[pct-l] Bear Spray and Snow

[Chris Anderson]

I wouldn't go as far as to say " Then the rest of the time you don't have trouble with them  
because they run away as soon as they see you.".  I have spotted bears around so cal. (big bear, arrowhead, san jacinto, angeles national forest a bit before baden-powell, sespe wilderness near ojai)  I haven't had any run ins with a bear being aggressive in any manner, and even though it is rare, these incidents happened in the area.  It doesn't mean you should be scared, and I don't ever carry bear spray, but its wise to keep in mind that bear encounters can happen outside of the bear canister zones.  Just because it is rare doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions.

"July 2003 – A male hiker was knocked down by a bear at a remote campsite along the Pacific Crest Trail in the Angeles National Forest. The hiker had just reached the camp, which was empty, dropped his pack on a picnic table, and was looking for a place to hang his food. As he walked back toward the pack, he heard a noise behind him. As he turned he was knocked to the ground by a bear. After standing over him for a few seconds, the bear grabbed the backpack and began dragging it off. The man shouted at the bear and threw rocks until the bear finally retreated without the backpack. The hiker received only minor bruises and was not seriously hurt."

"San Bernardino County, August 1993 – Two separate incidents occurred within three days of each other. In both cases, the bear — or bears — grabbed a child by the head and attempted to drag him away. In each incident, both victims were 13-year-old males and were sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags at the time of the attack. The bear also inflicted minor injuries on three other campers immediately prior to the attacks. The attacks occurred at two group campgrounds approximately two miles from each other and the attacks ended when other campers aggressively came to the victims’ aid. More than 100 people were sleeping on the ground in the immediate area at the time of the each attack. Both campgrounds were either clean or moderately clean. However, the area is interspersed with cabins and garbage is available nearby. Natural foods were available and abundant at the time of the attacks."
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat!



________________________________
 From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Spray and Snow
 
Oh, so I should worry and fret and carry pepper spray because of what  
happens in some national park where people are storing their food  
improperly all the time and chasing bears around with cameras to try  
and get a good story to tell their friends at home?

The reality of the PCT is not like a national park or a tv nature  
documentary. The reality is you carry a bear can in the areas where  
it's required and probably don't see any bears there outside the car  
camps. Then the rest of the time you don't have trouble with them  
because they run away as soon as they see you. Sounds sanguine but  
it's just how it is. No need to stir up fear when it's not really  
needed (oh wait, it's the PCT-L and winter, sorry, carry on.)

On Dec 1, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: "JPL" <jplynch at crosslink.net>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Spray and Snow
>
> Probably don't want to be quite so sanguine about black bears.  
> They have
> been known to attack and kill people, including not long ago at  
> Great Smokey
> Mountains NP.  They need to be treated like the wild animals they  
> are.  We
> don't carry bear cans in black bear territory but its wise to  
> protect your
> food and give them plenty of room.

_______________________________________________
Pct-L mailing list
Pct-L at backcountry.net
To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

List Archives:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.