The state Division of Parks has three employees monitoring crowd activity along the Chilkoot River corridor, where as many as 13 bears – including five cubs – were spotted Saturday night.
“The bear traffic has really been picking up the last few weeks,” said ranger Preston Kroes. Natural resource technician Steve Behrns, hired in June, will serve as the state’s primary contact along the river. “He’s not monitoring bears. He’s educating people about bears and how to behave around them,” Kroes said.
Kroes and technician Jon Gellings, hired in July, will share duties previously assigned to a bear monitor position, Kroes said.
“We’re staggering our schedules to make sure somebody is out there every day. On cruise ship days and Sundays, there’s usually two of us,” Kroes said.
Pam Randles of the Alaska Chilkoot Bear Foundation said her group also has 12 volunteers who also will work as riverside interpreters. “Obviously we have no enforcement capability whatsoever. Most people accept guidance and want to know how to behave and we can pick up some of the hours (Division of Parks workers) can’t work.”
Brochures distributed by staff and volunteers include ones on respecting values along the river and how to safely travel and fish there.
Kroes said he’s planning to keep Chilkoot campground open through the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday in October.