[pct-l] Bear Cannisters

[carolwbruno at yahoo.com (carol bruno)]

Wacky Wack:
 
I had my first bear encounter this summer at a campground near Muir ranch.  We had our usual Mountain house dinner with a failed attempt at cooking some apple dumpling dessert.  The dessert burned on the bottom but we all had a great time eating it anyway.  The hiker who cooked it just added some water to the pan to let it soak for the night.  We put things away as usual but one of the hikers left a package of freeze-dried chicken and dumplings and a carton of yogurt in the bottom compartment of her pack.  (I was unaware of this.)  We put our bear cans (I had a bearvault) and packs (left open) outside the tent as usual.  For the first time that night I was a little nervous about bears.  It was a crowded campground and I knew they were attracted to that.  My own little "hubba" tent was backed up against a canyon and for some reason (instinctual, I'm sure) I scooted it a little closer in to the campground, then fell quickly asleep.  That night I awoke and heard something dragging
 behind my tent; everyone else was dead asleep.  Then I heard ripping and slurping sounds coming from the canyon behind my tent.  I knew it was going to be that bear encounter I had been fearing for so long.  After that I heard the rocks crunching underneath its feet as it came down the canyon.  My hubba tent was open in the front and I grabbed my bear spray and glasses so I could be prepared (ha!)---we humans are such idiots and I'm sure the bears are on to this!  Anyway the bear came right into our camp and walked through it and started away.  Just as I was thinking "whew, thank God he's going to someone else's camp" he turned around and came toward my tent.  Then of course I am wracking my brain wondering if I still had a snickers in my pocket or trident gum somewhere in the tent.  The bear sniffed at our burned apple cobbler and then walked to the next-door campers who hung some kind of chips (they were history too, of course).  Just an aside:  bear hanging has to be some kind of
 big joke.  I rarely, and I mean RARELY, have seen a tree that would accommodate effective bear hanging.  And, being a really small woman would have a hard time doing it anyway.  So, the bear finally left our camp and somehow I even went back to sleep.  Everyone in camp asked why I didn't wake them up!!! Right---I'm going to stick my head out of the tent and yell bear when it's 3 feet away from my face.  I was totally unable to move a muscle in my entire body until at least one hour of complete silence reigned in the campground and I knew the bear had left.  So, honestly, be sure to keep things as clean as possible.  Use a bear can; keep food out of your tent; bring bear spray even though you'll never use it---it will make you feel better--and if a bear approaches, don't EVEN think about fighting for your food.  There are plenty of ways to get more food if you need it.  And, what is this about throwing rocks and shouting obsenities????  I'm sure the bear is really concerned about
 this form of social embarrassment. Let's face it, the bear could take us all out in one swipe and as Bill Bryson says in "A Walk in the Woods", "It's not like we have a treaty with the bears".    
 
Don't let this deter you from the hike though, because we are truly privileged to have such wonderful country to hike in.  
 
By the way I saw 'undertow' and 'garbage man' hiking north and doing great around July 26.  Also saw 'Sisyphus' and 'mule' at Vermillion Valley (doing well).  AND, thank you yogi for the great advise on washing down bags.
 
Good luck and have a great hike!  
Can'tquit (proud section hiker)

		
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