[pct-l] Food in tents

[gary_schenk at verizon.net]

 Chances are the only bear you'll see will be at the Tuolumne Meadows campground. Carry a bear can in the national parks, that's all.

If you want something realistic to worry about, worry about lightning, not bears. Oh, and rockfall.

Gary
 

On 02/07/13, C wrote:

Okay on a serious note for once on my part...all jokes aside...
I'm seriously scared to death of the dark and the fact that there are animals that could rock my world...I hear a lot about protecting the bears but anyone have a fool proof way of not having bear encounters...so i got get messed with...i havent really been camping so where do i hide...how much smell is too much...i heard some people bring firecrackers? Really??
.I believe I have a decent chance on completing the trail but my night fears go pretty deep lol :)
Just being honest...
And as for parts of the trail...are there any real scary sections and somewhere/one has/have good pictures...like with narrow walk ways and steep drops .for example the narrows in Colorado??..I need to start visualizing these things...or just start unpacking my pack and go look for a job
Thanks!!!


Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 7, 2013, at 12:48 PM, "Mary Kwart" <mkwart at gci.net> wrote:

> This is a controversial topic so what I tell the people in a
> backpacking strategies for success class is:
> 
> 1. Always carry food in a bear canister in the places it is
> required--there is a good reason. I have worked for the Park Service
> at Yosemite and regale people with stories of how smart and
> resourceful the bears are in the Sierra. By the way, bears there know
> people use canisters and have learned diversion tactics to get to food
> before it is in the canister at night--like when you are preparing
> dinner. I have experienced bears batting around my bear canister at
> night, but that has only been in popular campsites when camping with a
> group. Using bear canisters in these areas saves bears lives.
> 
> 2. When in doubt, in places other than where you have to carry a bear
> canister by law, carry a lightweight rope to hang your food and hang
> it as often as you feel you must--That may be every night. Be aware of
> indications of bear activity--bear scat, bear paw prints and talk to
> others on the trail to get information and let that and common sense
> guide you. When camping near a popular area like by a lake a short
> distance from a trailhead, take extra precautions or camp miles away
> from these areas. If you are caching food for any length of time or
> leaving your camp for a day hike, it also makes sense to hang your
> food or use an Ursack.
> 
> 3. The longer you hike in the areas where bear canisters are not
> required by law, the more your decision to protect your food from
> critters will be informed by your experience, hence the need to hang
> your food will diminish because you have learned to be more aware of
> bear indicators. That is why people with a lot of hiking experience
> keep their food in their tents at night with no problem for
> years.Until you reach that level of knowledge, by all means hang your
> food, or use an Ursack.
> 
> It is hard to convince new hikers that in 99% of all long distance
> hiking areas, the animals have better things to do than target you and
> the small amount of food you carry. Once again, I impress on people
> the need to carry bear canisters where required by law and to hang
> their food if they have the least bit of anxiety. or will be leaving
> their food unattended. 
> 
> --Fireweed
> 
> 
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