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[pct-l] Stealth Camping (was Closures because of bear activity)
Many animals forage by repeatedly visiting good food sites. When they are
tracked with radio collars they often display amazingly large territories
that are visited EACH NIGHT.
My suspicion is that stealth camping works because the bears are running a
racetrack between popular camping sites (and natural food sources). A quick
scan of the web supplied some corroborating evidence. For example, take a
look at:
http://www.nature-net.com/bears/black.html
This site says:
Characteristically, a home range does not constitute one large
area but rather is composed of several smaller food source areas
connected by travel lanes. Open areas are usually avoided by
black bears as they prefer wooded cover. Stream and creek beds
are often used as travel lanes because of the thick undergrowth
and a barrier-free escape route. This is particularly true in areas
where there is heavy urban build-up.
When Jardine talks about stealth camping, he emphasizes eating at streams
and then MOVING ON, preferably to someplace part way up a slope. No fire or
food preparation takes place at the stealth site.
Given that, and the above description of bear foraging behavior, I'm not
surprised that stealth camping appears to work.
I'd note though that someone stealth camping on a bear route would be in for
an unpleasant surprise, and that the more people who stealth camp the less
effective the technique is likely to be.
-- Jim (who has no experience with Sierra bears)
----- Original Message -----
From: "The Dude" <dude@coruscant.net>
To: <reynolds@ilan.com>; <dude@coruscant.net>; <pct-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2001 11:53 AM
Subject: RE: RE: [pct-l] Closures because of bear activity
> I would hardly call 3 separate succesfull trips in three different years
in the most problem bear areas "passing on the curve". Seems to me that
using stealth camping in Vidette Meadow and bear alley in Yosemite put it to
a very difficult test.
>
> Let me remind you that not only did I keep my food, but I never even SAW
any bears. Furthermore, I would certainly fight any fine for using the
counter-balance method successfully. How can it be improper food storage
when it works? The proof is in the pudding.
>
> peace,
> dude
>
>
>
> > "Reynolds, WT" <reynolds@iLAN.com> "'The Dude'" <dude@coruscant.net>,
pct-l@backcountry.net RE: [pct-l] Closures because of bear activityDate:
Thu, 9 Aug 2001 05:59:54 -0700
> >
> >Dude-
> >
> >Stealth camping is like passing on a curve. It works most of the time.
When
> >it does you saved 1.7 pounds in your pack and had the thrill of beating
the
> >bears and the rangers. When it doesn't you have made a mess of your
backpack
> >and habituated further another bear to human food. Ultimately that bear
will
> >be distroyed. Hopefully, that bear won't hurt a human before it is.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >PS: I think that the fine is up to $5000. Yours was not, potentially, a
> >cheap thrill.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: The Dude [mailto:dude@coruscant.net]
> >Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 11:37 PM
> >To: pct-l@backcountry.net
> >Subject: RE: [pct-l] Closures because of bear activity
> >
> >
> >wow!! what do they say about stealth camping?
> >
> >I just got back from Tahoe to Yosemite and employed stealth camping with
> >great success (didnt even see any bears). We passed tons of people with
> >cannisters who thought that we were nuts, but this is the 3rd time that I
> >have used stealth and never even saw a bear.
> >...seems to work for me.
> >
> >> Ken & Marcia Powers <kdpo@pacbell.net> pct-l <pct-l@backcountry.net>
> >[pct-l] Closures because of bear activityDate: Wed, 08 Aug 2001 12:21:01
> >-0700
> >>
> >>Thought I would fuel the fire a bit...
> >>
> >>Marcia and I recently returned from checking out the CDT. We plan to
start
> >>June 2002!
> >>
> >>We visited Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park because
we
> >>had heard of the difficulty in getting permits in the parks.
> >> Both parks require hikers to camp in designated sites. Neither park
is
> >>entirely happy assigning sites more that 10-12 miles apart. (Although
Jim
> >>and Ginny got a 28 mile day - they didn't want.)
> >> Both parks will close sites due to "bear activity", which means if a
> >>bear has been raiding a campsite it will be closed for a period of time.
> >>
> >>Imagine trying to plan you thru-hike, negotiating camping sites, then
> >>showing up to find that one of the sites is closed due to bear activity!
> >>
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