I will be doing the same thing on a spot and stalk backpack hunt in the Kenai mountains (about 100 road miles the other way from anchorade) the 16th through the 19th. Unless i can get a ton of practice in with the handgun between now and then i will be using a rifle. Its been a long time since i shot the short guns much and i dont want to mess up and wound and lose one. Good luck.