747 The Bear

747 is the name of the biggest bear at Katmai National Park and preserve. The park is located near King Salmon, Alaska. My mom and I went with some family friends back in 2007 when I was only 6 years old. We camped out in tents protected by an electric fence surrounded by brown bears at Brooks Falls. We also got to see The Valley of the Ten Thousand Smokes. It was a breathtaking experience but there was more…

Within the first hour of being there my mom and I were a little behind the rest of the group and found ourselves on the trail alone. Or so we thought…

I had the chance to get very up close and personal with 747!

As we were walking to camp this ginormous brown bear came out from the brush he was at least 5ft tall on all four legs! My mom froze up but I calmly suggested we get off the trail towards the water, which was perfect because a park ranger was there waiting for us. Luckily it was feeding season which is in the fall when the bears bulk up for hibernation. 747 was more interested in eating salmon than us.

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska so I am used to seeing both black and brown bears. I will say though that experience was quite nerve racking. I think that I would not have handled the situation as calmly as I did back then as I would have now.

I think back at this unreal experience often and was the inspiration for this ceramic piece. Just this year 747 won the Katmai National Park and Preserve’s annual Fat Bear Week contest! People vote on what bear is going to weigh the most before hibernation.