Wow, that's a sad story for sure.

I can't imagine donning earbuds and heading into even the "local trails" this time of year. Most of my black bear encounters have been around Anchorage (vs. the "real" AK) between Girdwood and Eagle River. While I knew that there were bears in that area, each encounter involved a startle on both my and the bears part. The last thing I'd want to do is answer a startled Bear (or Wolf) with the inattention that comes with MP3 players.

That said, the Crow Pass trail is a fun hike that I highly recommend.