Just a few brief points:
You said:
(a) Precautions regarding where and when to hike -not at night, etc.
Where and when for a tourist traveling alone should, imo, be in a park where someone else knows where you're going and when you should be back. There IS no real night time in Alaska in the summer.
(b) Precautions regarding staying in the open, and on trails
Even in Denali, there aren't any trails other than game trails and animals in general prefer to use human trails when available. There can be open areas and then there is frequently a willow thicket that can easily hide even a moose.
(c) Precautions regarding making noise, wearing bells, etc.
Noise is good, bells don't work around here, though. The bears seem to think they are some kind of bird.
(d) Precautions regarding traveling in groups
For some reason, I thought he was talking about being alone. No bear attack has ever occurred on a group larger than three people. Smaller groups, have, however.
(e) Precautions regarding making yourself appear phsyically bigger, making more noise, etc., if you do run across some bears - all of which he'll doubtless be in instructed in detail on, by all the locals.
That depends on the locals. It's kinda a secret, but alot of Alaskans don't really spend that much time in the bush. Others get a great deal of entertainment from bull****ting the tourists. The best resource on what to do is the video "Staying Safe in Bear Country" it was produced by ADF&G and the Yukon govt. You can get it online and it is worth every penny several times over.
(f) Emptying the can of OC, and
The spray really works within the limited parameters of it's design. They have to be Very Close. There has to be NO wind. The bear shouldn't already be in water.
(g) Emptying 6 rounds of .44 mag garrett hammerheads
If you go that route, you're pretty much married to it. You should use enough gun. Smaller guns have killed bears in defensive situations, but were fired from inside the bear's mouth. I prefer to not be quite so close.
Typically, the situations that would cause a bear to be aggressive are kinda short notice--you can use the OC or the shotgun, probably not both. Best to bring a friend. A mature brownie has about 6 inches of hair, an inch of hide, 6 inches of fat and two feet of muscle and bone to penetrate before you get to anything important from a head-on shot. Brenneke slugs-- it's the only way to be sure.
Of course, the best gun is the one you have--if one is unwilling to tote the shotgun, then bring the biggest you'll carry all the time, some OC and hope for the best. Regardless, get the video and watch it, many, many times.
AK