[pct-l] bear prep in the sierras

[msarahm at cox.net (Sarah)]

Follow the forest service advice about storing food and scented products 
in a canister.  Put it away from your tent at night.  If there's a 
slope, put it uphill of a fallen tree or behind rocks so that a curious 
bear won't roll your supplies into a ravine.  I usually stack a couple 
rocks on top so I'll hear a bear, and I stack a few near my tent opening 
so I can throw them if need be.

If I were going through the "big bad bear" area, I'd be tempted to spend 
the night in Vidette meadow where there are bear boxes.  You'll only be 
in his range for a day, and he will know that he can't get food out of 
the bear boxes (unless they are left open -- be vigilant).  I was in 
Vidette last year, and two bears walked through while I was away 
attempting to help an injured person.  The bears didn't even bother 
sniffing the boxes.  Experienced bears won't even roll your cannister 
around; they will know by sight that they can't get the good stuff.

I was camped in Yosemite once with a friend who applied pepper spray to 
a persistant bear.  The bear didn't seem to notice.  You'll be fine with 
a cannister.   Some bears go back to the same spots every single night, 
so if you camp in less common places, you may be less likely to have a 
bear visitor.

Peggy at the VVR told me a story (in 1999) that she and Butch were once 
supplied super-duper strong pepper spray by the forest service when they 
had problem bears due to trash at the adjacent campground.  That 
evening, a bear was in the garbage dumpster, and everyone went out to 
watch Butch apply the spray.  Butch started spraying, but there was a 
little swirl of wind.  Suddenly he dropped the spray and ran back to the 
VVR shedding clothes as he went.  The person who had been next to him 
did the same.  They were stark naked before they hit the showers.  
Telling the story two years after the fact, Peggy laughed until she was 
shedding tears saying it was the funniest sight she ever saw.  I've 
heard that "little swirls of wind" affect most pepper spray users.  
Summary: don't bother.