Does the National Park Service have to rethink its rules when it comes to backcountry travel in known grizzly bear habitat? That question grows in importance in the wake of last week's fatal mauling of a backpacker in Denali National Park.
Last year one hiker in Yellowstone National Park was killed by a grizzly, and another man hiking with his wife was fatally mauled in a separate incident. In the case of Denali, last week's fatal mauling was believed to be the first in the park's history. In the Yellowstone incidents, it marked the first known time that there were two fatal maulings in the same year.
National park staff routinely recommend that if you're going into bear country, you go in groups, but it's not a requirement. Should it be?
Comments
The bear in Denali, as well as the one thought responsible for the Yellowstone maulings, was put down.
Like Maureen above, I hiked hundreds of miles in Yellowstone alone when I worked there. I was cautious, never approached a bear, hung my food and kept a super-clean campsite. I would hate to see the NPS take the opportunities for this kind of solitude away from future generations of hikers.
I heard an interview with the Superintendent of Denali, Paul Anderson, on NPR. Apparently the hiker killed in Denali did not take those same precautions. My sympathies to his family, but let's not over react to this tragedy.
Rick