[have picked up a big branch]
No, you can carry, but where I lived and the trails were only a mile and a half from University of Alaska campus. So close to town, the highway and paved roads, if there was a bear in the area there would of been reports. I had been skiing/walking on that trail for years & seen plenty of moose. Always gave them the trail and space and that was the first and only one to give me a scare.