ANCHORAGE — Rangers have pinpointed the location of a fatal bear mauling in Alaska’s Denali National Park, guided by photographs of the grizzly taken by a solo San Diego backpacker just before the attack.
Park officials say all but 50 square miles of backcountry sections of the park have been reopened less than a week after the death of 49-year-old Richard White, who snapped 26 images of the male bear.
Officials say the photos show White initially was 75 yards from the bear as the animal grazed, head down, on berries last Friday. Other photos were shot from a distance of 60 feet, including the last five where the bear has its head up, then looks at the camera and begins moving toward White.
A state trooper fatally shot the bear Saturday.
Comments (2)
Add commentWow!
75 yards narrowed to 20 yards before the bear looked up? Pretty sneaky! They don't like being snuck up on. I surprised a browny a week and half ago. He was eating a sockeye about 20 feet away. An adult. Not huge, but, I felt pretty small behind my 12 gauge slugs. Glad he ran the other way because my one step back put me one step from falling down the 30 foot cliff I had just climbed and bowling down my son and grandson climbing up behind me. After that, I left the fishing to the boys...and the bears!
Wow is right
This hiker had mandatory Denali Park backcountry bear avoidance training, meaning he knew he was supposed to try to stay 1/4-mile away from bears (440 yards). But instead of trying to increase his distance from 75 to 440 yards, he gets 55 yards closer. A charging bear can close 60 feet in mere seconds, as this guy found out. I wouldn't call him stupid (he had a Ph.D.) but reckless (but not ignorant since he had the training). In Alaska and the backcountry, if you don't respect nature, you may not come home alive.