Bear Tracks are a common, yet always awe-inspiring sight on the Copper River Delta and beaches of Prince William Sound. There is a magnificence and symmetry to their footprints in the sand that rings deep for all cultures, for all times. For the Tlingit, Eyak, and Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) of Alaska’s “Lost Coast”, the bear has figured prominently into the spiritual, oral, and artistic traditions. As hunters and outdoorsmen, these tribes are aware of the close similarities in the anatomy and behavior of the bear and human. The union of human and bear is a common thread throughout indigenous Alaska, as signified on the trim by the hand inside of the paw. The shaman sought the bear’s help and women ran away to marry the bear in oral stories. You will see a woman’s face, distinguished by a labret, in one of the bear paws and a profile of a human in another paw. In another paw, the crescent eye represents the “sleeping eye” or hibernation cycle of the bear.  Renowned Alaskan artist Michael Webber designed this trim design exclusively for Copper River Fleece.

Artist: Michael Webber
Embodying the rich Native history of this land and it’s people, renowned Alaskan artist Michael Webber designed this trim exclusively for Copper River Fleece. Born of a rich Alutiiq and Tlingit ancestry, Michael lives in Cordova, Alaska where his family heritage reaches back to the first footsteps in this region.