THE KOOTZNOOWOO WILDERNESS, ALASKA
The Kootznoowoo Wilderness is a temperate rainforest filled with the highest concentration of brown bears in the world. It sits on an island in Southeast Alaska along the Alexander Archipelago just south of Juneau, which spans nearly 1 million acres and is home to over 1,500 brown bears — more than the total number of brown bears in the lower 48 states combined.
While it is more commonly known as Admiralty Island, a name given to it by the Royal Navy when they discovered it in the late 1800s, the more fitting name was first given to it by the Tlingits, the island's original inhabitants. They called it Xootsnoowú or Kootznoowoo, which translates to Fortress of the Bears.
My father and I had the opportunity to visit the island as I was on my way to Anchorage. After obtaining a permit from the U.S.F.S., we met up with our guide in Juneau, Clay, and set off by seaplane to explore a location on the island known as Pack Creek. Upon arrival, we were joined by Jane, an Alaskan Park Ranger with the Tongass National Forest. On this small part of the island, it is possible to observe the bears up-close in their natural habitat as they are comfortable with the presence of humans due to habituation efforts over the past decade.
Special thanks to Pack Creek Bear Tours and Alaska Seaplanes for the ride.
