Photo at left shows Upper Toklat, the area of the mauling. Courtesy Google Earth.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK, Alaska — Investigators may never know why a bear fatally mauled a solo backpacker in Denali National Park on Friday.
But photos taken by the victim, Richard White, 49, of San Diego, may help reconstruct events leading up to the first deadly bear attack in the park’s 95-year history.
White died about three miles south of the Toklat Rest Area where the Toklat River narrows from a braided river into more narrow terrain. The bear responsible was killed on Saturday.
“There are 26 photos,” said Kris Fister, spokeswoman for Denali National Park and Preserve.
It appears that White came across the bear initially from around a corner, about 40 to 50 yards away. The park recommends staying at least 300 yards away from a grizzly.
“We will try to get some better confirmation of distances by going out to the site again and comparing the locations with what is in the photos,” Fister said.
Most of the photos show the bear with its head down, feeding.
“In the last five photos, the bear had lifted its head, noticed the backpacker, perhaps for the first time, and then looked straight at him, and started moving toward him,” she said.
Those last five photos were taken during a period of 13 seconds, she added.
Fister said the 26 photographs, taken over eight minutes, will be shown to bear experts for their interpretation of the bear’s behavior.
“Somebody who knows more would be more keyed into the body language, because the bear is looking directly at him,” she said. “What happened then? We don’t know. Did he try to run? Or just dropped [to the ground]?”
The park advises hikers to curl into a ball on the ground if a grizzly attacks.
It appears from the photos that White might have moved or changed position to get a better angle for a photograph, Fister said.
“It could have been a combination of not moving out of there in a timely fashion,” Fister said. “This might also have been a more aggressive bear.”
The photos are still being used in the investigation, but the park is checking to see whether it can release the photos. The photos may actually belong to the victim’s family, since they were in his camera.
It does not appear that White was carrying bear spray or a firearm. At least, neither was found in his personal effects.
The area, Backcountry Unit 10, and adjacent Units 9, 11, 32 and 33, have been closed until further notice but will likely reopen in two to three days.
“It’s mostly just precautionary,” Fister said. “We are planning to monitor the area from the air and on the ground from the other side of the river for unusual bear activity.”
That is because other backpackers could well wander into the area from other units, she said.
Two parties were evacuated by helicopter from Unit 10 on Saturday after day hikers had discovered the attack site. Backpackers from other units were allowed to walk out on their own, but they were monitored from the air.
The park has no plans to change the safety information it distributes to backcountry users before they head out into the wilderness.
“The information we give out and the education efforts we go into, with all hikers out there, has been effective for almost 100 years,” Fister said. “This is the first fatality.
“We feel our program is effective,” she said. The only serious injury between bear and humans occurred in 1967 when a seasonal ranger was seriously mauled in the Toklat area.
She pointed out that hikers can expect to encounter a bear anytime, anywhere, while heading into the park’s wilderness.
“They have to pay attention and take precautions,” she said.
In White’s case, it may never be known what really happened.
“It could have been a combination,” Fister said. “Maybe he didn’t leave when he should have, or maybe this bear was more aggressive. What triggered it to become more predatory? Who knows?”
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Jim said on Saturday, Sep 1 at 6:43 PM
If you travel where wild animals live, you won't go long without seeing this kind of idiocy. At Teton, I saw a fool poking a resting moose with a ten-foot stick. In Smokey Mountain NP, I saw mommy giving her kids stuff to feed the bears so she could get a picture. Lots of candidates for the Darwin Award out there. But not this fellow. He took a splendid animal with him. Mankind a little smarter on average now, but the animal kingdom loses one of its best specimens. Too bad.
100703576akdano46 said on Wednesday, Aug 29 at 10:33 AM
SD : I call it the cycle of life. Where's Forest Gump when you need'em !
100370276SD Tourist said on Tuesday, Aug 28 at 4:36 PM
From South Dakota. Vacationed in Alaska last summer. Saw east coast tourists on foot taking moose photos from 15 feet. Same deal with buffalo in Custer State Park down here. Natural selection at its finest.
100164956Grizzly Hunter said on Tuesday, Aug 28 at 9:15 AM
Calling this guy names doesn't make things any better. He received just what he deserved. Sadly the Bear was shot by the Rangers. I'm going to Alaska to hunt Grizzly in a few days. And there's a possibility i may not get one. But this bear was taken for no reason. No revenues were recovered by the state. In fact this human bear snack cost the state thousands of dollars just recovering his remains. A horrible waste of a great natural resource.
100125496Wayne from Soldotna said on Tuesday, Aug 28 at 7:00 AM
You rarely ever hear of someone FROM Alaska getting into this type of trouble, it is the stupid tourists who come up and think they own the world. Guess what they don't, Alaska is called the Last Frontier for a reason.
100111286Alex, Germany said on Tuesday, Aug 28 at 12:59 AM
I feel Sorry for the Bear! All Comments are pretty clear. I have nothing to add.
100089936sympathy said on Monday, Aug 27 at 11:37 PM
sympathy, none here, one less lib in the world. Good
100087356woodz said on Monday, Aug 27 at 7:56 PM
Is this guy related to Tim Treadwell? What is it with Californians and wanting to be one with our bears. Just because you are some granola munching jacka@@ doesn't mean you are one with nature and possess some special skill that all us poor Alaskans just don't understand. I'm tired of great animals having to be killed because some people "always seems to be outsiders or recent transplants" can't use any sense at all. This isn't the zoo. If you choose to live or play here the animals are part of the reality that goes with Alaska...if you don't like it or can't handle it go elsewhere.
100078256bob said on Monday, Aug 27 at 7:46 PM
uygfhvb
100077461Tbones-08 said on Monday, Aug 27 at 6:31 PM
Why don't you just kill all bears/wildlife so that the human race can continue to be stupid not knowing that a bear is a wild animal NOT YOUR DOG or CAT. It has a right to live in it's own enviroment. What would you do if someone was breaking into your home? So, shoot the bear to please the general public. I am how ever... very sorry for this person and his existing family.
100072526richard said on Monday, Aug 27 at 6:11 PM
In trials one cannot make a judgment until the other side is heard. We haven/t heard the other side.
100071276Tony said on Monday, Aug 27 at 4:44 PM
Must of been a type of bear you can't see.
100065486BE said on Monday, Aug 27 at 3:57 PM
Oh, what a sweet animal. I think I will take some pictures......AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGG Famous last words.
100062776gloria from texas said on Monday, Aug 27 at 3:46 PM
as usual the wild animal loses it life, when man enters their domain. when will man learn leave the animals alone when you go for your adrenilin rush because it could be you life you loose.
100061816Harley said on Monday, Aug 27 at 3:38 PM
THAT IS THEIR HOME! LEAVE THEM ALONE!WITH ALL THESE DISRESPECTFUL HUMANS,PRETTY SOON WE WON'T HAVE ANY BEARS!!!IF THEY REFUSE TO FOLLOW RULES OF THE LAND,THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO ENTER.THEY GET KILLED FOR A PHOTO,OH WELL. THEN THE BEARS HAVE TO PAY FOR WHAT RULES WERE BROKEN BY SELFISH HUMANS!!!
100061216Anonymous said on Monday, Aug 27 at 12:51 PM
.458 win mag problem solved
100050026Meg said on Monday, Aug 27 at 12:19 PM
David he WAS an idiot. He was there 8 minutes taking photos. He was an idiot. Facts are Facts dude.
100047236Jill said on Monday, Aug 27 at 12:18 PM
Hiking alone is stupid. Hiking alone with no bear spray is very stupid. Hiking alone with no bear spray and hanging out way too near a grizzly for EIGHT MINUTES taking pictures is so stupid that I want to scream at this jerk. The bear was being a bear, in his home. It makes me so angry the bear died because this foolhardy moron thought he was above basic common sense.
100047056Alaskan said on Monday, Aug 27 at 12:04 PM
The guy is an idiot, plain and simple. The rule is if you see a bear that close you slowly back away until you are a safer distance and then turn and walk away. NOT STOP AND TAKE PICTURES BECAUSE THEY WILL LOOK GOOD IN THEIR PHOTO ALBUM! I am so tired of reading about idiots who can't seem to respect our wildlife in this state. STOP HARASSING THEM BY GETTING TOO CLOSE OR BY TRYING TO TAKE PICTURES! Leave them alone and let them live in peace.
100045726lori said on Monday, Aug 27 at 11:55 AM
i become furious that animals are slaughtered for their being stauked by people who do not follow rules and regulations and their lives are taken..then the animals life is taken for doing what is expected of a wild animal...i dont know why some people seem to think it wont happen to them and then its to late...
100045056David said on Monday, Aug 27 at 11:50 AM
Calling the hiker an "idiot" doesn't help. He "ignored park rules and got too close"? He apparently first noticed the bear when he went around a corner in the trail and saw the bear grazing 50 yards away. It does not appear that he intentionally approached the bear. Since he did not have bear spray on him, it was a mistake for him to take photos. He should have backed away. But it was a normal reaction to photograph the bear, especially since the bear had not seen him yet. A tragic mistake.
100044686Some guy said on Monday, Aug 27 at 11:06 AM
Let me save them the suspense. The idiot ignored park rules, got too close and the bear did what bears do. They should send his family a bill for the bear and the time spent on his case.
100041315Anonymous said on Monday, Aug 27 at 9:39 AM
where are the photos?
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