State parks ranger, campground host urge stepped-up education, enforcement for Chilkoot Corridor bear-human conflicts

Jacques Turcutt, a state park ranger, told the Haines Borough Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee on April 9 that "the management of bears and people in the Chilkoot Corridor continues to be the single most important and pressing issue" for the upcoming 2026 season.

Turcutt walked members through a seasonal enforcement plan: May–July is a critical period when bears arrive and the public establishes seasonal behavior patterns; July–August brings high congestion with commercial operators and active bears; and September–October sees a surge in photographers that in recent years led to harassment and vehicle congestion. He said state parks will continue a mixed strategy of visible enforcement and public education, prioritize citations for food-and-attractant violations and commercial-operator breaches of permit stipulations, and adopt a 0-tolerance posture for recurring commercial violations.

"There will be a 0 tolerance policy for commercial operator violations in 2026," Turcutt said, describing steps including more sport-fishing patrols on foot, outreach to operators about stipulation #9 (traffic and parking compliance), and working with Alaska Department of Fish and Game criteria to haze or otherwise manage problem bears when necessary.

Members pressed Turcutt on permitting and enforcement limits. He explained that state parks and the borough run separate permitting systems and that the state can approve permits with added stipulations but often lacks unilateral denial authority; the state is moving to a more structured process where habitual violators could lose permits. He also said some enforcement actions require follow-up evidence and willingness from complainants to pursue citations in court.

Campground host and volunteer Sue Raikes gave a detailed, photo-based account of 2024–2025 incidents in which overflowing dumpsters and unattended coolers attracted bears into campsites, led to tent and gear damage, and in one case resulted in a cub being euthanized after becoming a persistent problem. "I took it on myself this summer... to actually take garbage out," Raikes told the committee, describing repeated weekend overflows and the difficulty of relying on volunteers and limited staff to keep attractants controlled.

Both Turcutt and Raikes urged better signage and a central information pavilion near the Chilkoot gate to give arriving visitors concise bear-safety guidance. They discussed operational options—more frequent dumpster pickups, additional campground hosts, and day‑use kiosks to gather visitor counts and support limits—but cautioned that cultural-resource constraints and staffing limits may make infrastructure solutions (for example, new viewing platforms) difficult in some riparian areas.

Turcutt and others encouraged the committee and the public to document violations with photos or video and to submit them when willing to pursue enforcement actions; without evidence, citations are difficult to sustain. They also noted drone regulations are under review and currently prohibit takeoff or landing within state park boundaries while allowing overflight from outside park land.

The committee heard that some mitigation could be administrative and cooperative—coordinating signage and operator briefings between the borough and state parks, encouraging commercial operators to adopt consistent practices, and consolidating educational messaging at the visitor center and a new kiosk. Turcutt said additional ranger staffing (including cross-border assistance arrangements) and more stable funding would improve outcomes but depend on hiring approvals and budget allocations.

The briefing left clear next steps: state parks will provide a redacted version of the ranger’s Chilkoot plan for posting and coordination; PRAC can help with messaging and advocate to the assembly for funding or policy changes; and volunteers and visitors were asked to report violations and support consistent education efforts.