the progression of plants post-glacial retreat.

The Harding Icefield Overlook Trail is great.  A fair bit of elevation, but a great half-day hike.  You end up looking down on the glacier / icefield.  Bring binoculars to look for mountain goats (often right from the parking lot).  They’ll be on the crazy steep stuff you couldn’t imagine an animal being able to traverse.

While you’re in Seward, consider a day- or half-day cruise of Resurrection Bay.  Puffins, dolphins, whales, mountain goats, otters, eagles (dumpster chickens).  Do not make a reservation in advance, despite their websites claiming you need to or for a discount.  Check the marine forecast for Resurrection Bay that day and if it’s a calm day, go to the cruise line offices and get a ticket that morning – there are a dozen sailings each day.  (skip the one that takes you to a prime rib buffet in a dining hall on their island – spend money to get on the water, not to a gift shop).  But if the weather is forecast to be bad, go the Sealife Center instead.  It’s a very well-done modern aquarium, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, that doesn’t show you colorful tropical fish, but the fish (and mammals, mollusk, octopi, etc) that are actually right offshore, in Alaskan waters.

I never get tired of watching that bear footage that David linked to.

Here’s my miniature version: early spring, walking on a flat trail parallel to the Merced, pretty open. I’m solo so quiet. Up ahead, a brown bear is moseying along just off the trail, unaware that I’m there. open ground, no cubs.  The bear moseys, stops to explore for ants in a downed tree, sniffs through the grasses, dump de dump. I follow along forty feet behind for ten minutes. In retrospect…probably not a good idea. but it was fascinating watching a bear on its own living the bear life. And then of course, I stepped on a stick. Snap; bear wheels around, sees me and takes off for fifteen steps…then stops. You could just read its body language–hey, I”M the bear. She wheels again and faces me. I’m stock still, averting her direct gaze. I start talking very calmly and not at all loud. The bear begins swinging its head and clacking its teeth. Not good. More calm talk from me. Then, as if telegraphing ‘all right then, we have that straight!” the bear turned once more and ambled off.

Bears in Yosemite are extremely habituated to humans, especially where I was. but it was early spring and no one was around. I usually just ignore those bears, and they amble on by or turn tail. this was the most time I was ever able to observe a bear in motion. Yosemite bears understand the ground rules, and its best to show that you do to. No food outside of a canister, ever! alaska bears may be a different story.

David covered it in his usual, comprehensive way. :^)

You are quite unlikely to see a brown bear outside Denali unless you really go looking for one (i.e., a bear viewing excursion). And as David said, the bears inside Denali are unhabituated and thus well-behaved thanks to aggressive ‘people management’ by the Park. It is a cool place to see wildlife that doesn’t immediately run away. The other trails you mention are all heavily visited and wildlife is unlikely to be in the area. The danger posed to you by a brown bear given your itinerary is essentially zero.

Definitely do a Kenai Fjords cruise out of Seward that goes into Aialik Bay or Northwestern Fjord (the longer options). That is some of the coolest stuff you can see in AK that does not require a bush plane or a ton of effort.

The Trails Illustrated map of Denali looks good, though having a decent GPS app on your phone would make the most sense.

Have fun! I bet you will want to come back and spend more time getting to know a particular area better.

I’d keep the possibility of backpacking. You might change your mind.
All the suggestions are good. Similar to what I would do.
While we have no shortage of bears I’ve seen more grizzlies per day in Wyoming than my area of Alaska (a salmon stream would be different). Be smart and enjoy the trip.

Edit to add this….
Bear spray is great but be careful with it. Lots of people treatit careless maybe because its “safer” than a gun. If you smack it wrong its fairly easy to puncture the can which is a mess. And know how it works. Lots of people don’t.

David Thomas :

Thank you so much – very useful

I wasn’t thinking about nylon and long sleeve tops!

Unfortunately, the visitor center is not accessable due to the landslide (construction til at least 2024)

Yes. I am renting a car -).  And YES – it’s CRAZY expensive if from a regular rental companies

But I used turo – Honda CRV awd, 2015 (the owner has only positive responses) – $2 300 for 20 days

While it was from $3 700, or $4 000 from a rental places!

Stampede trail backpacking is my dream !

And not really because of the bus (or even that poor guy).

The trail itself and the challenge – and The River there – is very interesting

But if (hopefully) I’d ever go there – then with at lest 2 more highly trusted people! :)

Luke Schmidt:

I wish I’d go to a few super wonderful hikes in backcountry + at least one 20 mi backpacking!

But – that’s for my next visit -)

Yes – I’ll train with a bear spray usage… The problem I used to experience a year or so ago – it wnet into my eyes every time I tried!

Thank you!

Philip Tschersich and all the others –

Thanks so so much !!!

Very reassuring!

I’ll keep yelling “Hey, bear” if alone and I have my loud music for the offline usage too

No longer scared (and from my experience if I am not scared – things go really well)

Special thanks for all the info about a restaurants and tours

Looks like I’ll be so busy there for all my days -)

I’ll describe how it went – in August (when back)

You can buy trainer cans that are safe. It comes out fast so i never practice with the real thing, save it for a real bear.
I don’t think the Stampede Trail would be popular except for the bus. Its an ATV trail outside the park think muddy ruts). Better wilderness experience in the park.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Kodiak gives out free inert bear spray trainer canisters. They just contain water and propellant. You might want to call the Anchorage office and see if they give them out too (ADF&G Wildlife office main number: 907-267-2257).  It is good to know what to expect when you discharge a can.

Philip,

Here in Kenai, sometimes they offer public training sessions with inert canisters.  It includes a picture of a bear on a clothesline with pull cord, so the instructor brings the “bear” closer and closer to you.

Hmmm.  That’s got me thinking of test firing an old one, cleaning it out and then drilling and tapping the bottom for a Schrader valve and refilling it repeatedly with colored water and pressurized air.  Although it’s probably better to modify a practice unit and avoid all the decon.

Yes, David covered it really well. That’s quite an itinerary you have planned! I would second spending more time in the Homer area (I have lived there since 1996). Lots of great hiking, although you have to take a water taxi to get to it (I second the recommendation for Mako’s), or a friend with a boat (I have one- feel free to get in touch, if you do decide to spend more time in Homer). If you’re not going to backpack, think about a day hike up Grace Ridge or Alpine Ridge. If you don’t mind a long day-hike, the fairly new Tutka Backdoor Trail gets into a spectacular alpine area (but you need to go about 8 miles one-way to where it really gets good). I helped build the trail with Hig and Erin (who recorded the bear video above).

Another nice thing about the trails in Kachemak Bay State Park is that the chances of a brown (grizzly) bear encounter are just about nil. There are lots of black bears, but they’re generally well-behaved. I’ve had many encounters with both black and grizzly bears (I worked as a biologist here on the Kenai Peninsula studying juvenile salmon, so bushwhacked along salmon streams where most people never go). One of the most important things with brown bears is to avoid surprising them, especially if you’re solo. Making noise is important, although PLEASE find something to yell besides “Hey bear!”- they really don’t care what you say. Singing to yourself works well. As others have said, your chances of grizzly encounters along those trails are very low, although you’ll have a good chance of seeing them from a distance in Denali.

Buses in Denali will pick you up anywhere along the park road, unless they’re already full. You should park your car in the official bus parking area near the visitor’s center (save spots at the Savage River parking area for people who are hiking there).

Have a great trip! Be careful, you might fall in love with Alaska and never go home (like I did).

Steven B:

Thank you for the info!

<I helped build the trail with Hig and Erin (who recorded the bear video above)>

Wow !!! Did you create a trailhead and / or a map for it?

I’ve researched and I am thinking to take Water Taxi to Kachemak Bay State Park to complete 2 hikes

Day 1

taxi – Homer to South Grace (for the 9 mi hike, and to camp on kayak beach)

Day 2

taxi – Kayak beach to Glacier Spit/Saddle Trail (to hike on that trail & to see Glacier)

taxi – Glacier Spit/Saddle Trail – back to Homer

The problem is that I am not sure if those taxis can take you between the islands or – just back and forth from / to Homer only…

There is also no scheduling or info on their web sites.

I texted and emailed to Mako’s Water taxi – if no response til Jun 1 (because it’s a high season) then I’ll attempt calling and will probably go with just a day hike Grace ridge  +   kayaking to the Glacier with Moose Adventures.

The hike you’ve described there – Tutka Backdoor Trail – looks SUPER cool, but not much info..yet )

I’ll bookmark for my next visit!

Did a solo 3 week backpack in the then-new Gates of the Arctic NP in the early 1980s and some good advice I did heed was to stay in a hunters cabin for when I was having my period. I did tango with a persistent black bear with a cub later on that trip…how I would have liked to have had the option of bear spray then. Instead, I kept on the move for hours to try and remain downwind but not get too off course. It was an epic trip. I still love solo trips. Know your biz, pay attention and have a great time!

Do you use GaiaGPS for backcountry gps navigation on your phone? If you are familiar with this, the Tukta Backdoor trail appears on the ‘Gaia Topo (feet)’ map layer, and if you turn ‘Public Tracks’ on you can see recordings of the route appear (though they seem to all be copies of the same track recording from 2019). You can click on one of those public tracks and save it into your routes for offline use.

The usual suspects have given you great information about carrying bear spray (just do it), and parking anywhere in Alaska is rarely a problem. The visitor center in Denali at the east entrance is open. Talk to the rangers about the hikes you want to do; they’re very helpful and can update on recent happenings. Advice here is good; advice at the visitor center will be more current. You could see a bear anywhere in Alaska, including my back yard. But you probably won’t in most places. Talk loudly, sing and make any other noise if you are in brush or near streams, etc. Be prepared.

The only thing I have to add to the above is to react to your comment: “Stampede trail backpacking is my dream !” – Good freaking lord, why? why?! It’s a freaking road. People are ATV’ing it, snow machining it, hunting from it. It’s in brushy non scenic territory with nothing special back there. Why on earth would that be your dream? it’s like dreaming about camping at Walmart, or maybe a dirt road that heads to a dump. If you want to waste your time, go for it. Many many other beautiful places in Alaska to see and you want to see Stampede road. Ooookay.