Hannah discovers and dives into Emily’s visit through Yukon to Alaska and the incredible bears she found along the way.

Emily’s trip from Yukon, Canada to Haines and then to Sitka, Alaska did not disappoint. Alaska in particular has conserved wildlife extremely well that it is home to many endangered species but also home to many different types of bear, including American Black and Brown bears. There are many National Parks in Alaska to enjoy the most incredible views. From rainforests, to glaciers, to mountains, and oceans, all of the scenes and wildlife are so stunning that Emily couldn’t resist taking some beautiful shots to remember this unforgettable time.

Bears, especially the North American Brown (Grizzly), in particular play a huge part in tourists visiting Alaska. There is something so beautiful about seeing a wild animal in their natural habitat and capturing those rare moments with photography but also making sure they are not disturbed. The grizzlies are the most common out of the species but their habitat needs to be sustained for them to survive, so it’s important to respect the boundaries to be able to continue to have these experiences. What also helps to sustain their environment is their own nutrient cycle with the salmon they eat, eating half and then leaving the rest to the grounds surrounding them, keeping the growth of trees and plants at their best.

Emily explains what it was like photographing these beautiful creatures, “Taking photos of these bears felt like a battle in my mind. On one hand, I wanted to stand there forever and get the perfect shot. The bears moved with so much grace and it was really captivating watching them catch salmon from the running river. On the other hand, I had to make sure I wasn’t disturbing the bears by being there, so I only had a short amount of time with the animals. This is an experience that I will never forget.”

A few hotspots in Alaska to find and watch these bears, Katmai National Park, Kaktovik and Kodiak Island just to name a few. Emily found bears in all three locations she visited, the Kluane lake in Yukon, the Chilkoot River in Haines and on the Coast of Sitka Island. To go to these places you must always be a safe distance away from the bears and always be on guard, especially being distracted when taking photos. Emily definitely felt this pressure as she describes, “There was a point where the Mother bear with her two cubs started walking towards us. This was a really hard thing for me. Since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work with bears, and having one so close was such a weird feeling. I wanted to get my camera out and take photos, but also see everything through my own eyes and not the camera lens. It took a friend actually tapping me on the shoulder and telling me we had to move on for me to be released from the bears’ trance”. So experiencing these grizzly’s in the wild, fishing in the salmon run August – September seems like it’s definitely one to tick off on your bucket list.

Check out more of Emily’s adventures on her Instagram

Bears in Alaska

Hannah discovers and dives into Emily’s visit through Yukon to Alaska and the incredible bears she found along the way.