http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011...d-by-bear-in-alaska/

A very realistic survival course .It taught them to stay away from a brown bear with cub !

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43...news-life/?GT1=43001

I included this link because about halfway through an Alaska police official commented they were prepared with the right gear. The question I ask is where they in fact adequately prepared to repel a bear attack? There was no mention of spray or the presence of guns.

Acording to one report I saw thay had multiple bear spray cannisters but didn't use them. Initial reports from the investigation said the group was not close together and when one of them in the lead ran into a sow with cubs the others ran. The two closest to the bear were mauled but the other injuries that the press attributed to the bear were self induced scratches and sprined ankles from falling and running through the bushes.

In your opinion Phil, does NOLS's failure to arm its people in this country rise to the level of negligence?

I don't have enough information to properly answer that. Although My daughter just finished leading a similar group of teenagers on a backpacking trip in the same area with her Classroom With a View course. She said that there was a Grizzly hanging around the Byers Crk campground then. Knowing that they were there the group acted accordingly and were sure to make noise when hiking and stayed together.
It sounded like the NOLS group had splintered and had no knowledgable leadership - of course that is what the L in NOLS stands for and is trying to teach.
It was most likely simply a case of not being aware of their surroundings, not makeing enough noise in close cover, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And no one stepping up to face the bear with the spray that they were carrying.

The company said they hadn't had a bear attack in 40 years of operation ! They had some surival training so an instructor wasn't with them .I wonder if the spray as they had was at hand or in their packs ? I don't think firearms would help if no one had training and experience.The emergency beacon brought help but 5 hours later.

Which begs the question: should firearms training be de rigeur for NOLS?

I don't understand why the trooper didn't load the seriously injured kids into the helicopter and fly them out immediately, instead choosing to keep them on the rain soaked mountain with a 16 year old first responder, and fly the minor patents out while waiting for the medical helicopter.

quote:

Originally posted by Auke Bay LT:
I don't understand why the trooper didn't load the seriously injured kids into the helicopter and fly them out immediately, instead choosing to keep them on the rain soaked mountain with a 16 year old first responder, and fly the minor patents out while waiting for the medical helicopter.

AST Don't pay real well!!

They should have called RCC and had the Coast Guard or Air Force come in. They would have brought a large helicopter with a Corpsman aboard and done it right. Jim