Alaska, part 2. In which I encounter a ferocious bear.
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 8:50PM On Sunday, I taught a dyeing class and encountered a ferocious bear. Both in Alaska.
I have some lovely pictures of the dyeing class, but I think the ferocious bear takes precedence. When was the last time we discussed ferocious bears? Like, never.
Plus, I almost died. Which is much more serious than saying I dyed.
Cordova has a road out of town. The road does not lead to another town as roads often do, but instead to a glacier. People who live here call the road The Road. Most of The Road is not open after November 1st.
I was driving on The Road. Only a small portion of The Road is paved. You then drive for a very long time on The Road before actually arriving at Child's Glacier. This being remote Alaska, there are no signs on The Road that say, "Glacier 43 miles."
No encouragement. No, "You're almost there -- don't quit now!" No, "Next rest stop 5 miles -- you can hold it, you really can!"
If you didn't know better, you'd think you were on the road to nowhere. But really, it's The Road to The Glacier.
While on The Road, you drive through the massive Copper River Delta. The runoff from several glaciers has created braided fingers of fast moving, chalky blue water than spans more than 35 miles.
I borrowed this aerial photo to give you a better idea of the scale.
I was invited to a potluck at the picnic area by The Glacier, which you would have no idea existed unless you actually followed the road to see where it ended.
It's a bit of a risky proposition. No houses, no businesses, no cell reception. What if your car breaks down? What if you are attacked by a ferocious bear? As you'll see, I soon found out exactly what happens.
So, I'm driving. I'm pulling over to take pictures periodically. This is part of the Copper River. I concluded that if you fell in, you would die.
It's cold and there's a fast current. And people-eating seals.
Usually my conclusions are correct. Sometimes not. But sometimes yes.
I had to stop to take a picture of Sheridan Glacier. Not The Glacier at the end of The Road. A different one.
I found all the bleached tree trunks littered about interesting. Clearly, they had been left there a long time ago when the river ran a different course. In 1964, this region had the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America, a 9.2 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused a vertical shift of 40 feet in some places.
I concluded that this could also alter the course of a river. Several people told me that the fingers of the river change course regularly, and portions of The Road get washed out and have to be rebuilt.
I stopped to take some more pictures when I noticed several very large bones lying off to the side. I concluded that they were the bones of weary travelers whose cars had broken down on The Road.
Then I looked closer and decided that it was actually an entire moose leg. Femur, knee, lower leg, hoof. Like nearly as big as me.
Maybe bigger. Most things are big in Alaska.
As I continued on my drive, I spotted something in the distance. After ruling out a three-legged moose, a mountain goat, and a human-eating seal, I concluded that the dot on the horizon was a ferocious grizzly bear, with razor sharp claws and fangs the size of my head.
I slowed to a crawl, hoping that if I drove by quietly, the grizzly would not notice me.
As I got closer the grizzly -- who must have been protecting her triplet cubs -- reared up on her hind legs and roared so loudly that the windows of my vehicle shook from the vibration.
I stopped the car, uncertain of how to proceed. Clearly, the mother grizzly did not want me coming any closer. I couldn't just turn around, as the river lies just off The Road, and there are not exactly friendly signs that say, "Next turnaround spot 7 yards!"
Suddenly, the grizzly charged at me.
I flinched. Her aim was clear: to render me immobile by maiming my limbs, followed by slowly being eaten to death by triplet grizzly cubs.
Again and again the bear charged at me, its breath so close I could smell the stench of half-digested salmon.
Since the only weapon I carried was a pair of jumper cables, I concluded that I would be unable to fight off my attacker.
My only choice was flight. I drove my car in reverse, slowly backing away from the bloodthirsty -- probably rabid, possibly schizophrenic -- mother grizzly.
She responded by disappearing into the underbrush to man her carefully concealed sniper rifle. All the better to shoot prey for her triplets. People don't travel The Road that often. Giant grizzlies have to eat while the eating is good.
I concluded that this near-miss with a ferocious bear was more than I could take. I needed to eat chocolate to steady my nerves and steel my resolve to ward off any future attacks.
My only hope was that potluck waiting for me at the end of The Road.
As I drove past the ferocious bear's outpost, I rolled down my window a crack and threw my "In Case of Emergency" skein of yarn out the window, as a sort of peace offering.
From the safety of my rearview mirror, I saw a lone paw slowly pull the yarn (Bellini on McClellan Fingering) from The Road and into the dense forest.
I concluded that the bear's cubs will at least have something warm and pretty to wear this fall.
And my conclusions are usually correct.
What are the morals of this story, you ask?
I'll tell you.
1. Everything in Alaska is big.
2. Bears will shoot you if given the chance.
3. Always carry a skein of In Case of Emergency yarn.
Reader Comments (23)
Clearly you were in mortal danger. I'm certain that, had you not bribed the mother bear with heavenly yarn, you would be meeting Elizabeth Zimmermann right now. That bear was obviously crazed and color-deprived (what's she got to look at besides greenery and the grey road?). You displayed excellent survival skills. And thank goodness, for what would we do without your amazing colorways??
Yes, very very mortal danger, as these pictures clearly indicate. I am lucky to be alive.
P.S. This black bear may or may not have been the grizzly bear who tried to maim me.
ps ...the "official" local terminology is... "out the road" :) We miss you Sharon...Fishermen and crews left town today for the fishing grounds... time to knit.
pps... "the road" is actually the old railroad track bed of the the railroad that used to lead to the copper mines in the mountains, thus the name Copper River.
We have an "out the road" here in Juneau as well. You need to come here and see if there are any bears that might want to be bribed with your yarn. :-)
I saw my first bear on this road. It's quite a lovely drive... I didn't believe my husband when he told me that the road just ended... then I saw the sign- end of the road. haha. Alaska is an awesome place to live.
Alaska just looks beautiful. I have always wanted to go, but I don't remember you posting an assistant position anywhere? How did I miss this? I've been told it is a trip of a lifetime. I can't wait to hear about more of your death deifying adventures......
your pictures brought tears to my eyes--such incredibly beautiful wilderness! And so cool that you and the bear had a moment. :-)
I read this post late last night on my iPad, while laying in bed next to Dad, who was sound asleep. The bed was shaking so hard from my stifled laughter I was afraid I was going to wake him up. :)
If I growl and act funny to protect my kids, will you throw me a skein of yarn? Or how about you take the kids and I'll take the yarn?
I wanna, wanna, wanna be there!!! Wowza. Thanks for the laugh out loud moment!
can't help it - beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. but that's a black bear. Grizzlies are brown bears and bigger. :) (I'm from Alaska....)
Love Love Love Alaska, only been there twice but would love to go back. Your tale was a wonderful one and the photos brilliant!
You're a brave soul to hang in there as long as you did with mama bear, but your peace making idea was super! Every girl loves yarn!
Nature is grand on that scale isn't it, the air is so clear and the quiet so very quiet. If only you could bottle the air there you could make a fortune. Take in a deep breath for all us suburbanites!
I guess keeping a bounty of yarn in your car at all times for all you souls treking through the wilderness should be required survival gear from now on!
Holly, you're right, the air was amazing!
Cristyn, you mean this sweet black bear is not the same as the ferocious grizzly that tried to maim me? ;)
Clearly you are a great writer in your descrption of the hungry bear mother.I love your pictures Sharon.My dad went to Alaska once to fish, he told me "you must go to Alaska".Your photos are getting me closer to Alaska.I do not think I will travel" the Road" at least not alone. I have traveled some scary roads in my time.
This makes me wonder... if you believe that black bear was a grizzly, maybe I can bring my possibly rabid, long haired, shaggy, definitely wild german shepard to your shop and convince you that she is a wolf. Will you throw skeins of yarn at her? She likes the Bellini colorway, it would be very calming to a wolf.
I wasn't having the best of days until I read this tale. It was so funny I even felt compelled to share it with non-yarn people. Sharon, you made my day so much better. Thanks!
So happy to hear The Road exists in lots of places in Alaska. I spent a difficult summer in Ketchikan which as a similar Road going both directions. Both ends end. No way out or off the island with that Road. Only can get off by boat. Seriously. That's why they needed a "Road to Nowhere" which goes to an airport so you can get out. Serious need in my opnion. 8-)
Happy you survived with your sense of humor intact!
See you at Sock Summit again!
Interesting that it was Bellini you threw since our group was the group that coined that name and we're meeting tonight! As I said on FB; prior to reading this; "You should have spun it a yarn!!! But I see you just threw one instead. Think of the tender moments you could have had if you had spun a yarn!! Maybe her triplets would have enjoyed a bedtime story! Perhaps she was just a grouchy mom in need of sleep!!
Suppose she'll make them some nice socks or something? Oh my what if she has no needles in the lair?! Tragic! Better bring those too next time. ;-)
I believe that is a black bear, which is more of an omnivore. Grizzly bears (at least in my Montana experiece) have a definite hump on their backs... Maybe you could knit her something for the triplets.