Ted, you're trying to create problems for yourself where none actually exist. You've done this before. If you're really determined to do so, you can probably succeed....but think how much easier it would be to just mellow out and do something fun instead.

Here's my take: Ignore the gun people. Alaskans are crazy for guns, and love to talk about how essential they are. In fact, that's true of a lot of Americans in general, and I meet people all the time who don't leave the house without carrying, and for that matter who make sure they're never far from a weapon even inside their own houses. I meet them hiking on innocuous little trails in the local parks carrying. In some states you see them in bars carrying handguns, or in the supermarket, or walking down the streets.

Whatever they say, if you've no experience with guns you're more likely to injure yourself or your friends, or have it stolen from you than you are to use it for some valid purpose, like turning back a charging grizzly....which doesn't happen much in the real world anyway. Plus they're expensive, awkward to pack and carry, take a fair amount of loving care, and have a steep learning curve. And they're a real pain in the ass when crossing borders, which you're going to want to do.

I've done a lot of camping in bear country--black and grizzly both. I've had more damage to my belongings from mice and from ravens than from bears. That's normal. Most bears will stay away once they realize you're human. There are protocols for you to follow to stay out of their way, not offend them when on their turf, and not entice them to your camp with the smell of food or toiletries. There are bearproof containers, which you should certainly carry. You're a smart guy. You can learn this stuff easily, as millions have before you. There's nothing you're going to do differently if you've got a gun.

Reliable, relatively unbiased information comes from classes at the parks and at major retailers, like REI in Anchorage. For distance learning, Herrero's "Bear Attacks" is a classic, and a good one for grasping the basics without hysteria. Doug Peackock's "Grizzly Years" is uneven, but entirely worthwhile if you've got the time. Probably guidebooks like the Lonely Planet have sections on bears, but that's just a guess. For all the hysteria, they certainly should.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark