[pct-l] Real Bear Trouble in '04 -- Attacks and Raids

[randy_forsland at hotmail.com (Randy Forsland)]

One little trick that I learned while solo hiking in high risk bear areas is 
to bring a few small sleigh bells with me. I set up a perimeter of dead 
branches around my camp and fasten the bells to them with twist ties. I will 
hear anything that tries to breach the perimeter.

Hey..all that military training finally came in handy for something...

I remember scaring the hell out of a deer that had wandered into my camp one 
morning...I had come out of my tent blowing my whistle and chucking rocks at 
the first sound of the bells...

Redwood

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karen Borski" <kborski@yahoo.com>
To: "PCT List" <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 8:45 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Real Bear Trouble in '04 -- Attacks and Raids


>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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