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[pct-l] Real Bear Trouble in '04 -- Attacks and Raids
Just to calm some fears...
I have to say that although others in 04 saw bears, I didn't see any.
Actually I did see one in washington running far from me...
If I did the trail again, I seriously wouldn't sweat it. I probably
wouldn't think about it much at all (since I didn't even see one in the
sierra's)
Just the other side of the coin kinda thing for those of you worried... I
must ad that in Yosemite I walked in and out of the bear areas in one day
each, without having to camp in them. If I did the hiked again I would be
careful in those areas Nocona mentions.
I brought the ursack which I ditched because it was too heavey - once I
passed yosemite...
Most of the time myself and the people I hiked with slept with our food in
our tents. We even fell asleep this way when we knew a bear was around - we
heard it in the woods 100 yards from us... (of course not in yosemite/glen
aulen area) ( that was in oregon)
In fact most everyone I hiked with - upwards of 25 people (at different
times of course) didn't use bear cans and slept with their food in the tent.
it was just the way... I guess we all figured that the bears are scared of
us, which largely , they are.
The only problems came with mice in washington. then we hung our food.
The only real close call I heard of was when priest, profit, and creamy hung
their food five feet from their tent door. they said a big bear came right
up to it and ate the food whilst they held each other and cried... LOL
I must admit I hadn't heard of Nocona's story until I recieved this email...
Even so, the feeling I got while walking across the country are that bears
are big racoons. True they have the ability to hurt you but mainly they are
just scavangers and are afraid of you.
I know some people have see the ugly side, but seriously don't let it scare
you into gear overkill...
Hope that doesn't sound stupid, it's just what I did (and most of the other
hikers too)
Oh, I was so scarred at the begining that I actually brough bear spray which
I ditched in someone elses pack - he he!
If I did it again I'd bring a pack of black cats fire crackers just in
case... Actaully Splitter gave me a pack but after carrying them a week i
tested one and it was just a sparkely thing.. LOL!!!
Mouse out
>From: Karen Borski <kborski@yahoo.com>
>To: PCT List <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
>Subject: [pct-l] Real Bear Trouble in '04 -- Attacks and Raids
>Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 20:45:45 -0800 (PST)
>
>I have actually been holding my breath waiting for
>this topic to pop back up again. If you don't already
>know, it is a much-discussed topic in the history of
>the PCT-L.
>
>Why have I been waiting for it?
>
>Because this last year,on my thru-hike, I actually had
>REAL experiences with bears ON THE PCT. They ARE more
>troublesome now as compared to only a few years ago --
>rangers I spoke to say there has been a big increase
>in problem bear activity in the national parks of the
>High Sierra. My experiences do not seem to be
>isolated.
>
>Bears raided two of my camps along the PCT in '04 --
>one in Evolution Valley a few miles before the big
>ford and the other in Glen Aulin. I had a bear can by
>the time the second assault occurred, so it was my
>next door neighbor who had gear damaged. During the
>first raid, my hiking buddies' packs were taken out of
>camp, torn to shreds even though they contained no
>food and were only recovered when my friends literally
>chased these bears down. The bears came into camp
>without making a noise, one weighing 300 lbs or more,
>walked all around our heads, slobbered all over our
>stuff, and walked off with what they could grab and
>take (our food was under our feet). My friends
>actually woke up only when the sound of packs being
>ripped apart startled them.
>
>My friends, two PCT thru-hikers, went on to get their
>own bear canisters and follow all the rules only to
>have more bear raids in two other camps at night (I
>was not with them during their other raids)....one of
>which resulted in one of my friends being swatted
>while INSIDE her tent and consequently injured (in
>Yosemite Ntl Pk). The bear who "hit" her had to be
>destroyed. They killed it. It was only a yearling
>and had been hand-fed by ignorant tourists the year
>before when it was a cub. Its mom and sibling had
>been destroyed earlier in '04. There is a newspaper
>article on the event out there somewhere--I saw it
>posted at Drakesbad.
>
>I want to stress to all those who are heading into the
>High Sierra, PLEASE be careful. The rules are for
>your protection, as well as for that of the bears, but
>even with bear canisters and no food in camp, I highly
>recommend that you sleep INSIDE TENTS (they do provide
>protection; see Bear Attacks: Their Causes and
>Avoidance by Herrerro) and not out in the open, DO NOT
>HANG your food by any method in the bear trouble areas
>(from Evolution Valley all the way to Glen Aulin), and
>NEVER LEAVE ANY of your gear, tent, pack or food
>unattended.
>
>This isn't meant to scare anyone, but it is reality.
>The parks have a problem right now, which will
>hopefully be short-lived. But PCT thru-hikers are not
>immune. Don't sleep with your food when you are in
>this section. Any other sections....and I really
>don't think it matters much....but not in this area.
>Follow the rules in or near the national parks.
>
>Again, make a note: near Evolution Valley all the way
>past Glen Aulin.
>
>Nocona
>
>
>
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