[pct-l] when to hang food in WA

[jolson at olc.edu (Jeffrey Olson)]

I was lucky enough to see six black bears this summer on my section hike 
from Manning to Santiam Pass.   All but one were before 7AM.  I heard 
bears, or what I t hink were bears, twice in central Washington during 
the night.  I slept with my food. 

I think I echo what has been said, where bears are hunted they avoid 
contact with humans.  That said, there are trail closings north of Rainy 
Pass, not necessarily on the PCT, routinely throughout the summer 
because of bear/human contact, mostly grizzlies. 

I saw what I surmized was a giant grizzly poop a day north of Hart's 
Pass right in the middle of the trail - two inchs in diameter and at 
least 2' long, all looped up in a nice pile.  I poked it with my pole 
and figured it was a couple days old as it had a thin, dry skin on it...

Jeff Olson
Martin, SD