The more I think about it (over the years) it's probably a good idea to carry some bear spray and get some respect back, seems like there's always a few bears that have lost their wild side and fear. Weight shouldn't be a concern for an issue like this, but many will scoff at the extra 18 oz. hmm?
> The Rutgers student that got et last year had 4 in there group, they scattered and then there were none
They STARTED as a group of four, but then they did two of the STUPIDEST things you can do when you meet a bear: (1) they ran away and (2) they separated from each other.
If they had stayed together as a group of four and not run, they would have gotten some great video. Instead, one of them ended up dead.
That old bit, "I don't have to out-run the bear, I just have to out-run YOU!" is the WORST possible advice about handling bear encounters.
^ Yeah. In general they're not very scary. But everybody says you have to watch out for stalking or predatory bear behavior. And never, ever back down or run, except to walk backwards away from a threat display. But that's a display and is easy to spot.
Yeah, it sucks hiking solo.
I agree about the weight in general. It depends what you think you can get away with, I suppose. They really seem to be afraid of knocking hiking poles together, so that always made me feel safer. It was that one big one, that just kind of looked at me when I started knocking the poles together, that made me realize that maybe most of it is just to make ME feel better, LOL. So I just left the spray back home since I was hoping to hike in mid-May, but now I'm delayed again, so I might get something to make myself feel better again.
edit/disclaimer: I've seen a lot of bears in the park, never had a real problem, and am no expert on how much/often they approach or raid the shelters on the ridgeline. I can tell you where to find bears, but it will mostly be in the coves at lower elevations, on trails that few people use--the places where a mile or two from the trailhead you're all alone. Just like you'd expect, I think.
Last edited by CamelMan; 05-12-2016 at 23:56.
Same thing happened on a trail that I hiked frequently up in Cordova,Alaska.
Only this time a lady had let her dogs off the lead. When they returned, they were being chased by a big brown bear that decided to attack the woman several times.
Somehow, she managed to make it a mile and a half back to her car at the trailhead and drive to the hospital!
Ha! Still want to let your dog go off for a run?!
...you sidewinder
Time to stop being derogatory to poor people folks, the thread is about bears.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
Given the amount of use GSMNP, I wonder if this type of incident will increase and cause the Park to consider limiting the number of people into the park at a given time or limiting those who camp there.