Katmai, Alaska (Brooks Falls)
My Menu Versus the Fat Bear Week Champion's
Every fall, fans vote for the Alaska bear that fattened up best for winter. This year's champion eats salmon. I eat steak.
Bear 89, called Backpack, has won Fat Bear Week, beating Bear 910 in the final by about 5,000 votes. As a cub, he rode on his mother’s back instead of swimming. I also prefer to be carried. So I compared our menus.
Our Menus
Breakfast. Backpack: salmon, caught at a waterfall, with his mouth. Me: pancakes, caught with a fork, at a table, like a gentleman.
Lunch. Backpack: salmon. Me: a cheeseburger, no pickles. The pickles know what they did.
Dinner. Backpack: more salmon. Me: a steak, and a little bowl of ice cream, for balance.
He has eaten more salmon this summer than I’ve eaten in my whole life. I’ve eaten more ice cream. We each have our strengths.
The Results
Backpack is now ready to sleep through the whole Alaska winter. His mother won Fat Bear Week too, back in 2019, so winning runs in the family. I know how that feels.
Congratulations, Backpack. Enjoy the long nap. You’ve earned it, one salmon at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did you vote for?
Backpack, in the final. I always back the winner, as soon as I know who it is.
Will you hibernate this winter?
No. I'll be taking a series of long, very important naps.