[at-l] bear feeding

[charles at uswnet.com (Charles Copeland)]

We're headed to Siler Bald - near Wayah Bald.  We are camping near the bald,
not at the shelter - the shelter is half-mile away from the trail.  We'll
visit the shelter on Sunday and have LNT, water purification, and hiking
First Aid classes for our new Scouts.  We teach the boys how to filter water
*and* use iodine.  The question always comes up as to which is better.  It
starts an interesting discussion - just like here!  :-)

BTW, I told this particular adult that we don't hike anywhere that doesn't
have bears so he should always have a bear bag for his food, toothpaste,
etc.  Next month we hike along the Conasauga River in the Cohutta
Wilderness.  There are *lots* of bears there!

Charles

----- Original Message -----
From: <KarenS62@aol.com>
To: <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [at-l] bear feeding


<<Bears love altitude, the best blueberries grow high, nut bearing trees
line the ridgelines, and those two legged creatures have made fine smelly
trails to follow. From Maine to the Smokys open mountain sides offer super
bear
watching. Bear bagging on a bald (or anywhere you don't find tall trees) has
it's own particular challenges. >>

Charles, not sure which Silar you are talking about, but since all the
shelters in the Smokies have the bear cables why wouldn't you use them?
FWIW, the only place I have seen bears while hiking is on the AT in the
Smokies and these ones were pretty habituated to people. There were stories
in the Silar Bald shelter register a couple years back of bears waiting for
hikers to get their stuff down from the bear cables, then charging them so
they drop the pack and run.

POG
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