Denali Bicycle Safety Tips.... Please!

Laneco · 08-23-2008, 02:24 PM

Oh mighty Pelican Brain Trust (that means YOU!). I'm heading to Alaska tomorrow for two weeks of work in Denali park. I'm bringing a bicycle. I've read the park requirements for bicycles (stay on the ROAD!) and bear avoidance suggestions. I'll be very careful, I promise.

My husband is pretty worried about this so I thought I would ask you guys for any additional suggestions you might have to avoid being a bear-snack. I'll be on the bike probably 2-3 hrs a day - again on the dirt road in the park only, no trails. Using my Giant NRS-1 for no other reason than it is really comfortable for sight seeing and if an emergency requires - is exceptionally manueverable.

angela

Danny_Ocean · 08-23-2008, 02:37 PM

1) Do not carry raw meat in your pockets.

2) Always ride with someone slower than you. You don't have to be faster than the bear...just faster than your parnter.

3) Get some "bear spray". I carry this in my car (for people...not many bears around here):

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

carry the bear spray on your person - ALWAYS - even in camp or in your sleeping bag

make noise while hiking or riding your bike - keep a lookout on blind corners - bears like to use the road too (easy travel + road kill)

camp away from any food smells

Denali is a great place - set up where you can see the mtn. and wait for the fog to lift.

what kind of work?

Laneco · 08-23-2008, 02:45 PM

All the buses that haul tourists in the park (and the drivers of the buses) must meet certain safety requirements. That's what I check - drivers and vehicles for safety. Kind of a weird job. Never thought I would wind up working in a national park!

Regarding the bear spray - I'll definately buy some of that as soon as I land tomorrow!

The funniest advice was to ride with someone slower than me - hahahaha!!!! I guess all I have to do is outride THEM!

angela

scottmandue · 08-23-2008, 02:45 PM

What they said about bear spray.

And NO food on your person, in your tent, or car.

Especially stinky food, bacon and fish are famous bear attractors.

Hugh R · 08-23-2008, 03:53 PM

Wear a little bell so that the bears know you're coming and you don't startle them. Carry the pepper spray as others have said.

Know the difference between brown bear and grizzly poop. Brown bear poop has berries and grass in it. Grizzly poop smells of pepper and has little bells in it.

cantdrv55 · 08-23-2008, 09:11 PM

Never be alone.

Carry a loud whistle.

einreb · 04:02 AM

I've been to Denali. I bike a lot. I would never bike in Denali.

I've been there a few times and back country camped. When bushwacking... you just make a lot of noise, bells, etc. Biking... Ride slow? a big bell?

I got he impression that biking was discouraged in the park. The concern (I think) is that you will turn a corner and be up on a bear too fast and freak it out. Worst case between baby and mamma bear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laneco

it is really comfortable for sight seeing and if an emergency requires - is exceptionally manueverable.

You will not outrun the bear. That is an indisputable fact.

Laneco · 08-24-2008, 04:09 AM

Outrun the bear? Only if I have about a 1/2 mile headstart and the bear gives up easily!

The "maneuverability" comment is along the thought pattern of taking an abrupt change of direction at the unexpected sighting. I am much more likely to pull bailing over a drop-off, busting down a scree slope or jumping a log on the NRS than with my road or 'cross bike.

Thanks for the advice from everyone. I'll pick up bear spray, watch where I'm going and make plenty of noise. Right now I'm in the airport. Only got binged $50 to ship the bike on the airline - heck of a deal.

Can't believe I'm actually going to ALASKA!!!!

angela

javadog · 08-24-2008, 04:37 AM

My son lives in Alaska and never goes anywhere outdoors without his .45.

For what it's worth,
JR

javadog · 08-24-2008, 04:46 AM

By the way, watch out for moose. They can be worse than the bears.

JR

old man neri · 08-24-2008, 07:38 AM

pwd72s · 08-24-2008, 09:54 AM

Carry a gun...minimum caliber 30-06

Jeff Higgins · 08-24-2008, 10:18 AM

Timothy Treadwell wrote the definitive treatise on bear safety.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by javadog

My son lives in Alaska and never goes anywhere outdoors without his .45.

For what it's worth,
JR

Be SURE and file the sights off of it frist. Very important!

That way it won't hurt so much when the bear rams it up your ass.

Any pistol is just a pop gun for a bear. When I taught mammalogy I held up a grizz skull next to a model of a Sherman tank - the bones are shaped just like the armor (before we got reactive armor). The bone structure is designed to ward off a blow from another bear, a moose's antlers, horns of a Dall sheep etc.

Besides I don't think Denali will allow you a gun. Pepper spray will work better. It is for close in use - when that berry bush starts moving. A rifle or even a shot gun with slugs is more of a distance weapon -- and if you have that distance, you are probably going to be ok.

Except for teenagers, and females with cubs, most bears will leave you alone as long as they don't think you are food.

Bears are intelligent and curious. IF one sees you on a bicycle it may want to investigate. IF it sees a bideal human standing up and not running it may just put you in the category of "non-food items, other" or it has been conditioned - the category of "skunks, wolverines and other smaller creatures that are nonetheless not to be messed with."

billybek · billybek's Garage

My sister in law snapped this shot in K-Country, west of Calgary...

She said the guy had Alberta plates, he should have known better. Apparently he was moving with the bear as she ate, moving away from his car.....

My sister in law was safely in her vehicle.

Danny_Ocean · 08-24-2008, 01:57 PM

Darwin theorem at work...

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybek

My sister in law snapped this shot in K-Country, west of Calgary...

She said the guy had Alberta plates, he should have known better. Apparently he was moving with the bear as she ate, moving away from his car.....

My sister in law was safely in her vehicle.

Laneco · 08-24-2008, 05:26 PM

Okay - I would NEVER do what that fellow is doing... NEVER... Clearly understand that I have been riding bikes in the woods for close to two decades now and have not survived my experiences by being a complete and total dumbass...

I cannot have a firearm in the park. I did pick up bells for the bike. They are kind of cool, they have a magnet attached to the bottom of the bag. When they are out of the bag, they ring, when they are in the bag the magnet tracks the bell ringer and they are quiet.

I'll pick up bear spray at the park. As an employee, I get a substantial discount plus good information on which one works the best. I do know how to use the products also, some police background training with O/C. Same idea except the perpetrator does not generally try to eat you when you screw up...

I don't intend to be near enough to even consider using it. Just consider it a worst case scenario desperation backup plan.

We flew over a whole group of glaciers on the way to Anchorage this morning. WOW! They are absolutely stunning! The crevasses have such a pure blue tone that it looks as if they are lit from the inside. Absolutely other-worldly. Wish I was here for more than two weeks...

I'll be back in the spring though. I did stumble across the Iditarod Headquarters (hotel) while looking for spare bicycle tubes. Right now, it's 5:25pm and looking outside you would think it was the early afternoon by the amount of light. Going to be a little weird sleeping...

angela

Mule · 08-24-2008, 05:55 PM

.44 Magnum

einreb · 08-24-2008, 06:35 PM

I know they require it for backcountry folks, but I don't know about 'cyclists'... there is a 30 minute bear class at the entrance to the park.

Denali bears are not jellystone bears. They do not associate humans with food. If a bear gets food from a human, it is 'schooled' by rangers... with explosives. The rangers care more about the bears than the visitors.

I'm not actually sure under what circumstances you would use pepper spray. As i recall: if you see a bear... you back away. If it sees you, you wave your arms, talk and back away. Here's the funny one; if it charges you, stand there and 'take it'. It will most likely be a bluff charge and they will swerve away. Worst case is you get between mamma and cub, also bad is a sick or mangy bear.

Regardless, the likely hood of any of this happening is remote, just keep your wits about you and don't fly around blind corners. Denali is absolutely amazing and hopefully you get a good view of the mountain.

Our last trip we hiked in through polychrome pass up over the glacier via the valley on the left then came out the right side several days later. We saw tons of caribou, bear, fox and MOSQUITOS.