[pct-l] Safety on the Trail

[reinholdmetzger at cox.net (Reinhold Metzger)]

SWITCHBACK,      FIRST OF ALL THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS.     HOWEVER, WHEN
I HIKE SOLO AND DO NOT CARRY A BEAR CANISTER I ALSO GO STEALTH. I EAT ON THE
TRAIL SO AS NOT TO CREATE ANY ODORS IN MY CAMP SITE. I GET AS FAR AWAY FROM
DESIGNATED CAMP SITES AS POSSIBLE AND FIND A SECLUDED SPOT OFF THE TRAIL.
THE FARTHER THE BETTER SO THE BEARS ARE LESS LIKELY TO SMELL YOU.  REMEMBER
BEARS LIKE THE PASS OF LEAST RESISTANCE ALSO AND WALK ON THE TRAILS
FREQUENTLY. I ALSO TRY NOT TO USE MY FLASHLIGHT OR MAKE ANY COMMOTION THAT
COULD MAKE MY PRESENCE KNOWN. NEVER HAD ANY BEAR PROBLEMS THIS WAY. THE DOWN
SIDE--IF A BEAR SHOULD INVADE YOUR CAMP SITE HE WILL NOT BE AS INTIMIDATED
BY LITTLE OLD YOU AS HE WOULD BE BY A GROUP, AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS YOU
ARE ON YOUR OWN.
  NOW, WHAT I REALIZED YEARS AGO IS THAT BEARS DO NOT LIKE THE ODOR OF
MOTHBALLS. AS A MATTER OF FACT I CAN NOT THINK OF ANY ANIMAL THAT DOES.
SO WHEN I GO WITH A GROUP OR THE BOY SCOUTS I ALWAYS BRING SOME MOTHBALLS.
BOY, I KNOW IM GOING TO CATCH SOME SH#%?#T OVER THIS.      BUT HEY, IT WORKS
WE TESTED IT MANY TIMES. IT'S NOT GOING TO KEEP THE BEARS OUT OF THE CAMP
SITE BUT, BY PUTTING A FEW MOTH BALLS ON YOUR BEAR CANISTER AND THE OPEN
POCKETS OF YOUR PACK AND AROUND YOUR TENT, THE BEARS WILL MOST LIKELY LEAVE
YOU ALONE AND HEAD FOR THE OTHER CAMPERS WITH THE LESS OFFENSIVE ODOR.  BOY
I CAN HEAR THE CRITICISM ALREADY.  "WELL THAT'S NO GOOD ALL YOU'RE DOING IS
SIC THE BEARS ON THE OTHER CAMPERS."
      I SAY YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF LET THE OTHER
CAMPERS  DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. EVERYBODY IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEY'RE OWN  BEAR PRECAUTION.  BEFORE WE STARTED USING MOTH
BALLS  IT SEEMS WE WERE ALWAYS RUNNING BEARS OFF. NOW IT SEEMS THEY LEAVE US
ALONE, MORE OR LESS, AND GO AFTER THE OTHER CAMPERS FOOD. SOME PEOPLE SAY
"BETTER THEM THEN US"
     I DO NOT, HOWEVER, USE MOTH BALLS WHEN I GO SOLO-STEALTH BECAUSE THE
SAME ARGUMENT THAT THE MOTH BALL ODOR MAKES YOU LESS APPEALING ,TO THE
BEARS, THAN THE OTHER CAMPERS MAY ALSO GIVE AWAY YOUR PRESENCE AND DRAW A
BEAR, TO INVESTIGATE THE ODOR, INTO YOUR CAMP.   BUT NOW THE BEAR DOES NOT
HAVE LESS OFFENSIVE CAMPERS TO CHOOSE FROM. YOU ARE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN
AND HE IS THINKING IF  "SWITCHBACK"   GIVES ME ANY TROUBLE I'LL KNOCK  HIS
HEAD OFF.            IF ANY BODY RECEIVED MY PRIOR TEST POST PLEASE CONFIRM
SO I CAN EVALUATE THE RESULTS.          JMT REINHOLD,  YOUR COMRADE IN ARMS