[pct-l] a fool proof way of not having bear encounters

[Brick Robbins]

C wrote:
> I hear a lot about protecting the bears
> but anyone have a fool proof way of not having bear encounters...

Nothing is fool proof. They keep inventing better fools.....

But, if you don't camp where you cook, and don't sleep in established
camping areas (stealth camping,) then you should not have any bear
encounters at night. They are creatures of habit, and they hang out
where there are people to molest for food. Moving at thru hiker pace,
you should be through "bear alley" in less than 2 weeks.

The only other place where you might see a habituated bear is near
Echo Lake in Desolation Wilderness.  I saw several bears in NorCal and
Oregon, but they were deathly afraid of me, and I felt lucky just to
see them, because if they saw me first, they ran.

For all the hoopla about bears problems, thrus are not very likely to
have any. We move too quickly and are generally through SE/KI and
Yosemite before the hoards of people, and before the bears move back
up to the high country. Most of the hype really applies to weekenders
and section hikers that are there in high season.

HYOH, YMMV.