There never is a shortage of interesting news and tidbits flowing from the National Park System. Take, for instance, what happened at Crater Lake National Park the other day...

At Crater Lake National Park there is only one trail that leads down to the water. As seven recent visitors discovered, it's illegal to try to find your own way down off-trail/Rebecca Latson file

If you've ever visited Crater Lake, you know that the walls that fall away below the rim and run to the lake are quite steep and not particularly stable. There's one official trail down into the caldera: the Cleetwood Trail that runs down to the boat dock.

For some reason, a group of seven park visitors last Friday felt it necessary to hike down below the rim, and headed down somewhere between Rim Village and Discovery Point. They were spotted by other park visitors, who in turn notified rangers, who in turn launched a rescue.

Park rescue staff rappelled over the edge of the caldera to look for the individuals and provide technical rescue assistance if needed. Jackson County Search and Rescue was deployed and on their way to the park. Lake research staff was called in and headed to the lake to launch one of the park boats for a possible rescue from the lake shore.

In the end, the group was spotted near the shoreline below Rim Village. The seven climbed out of the caldera on their own, and when they reached the rim they "were cited for illegal entry and creating a hazardous condition."

No word whether the seven were charged for the expense of the attempted search and rescue.

Alaska Grizzlies Have A Secret Salmon Fishery

In the news lately out of Alaska has been the Trump administration's approval of the so-called Ambler Road, a 211-mile-long road proposed to be built from the Dalton Highway to Ambler, Alaska, to provide access to what is believed to be one of the world's richest copper deposits. Along the way, the road would cross Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and the Kobuk Wild and Scenic River.

The area encompassing the mining district serves as habitat for salmon, whitefish and sheefish as well as a crucial migration corridor for Alaska's largest caribou herd, the Western Arctic. 

What hadn't been known until relatively recently, according to the Anchorage Daily News, was that some of the streams the road would cross hold chum salmon that grizzlies have been turning to for meals. In 2014, researchers from Gates of the Arctic fitted some bears with GPS collars and followed them to these streams that up until then were not known to attract salmon runs.

That could present another hurdle proponents of the road will have to clear.

The discovery of salmon streams relied upon by northern grizzlies, which don’t have the rich food resources of grizzlies on the southern coasts (known as brown bears), is a factor to be considered for a proposed road from the Dalton Highway to the Kobuk River village of Ambler.

“We identified many areas heavily used by grizzly bears that overlap the proposed Ambler Road,” (park biologist Mathew) Sorum said.

Do Not Run From Bears

Who knew you shouldn't run from grizzlies?

Well, actually, a lot of people probably know you shouldn't run from bears. If you've ever visited a national park with bears, either black or grizzly, you've probably been handed a safety brochure or pamphlet that mentions what not to do in the presence of bears, and running is a big no-no.

Bears view running humans much like attack dogs: They'll chase you down/Rebecca Latson file

And yet...the National Park Service felt the need to remind folks of that the other day in a Facebook post:

READ: Please don’t run from bears or push your slower friends down in attempts of saving yourself.⁣⁣
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As a follow-up to a previous post, if you come upon a stationary bear, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.⁣⁣ Do NOT push down a slower friend (even if you think the friendship has run its course).
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Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone. Don’t we all? ⁣⁣Identify yourself by making noise so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Help the bear recognize you as a human. We recommend using your voice. (Waving and showing off your opposable thumb means nothing to the bear) The bear may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.⁣⁣
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Find more tips, check out https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/index.htm

P.S. We apologize to any “friends” who were brought on a hike as the “bait” or were sacrificed to save the group. You will be missed. ⁣⁣

Be safe, and smart, out there.