[pct-l] Bear Can Items

[msarahm at cox.net (Sarah)]

A backcountry ranger in Tuolumne Meadows last week told me that a bear had recently swiped a backpacker's insulin supply.  Yikes!  I believe it helps to camp away from the usual areas, but I don't depend on that.

My boots are also distintly unattractive!  :)


Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 12:44:39 -0700
From: Richard Woods <wpsnotebook@charter.net>
Subject: [pct-l] Bear Can items
To: PCT -L <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Message-ID: <54BA3518-1D7C-11DA-9D2C-00039384A810@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Everything smelly is a potential attractant for bears. Guess that goes 
for bear spray too. So I even pack my toothpaste and soap into the 
canister if I have room, or hang a secondary bag with that stuff in it. 
I carry a large ziploc bag in my waist pack for trail snacks and lunch 
items to keep food smells around and in my equipment to a minimum. 
Also, since I burn grain alcohol in my stove, I treat that as food too! 
It has a distinctly sweet odor that even my old nose can detect. 
Everything smelly goes far away from me, my tent and my gear for the 
night. Although I have to say my boots haven't attracted anything 
yet....

Mo Jo