A new heavyweight takes the crown in Alaska. Backpack, the gentle giant known officially as Bear 89, wins Fat Bear Week after pulling in more than 100,000 votes and narrowly defeating Bear 910 with just over 50% of the final poll. The victory comes with some s

A new heavyweight takes the crown in Alaska. Backpack, the gentle giant known officially as Bear 89, wins Fat Bear Week after pulling in more than 100,000 votes and narrowly defeating Bear 910 with just over 50% of the final poll. The victory comes with some serious family bragging rights. Backpack is the son of former champion Holly, and fans rallied behind the bear known for climbing onto his mother’s back as a cub while the two crossed the Brooks River. The annual competition celebrates the brown bears packing on the pounds before hibernation, when some large males can tip the scales at well over 1,000 pounds. ▻