The River of Bears

I am about as excited as I have ever been. I have drawn a Guided Viewing Permit in the lottery for the 2011 season at the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary. My interest in McNeil started when my daughter Stacey gave me the book, River of Bears for my Birthday in 1994. Oh how I have longed to go to this remote place just North of Katmai (cat-my) National Park on the Alaska Peninsula. This is only the second year in which I have applied. Austin and I are 2 of 185 people who won a permit for 2011. Yay!

This is not like any other place you might go bear watching. Here at McNeil you get up close with no barriers. The bears, North American Brown Bears, a group that includes two subspecies, the grizzly and the Kodiak roam free among the human visitors. The bears have the right of way and often you have to step off the path to let them pass. Over more than 40 years the bears have become familiar with the small groups of humans who gather to watch and photograph them. The ranger does carry a rifle but they have not had reason to use it . They say that the bears , if left unthreatened will not bother us.

I have posted a couple pictures from the book so you can get a feel for my adventure. The camping is remote, we must bring everything we need for at least 4 days. I say , a least because the float plane operator says there are times when weather and the tides can delay pick up.

If you haven't already done so, check out this video, it will really give you some insight into this trip of a lifetime. http://www.openroad.tv/video.php?vid=227