[pct-l] Stealth camping - All in a word.

[Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@xxxxxxx)]

I've camped at 1,000 Island Lake about 20 times in 30 years, never taken a 
bear canister and never been bothered by any bears.  The trick as stealth 
campers know is to not camp anywhere near the weekender, out-of-shape hiker will 
camp.  At 1,000 Island Lake this means that most weekenders will come up the 
trail to the end of the Lake with the fantastic view of Banner and stop in awe.  
They'll hike no more than a couple hundred yards further and camp.  

If you want to get away from them, just hike a mile or more down the lake and 
camp.  The bears are habituated and go where they know easy pickings are.  
They know from experience over years and years that those that camp near the 
east end of the lake are least likely to hang or protect their food well.  So 
they don't even bother with the smells or sounds or sights they get from others 
further down the lake.


I am not soliciting that you should not carry a bear canister, just 
suggesting that stealth camping does have its benefits.

YMMV,

Greg "Strider" Hummel