[pct-l] Real Bear Trouble in '04 -- Attacks and Raids

[kborski at yahoo.com (Karen Borski)]

I have actually been holding my breath waiting for
this topic to pop back up again.  If you don't already
know, it is a much-discussed topic in the history of
the PCT-L.

Why have I been waiting for it?

Because this last year,on my thru-hike, I actually had
REAL experiences with bears ON THE PCT.  They ARE more
troublesome now as compared to only a few years ago --
rangers I spoke to say there has been a big increase
in problem bear activity in the national parks of the
High Sierra.  My experiences do not seem to be
isolated.

Bears raided two of my camps along the PCT in '04 --
one in Evolution Valley a few miles before the big
ford and the other in Glen Aulin.  I had a bear can by
the time the second assault occurred, so it was my
next door neighbor who had gear damaged.  During the
first raid, my hiking buddies' packs were taken out of
camp, torn to shreds even though they contained no
food and were only recovered when my friends literally
chased these bears down.  The bears came into camp
without making a noise, one weighing 300 lbs or more,
walked all around our heads, slobbered all over our
stuff, and walked off with what they could grab and
take (our food was under our feet).  My friends
actually woke up only when the sound of packs being
ripped apart startled them. 

My friends, two PCT thru-hikers, went on to get their
own bear canisters and follow all the rules only to
have more bear raids in two other camps at night (I
was not with them during their other raids)....one of
which resulted in one of my friends being swatted
while INSIDE her tent and consequently injured (in
Yosemite Ntl Pk).  The bear who "hit" her had to be
destroyed.  They killed it.  It was only a yearling
and had been hand-fed by ignorant tourists the year
before when it was a cub.  Its mom and sibling had
been destroyed earlier in '04.  There is a newspaper
article on the event out there somewhere--I saw it
posted at Drakesbad.

I want to stress to all those who are heading into the
High Sierra, PLEASE be careful.  The rules are for
your protection, as well as for that of the bears, but
even with bear canisters and no food in camp, I highly
recommend that you sleep INSIDE TENTS (they do provide
protection; see Bear Attacks: Their Causes and
Avoidance by Herrerro) and not out in the open, DO NOT
HANG your food by any method in the bear trouble areas
(from Evolution Valley all the way to Glen Aulin), and
NEVER LEAVE ANY of your gear, tent, pack or food
unattended.  

This isn't meant to scare anyone, but it is reality. 
The parks have a problem right now, which will
hopefully be short-lived.  But PCT thru-hikers are not
immune.  Don't sleep with your food when you are in
this section.  Any other sections....and I really
don't think it matters much....but not in this area. 
Follow the rules in or near the national parks.

Again, make a note:  near Evolution Valley all the way
past Glen Aulin.

Nocona


		
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