RE: [pct-l] Biggest Difference between AT Thru-Hike

The bears are MUCH more agressive. This is painfully evident on another list
where the attitude of members towards bears is markedly different depending
on where you hike. That being said, the PCT hiking schedule virtually
requires one to pass through the critical area well before the height of the
bear season.

In my less than humble opinion, I believe that PCT thruhikers worry too much
about bears and regular Sierra backpackers worry too little. 

My reasoning has to do with a thruhiker's range -- 20-30 miles per day. A
thruhiker can easily reach the next bear box in the bear corridor of
Sequoia-Kings Canyon and can easily skip 1000 Island Lakes and Lyell Canyon
in Yosemite National Park whereas my plodding 7 mile per day range cannot. 

In areas other than those requiring special care I would invest in a URSACK.
While a URSACK will probably not stop a determined National Park "Garbage"
bear who cannot be scared off, it will suffice just fine for the normal
timid bear you will find for the 2600 miles of the PCT that is outside the
"Garbage" bear range. A URSACK will protect your food without adding pack
weight and will allow you to avoid the practice of "sleeping with your food"
-- a practice that infuriates many Sierra hikers because we believe it will
train bears to crash tents for food....to our potential harm.

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