Brown Bears are undoubtedly the King and the top of the food chain.

These giants are from 7 - 9 feet long and males can weigh up to 1100 pounds. Their color ranges from dark brown to blonde and they have a squarish head, a broad face and a very distinguishing hump of muscle between the shoulders.

The Brown Bear is also known as a Grizzly. Here in Alaska you'll hear both terms used ..often interchangeably. Usually though, people refer to Grizzlies as those found in the Interior of Alaska. Those near the coast are often called Brown Bears and on Kodiak they're named after the island.

All of these bears are the same species, Ursus arctos. The coastal bears are usually much larger due to an abundance of salmon in the rivers there.

Black Bears are much more common. You're never very far from a Black Bear in Alaska though you may never see it. These bears are much smaller, about 5 feet long. Males get up to 400 pounds and females up to about 250. They may be brown, black, blond, silver or even blue! Ursus americanus has a pointy head and a body more like a very large dog. They don't have the distinguishing hump of the Griz.

Regardless of their size, ALL bears can be dangerous. In fact, one of the scariest moments I've ever had is seeing a cute little black bear cub up close! Mom was probably nearby and would not have been pleased to see me.

Although bears can be dangerous, you can still enjoy the Alaska backcountry with a few precautions and some common sense. Statistically, you're far more likely to run into a dangerous dog than a dangerous bear.

Where to see bears

We often spot bears on our Exposure trips. Prince William Sound, where we usually kayak, is home to quite a few Black Bears.

Denali National Park is a good place to see Brown Bears from the safety of a bus. You could have a much better view and be closer than you would ever want to be on foot!

For stunning photo opportunities, it's hard to beat a fly-in trip to one of the areas where bears are feeding on spawning salmon. We include this unforgettable opportunity on many of our custom trips. In fact the bear photos throughout this newsletter and our website were taken by one of our guests on a custom adventure.

Check out Exposure Trips

Don't sneak up on a bear
Most bears will run from a human if given the option. Make some noise as you travel, especially in dense brush or near loud flowing water.

"Bear bells", in addition to being really annoying to everyone around you, do not really give a bear much notice that you're coming. If you talk or sing, he'll know it's a person.

Don't run from a bear
If you run, you look a lot like prey. Stand your ground and talk to the bear unless solid shelter is very, very close.
All bears are great runners and swimmers, and Black Bears are incredible climbers.

Find out more on traveling safely in bear country at this Alaska State Parks website.