[pct-l] Bear Charms, was: Re: Sierra resupply strategy/bears

[giniajim]

What's the deal on these "bear charms"?  Where do you get tobacco sacks these days or something similar?  And what do you do with them; hang them in bushes around your camp?  Do they actually work?  

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Edward Anderson 
  To: Jim Boatwright 
  Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:28 AM
  Subject: Re: [pct-l] Sierra resupply strategy/bears


  Jim,
  Too bad bear canisters are now needed. When I hiked the JMT back in the days when bears did not go into the Sierra high country, I never saw one above about 8500'. The year was either 1957 or 1958 - can't recall which. I went from Whitney Portal to Toulomie Meadows. I went solo, took about two weeks, and did not need to resupply. I supplemented the food that I brought with trout and wild plants. I saw very few backpackers compared to today - and there was not yet a PCT. The bears then were either wild or hung around lower elevation campgrounds where they could get food from  humans. They were to learn that the backpackers had food and in the years after about 1965 or so started to follow them into the higher elevations - and became bolder. If it were not for the law requiring canisters I would just use OpSaks and my "bear charms"(mothballs in cotton tobacco sacks) as they work well in keeping bears away from camp - including keeping them away from your
   tent or sleeping bag. 
  MendoRider