[pct-l] Ursack in SoCal?

[Diane Soini]

You will likely see bear sign in the Tehachapi to Walker Pass area, if not a bear or two in person. But you are unlikely to need an ursack or any other anti-bear measures. They are fairly timid. I don't recall seeing any sign of bears in the San Gabriels but my memory could be fuzzy. I'm sure they are there. It's just not really much of a problem.

On Mar 25, 2014, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Subject: [pct-l] Ursack in SoCal?
> 
> I'm planning a section hike from Idyllwild to Walker Pass, and am debating
> whether to bring my Ursack.  What is the bear situation these days in the
> San Bernadinos and San Gabriels?
> 
> I last hiked these mountains in the 1960s as a Boy Scout, and we didn't
> hang food or have any bear issues.  But then we also brought hatchets and
> saws and kept a fire going all night, taking turns on watch.  And I'm
> pretty sure our Scoutmaster, a retired Marine DI, was heavily armed.  Seems
> odd now, but we thought it was normal. The only bears we ever encountered
> were at Tuolumne Meadows CG in our 1968 JMT hike.
> 
> Any thoughts about whether the Ursack would justify its 11 oz weight
> penalty would be most appreciated.
> 
> Drew Smith
> 
> http://endofabx.blogspot.com/