[pct-l] Re: Embarrassing question

[ap084079@student.fullerton.edu (ap084079, ap084079)]

Last summer I did a solo trip from Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone to Teton Crest trail to Teton Pass. On the way out to a resupply I camped at Shoshonee Lake in Yellowstone. I usually eat dinner about a mile from where I camp for the night and hang my food at least a hundred yards or so(in Grizzly country). While setting up camp I heard yelling from across the lake. There was a grizzly going through someones campsite as they were cooking. He seemned pretty much to take what he wanted. I can usually sleep pretty easy in the backcountry, but nto at all that night. About one or so in the morning something that seemed pretty big was sniffing around my tent. I was to scared to move and I did not know how bearspray would work in a tent if he came in. After a couple of long minutes it left. In the morning there was slobber on my tent. I got out of there pretty quick. I later heard that they closed the lake

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: henry shires [mailto:hshires@jps.net] 
	Sent: Sun 7/21/2002 10:42 AM 
	To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net 
	Cc: 
	Subject: [pct-l] Re: Embarrassing question
	
	

	Very interesting thread.  I, too, suffer from fear of camping alone and fear
	of the dark.  In '99, I never got comfortable being alone at night even
	after all those months on the trail.  I will say that I suffered less if I
	could find an open clearing and plop myself in the middle of it.  I guess I
	felt like the clearing was sort of a de-militarized zone from all of the
	dangers--mostly imagined--that lay in the deep, dark woods.  Areas above
	timberline were, by definition, safe that way so I sought those out whenever
	possible.  On the other nights, it was Ibuprofen and the solace afforded by
	a small radio and/or ear plugs.
	
	On a thru-hike you really have no choice but to confront your fears and just
	try to survive.  I don't know that I'm any less afraid now than before but I
	have gained the experience of knowing that I've survived other nights and
	probably will again.
	
	Henry
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