These comments are crazy. First off most are based on the inaccurate APRN story that was missing a great many facts being held in evidence here. Second I am amazed at how an event this rare gets so blown out of proportion that now people need to stay out of the woods altogether in such places and times of the year. Do you not realize how rare an event this actually is and how many people spend a great deal of time in the bush for a lifetime and never have such an encounter? Sure if you read all the lightning strike stories you could become just as paranoid and miss out on life in the great state of Alaska, but what would be the point? Cars and people are the real threats, yet we aren't all shut-ins...

As to peppers vs bullets
For whatever reason the experienced female guide up front was unable to deploy her bear spray (perhaps the bear was too close but it did false charge first apparently) Would she have fared better with a firearm? Well I don't think she would have fared any worse.