While observing a bear eating dandelions alongside the South Klondike Highway, a visitor inquired if the bear was in fact, a wild bear. 

The guide told the guest that any and all bears in our region roam free and wild. 

Another visitor on another excursion viewing a similar bear mowing grass, told the guide that it was clear that the bear was a wild one, since it lacked a collar. The guide pretended to spot a ptarmigan and drove slowly away, failing to find the ptarmigan. 

A guest from a hillside community in Cañada, California spoke at length about his grizzly bear that visited regularly. The guide attempted to explain that, in fact, black bears can be many different hues, and that the Grizzly’s around Los Angeles only appeared on flags. The guest was skeptical. When shown a photo of a grey Glacier Bear that visited Skagway 20 years ago, the guest guffawed. “No way that thing is a black bear.”  The guide dropped off the guests and went home to make gin and tonics.

A guest, being helpful, felt that some responsible person should round up the mountain goats and “do” something with them, like grass-clipping or milking, or breeding. The guide said it had been attempted in the past by Skookum Jim, but Jim felt queasy around the stench of Billy goats, and went on to find gold on Bonanza Creek instead.  The guest remarked that the local resource was being unappreciated. 

 

If you catch a funny conversation on the wind, share it with The Skagway News. Send submissions to:  

editor@skagwaynews.com.