Transportation at Bear Viewing Sites
Get my feet wet?  Mom, you’ve got to be kidding.  
(c) 2003  K. Fredrikkson
For information about the pitfalls of wilderness travel, click here  Suitable equipment and sources of supply are discussed below. TRAVEL WITHIN A VIEWING AREA Katmai Coastal Bear Tours ferries viewers along the coast of the Alaska Peninsula, from one viewing site to the next. Clients travel by skiff from boat to shore, then hike a short distance to each viewing site. A viewing “area” is a region where you can reasonably expect to find viewable bears. This area may or may not contain regular viewing sites, such as a waterfall along a river where bears concentrate to fish, or a particular beach where they commonly dig clams during low tide. Some viewing areas may be traversed by skiff or drift-boat. In others, where motors are not allowed, you might utilize a canoe, kayak or raft. Most commonly, however, you may have to hike up to a few miles, perhaps from where your plane or boat docks. Hikes commonly require you to wade streams; so be sure that your guide or tour company supplies hip- or chest-waders; or bring your own (see Protective Clothing  for BVA’s recommendations). Protective%20Clothing.htmlhttp://web.mac.com/gobearviewing/iWeb/Pitfalls%20of%20Wilderness%20Travel/Wilderness%20Travel%201.html
Rafts, kayaks, canoes, etc.
 
    The best back-packable craft we’ve found are Alpaca rafts -- made right here in Alaska. These feather-weight (4 pound) rafts are incredibly tough.  Yet, if sharp river rocks or grizzly bear claws do tear one, they are amazingly easy to repair in the field.  For remote wilderness travel, don’t trust your life to anything less reliable.
 
Sheri Tingey www.alpacaraft.com info@alpackaraft.com (907) 929-8255http://www.alpacaraft.commailto:info@alpackaraft.comshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1
 
 
                                            
 
                            Rafting close to a black bear as it scavenges sockeye salmon carcasses. (c) 2004. S. Stringham
                                                                                            
 
REGIONS & COMMUNITIES MAP VIEWING SITES LIST VENDORS HOMEPAGE
To read viewer comments
about on-site travel and equipment,
or to add your own comments,
go to BVA’s Blog site by clicking below
 
Once at the blog site homepage, click on the tab (top of page)
for Wilderness Transportation.  
Once you reach that page,
if the listing for a particular vendor is not visible,
you can check for it using the search window.
 
 
  Bear Viewing Association Websites (c) 2006-2008 WildWatch