What do you do?

Tips for handling any situation that could arise when visiting Skagway Alaska

Have you ever been involved in a situation where you had to make an unexpected choice? Like when you go out to a restaurant and order a cheeseburger and the waitress asks, “Do you want American, provolone, Swiss, or bleu?” Then you sit there with your mouth hanging open trying to process which of the four cheeses you’re in the mood for. That’s just not fun. Now imagine being presented with a similar dilemma where the stakes are much higher.

Let’s start with a bear encounter

You could run into a bear anyplace in Skagway. You could be walking right down Broadway in the middle of the afternoon and BOOM – there’s a bear. So let’s get started.

Scenario: You’re on a local hike up to Lower Dewey Lake. The trail is deserted and you’re enjoying the cheerful sound of songbirds and varied thrush. You climb over the last hill and right there 10-feet in front of you is a gigantic black bear looking right in your direction.

What do you do?

A) After wetting yourself, you turn and run as fast as you can in the other direction.

B) After screaming like a little girl you climb the nearest tree.

C) You lift your arms in the air to make yourself look larger, vocalize to the bear, and back away slowly.

D) You sing the first verse of Kumbaya and hug the bear.

If you said D, you’re a crazy person. However, if you said C then you already knew what to do. You see, running from a bear will trigger its instinct to kill, so that won’t work. Bears are skilled climbers and you are probably not, so heading up a tree will turn you into bear food. By making yourself larger and backing away slowly, you maximize your chances of survival.

Scenario: You’re on a more secluded trail like AB Mountain and it’s getting late in the evening. You don’t want to miss your cruise ship, so you hike faster but fall down and screw up your ankle. Then it starts to rain and the temperature drops to 39. All of your food is gone and you’re only wearing a t-shirt and shorts. You hear something growling nearby. You then realize that you’re covered in tics and a raging forest fire is heading your direction. You also feel an unusual lump on your throat and feel like you’re starting to get a fever. Then you realize you’re laying in an ant hill.

What do you do?

A) Lay down and give up. You had a good run.

B) Prepare to fight the wild animal with your bare hands and go out with a bang.

C) Start screaming, “HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!” really loud.

D) Pull out your cell phone and call 9-1-1.

Forgot you had a cell phone, didn’t you? Calling for help makes sense in this scenario because Skagway has a great search and rescue team. Plus, you have a lot to live for.

Scenario: You get separated from your hiking tour and suddenly feel like you’re being watched. When you turn around, only ten-feet away, is an honest-to-Betsy Bigfoot.

What do you do?

A) I’ve always wanted to see a Bigfoot. Offer it some food and make friends.
B) Scream for help.
C) Pull out your cell phone and start taking pictures like there’s no tomorrow.
D) Punch the Bigfoot in the belly.

Obviously, the correct answer is A. Bigfoots are kind creatures and just want to be your friend. Sure, sometimes they’re looking for a mate and could carry you away to their lair and make you their personal slave, but that’s somewhat unlikely. Besides, Bigfoot gets what Bigfoot wants.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of What Would You Do. Be sure to check out our next blog in this promising new series.