[pct-l] Grizzly

[Edward Anderson]

Greg,
 
When I was in the North Cascades nearing Canada I knew that there were supposed to be grizzlies that come down from Canada.  I hoped that I might be lucky and get to see them.  No luck at all. My last camp was about 10 miles south of the border.  It was an off-trail spot east of Hopkins Pass with meadows and ponds. I camped there two nights - before and after riding to Monument 78. I saw no sign of bears.  
 
The bears up there, both black bears and grizzlies, are wild - not like the High Sierra bears that have become accustomed to people food. Once, at a distance, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a black bear.  I think having a bear bell hanging on my horse alerted bears of my approach.  In camp I did store all of my food and Primo's processed horse feed in OPsaks so there would not be food smells. Since bears are also both intelligent and can see well if the do wander into camp, I also kept all food (since it was in transparent bags) covered and out of sight.  I also use "bear charms" ( mothballs in cotton tobacco sacks) surrounding my camp.  I routinely follow this procedure, whenever I am in bear country. 
 
MendoRider/Ed Anderson 
From: "bighummel at aol.com" <bighummel at aol.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Sunday, July 3, 2011 10:43 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Grizzly

Mike Ross; a 1975 thru-hiker, told me in 1976 that he saw grizzly footprints following him impressed in an inch of snow when he made a wrong turn and backtracked just a day south of the border. I retold this story to Paul Hacker on our last night, a day shy of the border, in 1977. We had the biggest fire of the hike that night and didn't get much sleep, having freaked ourselves out!


Greg Hummel


When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious 
privilege it is to be alive - to breath, to think, to enjoy, to love.  
                                                                                  ~ Marcus Aurelius


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