Cycling the Yukon Territory: The Three Bears
19 - 23 July 2022
19 July - Discovery Yukon to Wild Camp on Alaska Highway (48.6 mi, 78.2 km)
20 July - Wild Camp to Congdon Creek Campground (47.4 mi, 76.3 km)
23 July - Haines Junction to Wild Camp on Alaska Highway (78.8 mi, 126.8 km)
As we’ve traveled through western Canada, bear sightings have become a regular occurrence. Most often these have been quick glimpses of black bears disappearing into the bush as we approach. But three encounters that we had in western Yukon were especially thrilling. These are the ones we’ll probably remember most vividly when reminiscing about this segment of our journey.
The first bear - a big grizzly - appeared on our third day of cycling in the Yukon. We had followed the Alaska Highway into the Shakwak Valley, a broad depression between the lofty St. Elias Mountains (on our right), and the rugged but much lower Watson Highlands of central Yukon (on our left). This sparsely-populated wilderness is home to many of North America’s big animals, and the grizzly bear is particularly common here relative to most places that it occurs.
We never intended to get that close to a grizzly bear. You’re supposed to stay at least 100m away from them. But sometimes the bears have their own ideas. It was mid-morning, not long after our departure from the Discovery Yukon campground. We had pulled over on the side of the road for a quick rest and a drink. Within moments, PedalingGuy whispered, “There’s a bear!”
Less than 30m behind us, a large grizzly bear had emerged from the brush on our side of the road. That’s the moment when our hair stood up on the back of our necks. We realized that we probably had just cycled within a few feet of a grizzly bear that watched us go by.
It barely glanced in our direction, before slowly walking down the road away from where we stood. It did not seem the least bit bothered by, or interested in us. We watched in awe as the bear sauntered away, until it was out of sight around a corner. Its whole attitude gave the impression that this bear was in charge, and it would go about its business whether we were there or not.
This grizzly bear emerged from the forest just 30m behind us. It gave us one, disinterested glance. Then it swaggered away. Alaska Highway, Yukon Territory, Canada. Copyright © 2019-2022 Pedals and Puffins.
The very next day, we had stopped at a rest area that overlooks the Kluane River valley. As we departed the rest area and were headed down the highway, PedalingGuy noticed something moving in the bushes on the far side of the road. It turned out to be a very big grizzly bear, one of the biggest we’ve ever seen.
The bear was about 30m away from us, traveling in the opposite direction, and very focused on eating the berries that were growing along the edge of the forest. It didn’t even look up as PedalingGuy started snapping photos.
The amazing thing was that this big bear was in a very narrow margin of forest, between the highway and the rest area, with multiple vehicles parked there. Plus, a group of boys in their early teens was kicking a ball around in the parking area.
Yet the bear seemed totally unfazed by all the commotion. As we watched, the bear moved away from us, and towards the crowded rest area. PedalingGuy started calling out to the people in the parking lot to let them know that a bear was approaching. That’s when the bear finally seemed to take notice of us. It looked back towards us, and even raised up on its hind legs to get a good look at us. After a moment, it seemed to decide that just staying in the margin of the forest was the best option, and it went back to munching on the berries.
At that point, we figured it was time to go, and we pedaled off down the road.
When PedalingGuy yelled to alert the folks in the rest area that this grizzly bear was approaching, it turned and gave us a look. Kluane River Overlook, Alaska Highway, Yukon Territory, Canada. Copyright © 2019-2022 Pedals and Puffins.
A couple more days passed before we saw the third bear. We were about 20 mi (32 km) east of Haines Junction when a car heading the opposite direction slowed down. The driver yelled out the window that there was a grizzly bear by the side of the road about 1.5 km ahead.
Of course, we became hyper-alert. But as we approached the 1.5 km distance, we spotted not a grizzly bear, but a black bear with a cinnamon-brown coat. Most North American black bears tend to be all black. That fact, plus the name itself, makes people think that any bear that is brown must be a grizzly. But in western North America, black bears can come in many different colors, including brown, cinnamon, and even a whitish gray (although that’s quite rare).
But this bear was clearly a black bear in a brown coat. It was quite skittish - much more wary of us than either of the grizzlies that we had seen. And as soon as it realized that we had stopped along the road to watch it eat, the bear hustled off into the woods.
This is the moment when this black bear (with a rich, cinnamon coat) realized it was being watched. Moments later, it dashed away into the forest. Alaska Highway east of Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada. Copyright © 2019-2022 Pedals and Puffins.
We feel incredibly lucky to have seen such impressive animals in the wild. It is encounters like these that make cycling in remote and natural landscapes such a thrilling and rewarding adventure.
