Going to Yosemite? Don’t take the minivan!

by Katie Hammel on

One of the great draws of visiting a National Park like Yosemite in California is that you can get very close to nature and see animals in their own habitat. But there is a limit to just how close you want to get to certain animals, especially black bears, which can be dangerous to both humans and cars as they look for food.

There are several ways to reduce your risk of having an unpleasant encounter with a black bear, and as it turns out, not driving a mini van may be one of them.

A study done by the Journal Mammology over a 7 year period in Yosemite has shown that black bears in the region seem to prefer minivans as their vehicle of choice when looking for a snack. But, the study reveals, it’s not actually the car style and size the bears are attracted to (and no, they don’t care about the car’s crash safety ratings either), it’s more about fuel efficiency. And by “fuel efficiency”, they mean which cars provide the most food for the bears.

It seems that minivan drivers are more likely to be traveling with a family and toting around small children – children who inevitably leave open snack containers in the car or who leave a trail of chips and cookies behind them.

The researchers also hypothesized that minivans that often carry small children may have stronger food odors even when there is no food inside, because kids are likely to spill, and that minivans may be more likely to contain a cooler of food, because they are larger and can accommodate one more easily. The researchers also wondered if minivans were just easier for the bears to break into.

Out of 908 cars broken into in the 7 year period, 22% were minivans, 22.5% were SUVs, 17% were small cars and 13.7% were sedans.

Wild Texas: the critters of the Lone Star State

by Kraig Becker on

When it comes to viewing wildlife in the U.S., most people naturally gravitate to the western part of the country, where you’ll find a wide variety of species in abundance. Places like Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and of course Alaska, have great reputations for offering travelers an opportunity to see a large number of animals in their natural habitat. One place that doesn’t garner this kind of attention however, is Texas, despite a surprising array of creatures within the state.

Most visitors to the Lone Star State, expect to see plenty of deer, squirrel, and armadillo of course, but they are often surprised to hear that they can also spot more exotic creatures. For example, if you want to see Black Bears, you can head to the western portion of the state to Big Bend National Park or the Guadalupe Mountains, where they still wander the thickly wooded or desert scrub areas. While you’re in that part of the state, check out one of the five small herds of elk that still roam the region as well.

Moving to central Texas, you’ll have an opportunity to spot the elusive mountain lion, whose numbers have increased substantially over the past decade. The big cats are known to wander the Texas Hill Country, just west of Austin, although you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to spot them. Mountain lions aren’t the only wild cats to wander the Texas backcountry however, as ocelots are found in the southern part of the state, and in the Rio Grande valley, which also serves as home to Jaguarundis, a species that isn’t much bigger than a common house cat. Bobcats are also fairly common, and found in nearly every corner of Texas.

Speaking of Austin, from February to October of each year, that city is home to the largest urban bat population in the country. More than 1.5 million bats live under the Congress Street bridge, and every night at dusk they take flight, in a mass migration that has become a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike. The mass exodus is a sight to behold, with a seemingly never ending stream of Mexican free-tail bats flowing out into the night air in search of dinner in the form of insects.

The Gulf Coast region of Texas has plenty to offer the wildlife lover as well, with amazing sea creatures regularly on display. The most common of these is the Bottlenose Dolphin, which often travel in pods of eight near the shores of Corpus Christi and Galveston. Atlantic spotted dolphins have been known to make appearances as well, as have a variety of types of whales and sea turtles too. There are a number of tour operators that offer day cruises out onto the Gulf of Mexico, allowing visitors to get an up close, and personal, look at the aquatic wildlife.

There are plenty of other interesting creatures throughout the state as well. The Panhandle is home to a large prairie dog colony for instance, while the eastern portion of the state offers the American Alligator and the always popular River Otter. There is a substantial Coyote population in Texas as well, and Bald Eagles can be seen throughout the state at all times of the year.

As you can see, the Lone Star State has plenty to offer anyone looking to catch a variety of wildlife in their natural habitats. From bears, to dolphins, to big cats, there is something for everyone. Just be sure to keep an eye out for the rattlesnakes, as they are in abundance too!

Gadlinks for Tuesday 8.18.09

by Jeremy Kressmann on


Hello and welcome to this Tuesday’s edition of Gadlinks. How does it work? The wise and ever-watchful writers of Gadling scour the best of the day’s travel news from around the Internet, summarizing it in one easy to read post. What caught our eye today? Read on below:

  • Frenchman Alexis de Toqueville might have been the first foreign visitor to write about his experiences in America, but he certainly wasn’t the last. Jaunted’s Brit “londontown” is on a cross country road trip from Los Angeles to New York. See what road trip tips he’s learned on his way. [Via Jaunted]
  • Heading to Amsterdam? Why not make your way over to the Herenstraat and Prinsenstraat corridor, two parallel streets that have filled in recent years with hopping bars, restaurants and quirky stores. [Via The New York Times]
  • Stephanie Carrie went to Saint Petersburg to brush up on her Russian language skills. All was going well until her encounter with the barrel of a police machine gun. What happened? Read the full story here. [Via World Hum]
  • Tired of seeing the same old elephants and zebras at the zoo? If you’re in search of something more exotic, head to these zoos which feature some downright bizarre looking creatures. How about some proboscis monkeys and mustached tamarins? [Via MSNBC]

More Gadlinks HERE.

A Long Weekend in Denali National Park

by Catherine Bodry on

There are a few ways to experience Denali National Park and Preserve. One is to arrive like a rajah on the second floor of a domed rail car or lofty motor coach, and stay at one of the plush corporate lodges. From there you can book a number of excursions that include flight seeing, river rafting, and guided hikes and tours.

Or you can arrive independent of commercial companies, bus into the park, and backpack through terrain absent of trails but full of grizzlies, caribou, and panoramic views.

Our approach was a compromise between the two options above. A good friend who works for one of the large tour companies got my husband and I free round-trip tickets for the train as a gift for our one-year anniversary. While the tourists arrived from their hotels via motor coach, we parked our car in downtown Anchorage and boarded with large packs. From there it was a spectacular 8-hour ride to the park. The sky was cloudless, and Mt. McKinley (“Denali” or just “The Mountain” to locals) was looming — a rare sight.

After we disembarked we took a shuttle to Riley Creek Campground, just inside the park boundaries. We walked in, but were clearly outsiders; the campground was full of RVs and campers. We couldn’t find any bear-proof storage bins so we left our food outside the tent and hoped for the best. Not the smartest thing to do, but I figured if there had been any bear problems we would’ve heard about them. It turns out that our biggest problem was aggressive and fearless squirrels.

The next morning, our only full day in the park, we caught a 9:30 a.m. “shuttle” (read: school bus) that took us on a several-hour journey to the Toklat River, just over 50 miles in. Along the way our driver stopped for caribou, eagles, and one large but distant grizzly. The park road, 91 miles long, is unpaved and only open to shuttles; the ride is dusty and bumpy, but one of the coolest and easiest ways to access Alaska’s backcountry. You buy a ticket for as far in as you’d like to go and can get off and on wherever you want.

We arrived at the Toklat just after 1 p.m., and since it was such a perfectly warm and sunny day decided to take a hike up an enticing valley across the river.

We crossed the river, filled our water bottles from a bubbling spring, snapped the following photos,

and went on our wary way. We followed a glacial stream up the steep valley until it became more of a canyon. As we climbed, the orange walls became steep and towering and when we looked back, the top of Denali rose heavily above the mountains (see first photo).

It was one of those rare perfect Alaskan days — the sun was warm, there was a slight breeze, and no bugs. We found a patch of meadow and took a short nap before continuing up the canyon. We reached a surreal-looking landscape where the stream we’d been following split and flowed from several sources. This was our stopping point.

Since we had to make the last bus out of the park at 7 p.m. we didn’t have time to scale one of the higher ridges, much to Lael’s disappointment. Reluctantly, we made our way back down the creek, across the river, and on a waiting school bus. Back at camp we devoured our pasta and were in bed far earlier than is normal.

It turned out that our glorious weather was short-lived — it began raining sometime during the night and when we woke up everything was soggy. I peeled my damp pants on over my sweaty, dusty skin and made my way through the rain to the nearby general store, where I indulged in a latte and hot shower ($4 each). Civilization was never too far away. We boarded the train back to Anchorage later that morning, scrubbed and happy.

Ursack’s Bear Resistant Food Bags

by Willy Volk on

With a sense of smell 7 times more powerful than a bloodhound, bears can sniff out your Trail Mix from miles away. Therefore, when hiking and camping in bear country, it’s advisable to carry your food in “bear proof” containers.

Ursack makes bear and critter resistant food bags from flexible, “bullet proof” fabric — the same fabric used by the military. Ideal for backpackers, kayakers and other wilderness users, the Ursack S29 has an optional foil liner to further protect your food. Boasting 650 cubic inches of pack space, the bag weighs a feathery 8 ounces and comes in that familiar faded military green color.

When tied properly, the Ursack actually becomes more bear-resistant the longer a bear tugs: the toothy mammal actually cinches the rope tighter with each additional pull. Check out the video to see a bear foiled at his attempt to get a snack.