Some questions

[TSWisla]

Ok, I am starting to feel better about the bear thing. I am hiking from NOC to Newfoundland Gap in late April, so that is why I am so worried. I will probably not take any food that needs to be cooked, just to be on the safe side. I will be required to sleep at or near shelters on this upcoming trip, so aside from bears, I want to do what I can to avoid mice. If I camp 10 yards away from a shelter, do you think that I will need to be "battling an army of mice"?

[egilbe]

Ok, I am starting to feel better about the bear thing. I am hiking from NOC to Newfoundland Gap in late April, so that is why I am so worried. I will probably not take any food that needs to be cooked, just to be on the safe side. I will be required to sleep at or near shelters on this upcoming trip, so aside from bears, I want to do what I can to avoid mice. If I camp 10 yards away from a shelter, do you think that I will need to be "battling an army of mice"?

Yes. Mice can travel

[rafe]

Not sure why, but it took me more than 30 years of hiking before I got to meet a bear in the woods at close hand. And it was exhilarating when it finally happened. Most eastern black bears don't want anything to do with humans and will make themselves scarce when humans approach.

There is no requirement that you stay in shelters, except for GSMNP and Baxter State Park. Most shelters have room for tents nearby. In GSMNP, just show up late to the shelter. If it's full, you don't have to stay in it, and can set up your tent nearby.

More and more AT shelters are now equipped with bear boxes or other bear-safe storage for food bags.

A handful of very experienced hikers with multiple long hikes to their credit say they actually sleep with their food. I've done that a few times and lived to tell the tale. Not recommending it, just sayin'...

Avoid trashy sites and the trashy hikers that create them. The only bears that need concern you are the few who've learned to feast on that trash.

[MtDoraDave]

Yay, great thread!

I can relate to the OP quite a bit. My hiking partner has bailed on me twice, so my last two trips were solo. Last March in the Smokies, I was only solo while hiking; at shelters each night, plenty of people around.
Two weeks ago, Thanksgiving week, he bailed again, and I hiked 86 or so miles sobo to Damascus, VA. I saw 1 to 2 people per day, and on only one night was there another camper around, in the Partnership shelter.

I share the OP's fear of bears. I realize it is an irrational fear, and in my head I understand that bears are just big raccoons... but all alone at night in the middle of the woods with NO cell service, it can be spooky.

I saw a mama bear and her cubs crossing the trail perhaps a mile nobo from the road that goes to Franklin. They were running away.
In the smokies in the fall, there is bear scat on the trail A LOT. If they ONLY pooped on the trail, there would still be a lot of bears! Saw some that was very fresh, but most is older and breaking down - but the frequency of it gets into my head - "must be a thousand bears around here!"

I also have a lesser fear of mice. I have heard them in several shelters, and seen one in another shelter, but only had one run-in with one. It ran across my head (that was covered with a shirt) in one shelter, ever. That was possibly Stover Creek Shelter, not far north of Springer. Same night, my hiking partner had one borrow a few inches of his shamwow for nest building. That's it. No ruined gear, none in my sleeping bag with me, just a bunch of unnecessary worry.

So I understand that these fears keep me from sleeping well. I sleep better on my Prolite Plus than I did on my ccf pads. I sleep better with a pillow than when I use my clothing bag - but I still am slow to sleep, and wake several times a night.

I have come to the conclusion that I need to spend more than a week in the woods at a time. By the end of one week, I am sleeping a bit better, and hiking longer days. Two weeks should help me do more miles and hopefully become more comfortable sleeping outside.

I used to have a fear of spiders, but working on race cars in my friend's garage every night for a couple years taught me that they aren't coming after me. There were hundreds of them in that garage, but they wanted nothing to do with us.

[TSWisla]

I too realize that the fear of bears is irrational, but it still bothers me. Dave, you hit it right on the head with the bit about being alone all night with no help around. That is rough.

I have a big problem with mice, not because I "fear" them, but because they are disgusting. It would be horrible to wake up at night only to realize that there is a mouse in your bag with you. I am using a quilt by the way, should I purchase a bag instead? What advice would you have for someone like me who loathes the idea of something crawling all over you while you sleep? I have to come to terms with this if I am going to be forced to sleep in shelters in GSMNP.

[egilbe]

I killed three mice in my tent the night after the little rodents ate a hole in my pack pouch because I left a snack in it. The night before that, they chewed up my gf's foodbag that was hanging, but couldnt get into her Ursack. I hate mice. I stomp on the little buggers whenever I can find them.

[rafe]

I have a big problem with mice, not because I "fear" them, but because they are disgusting. It would be horrible to wake up at night only to realize that there is a mouse in your bag with you.

This is why you should hike with a Glock. /jk

[MtDoraDave]

In all fairness, someone pointed out how unfair it was for me to blame a mouse. SOMETHING ran across my head, it may have been a cute little chipmunk.

The same night, something took a section of my hiking partner's shamwow, and SOMETHING filled the third guy in the shelter's boot up with acorns.

But like I said, mice haven't really been an issue. I've spent perhaps 15 or 20 nights in shelters in my 6 week long trips on the AT. Only once have I had that experience.

[ScareBear]

This is why you should hike with a Glock. /jk

Nah. Could be in a shelter and someone(likely) other than the mouse(unlikely) and the bag occupant(possible) get shot. Its the innocent shelter occupants I fear for...just sayin...

[TSWisla]

I am worried about criminals and wild animals more than people legally carrying.

[TSWisla]

Sleeping in a shelter with a quilt is probably a bad idea. Looks like I have to look for a sleeping bag. Any suggestions?

[saltysack]

Sleeping in a shelter with a quilt is probably a bad idea. Looks like I have to look for a sleeping bag. Any suggestions?

Really think your worrying to much..can you enjoy being out with all these fears?....you could try a bivy with your quilt...even cheapo made from tyvek or Mylar...as everyone said you're much safer in the woods than in a city!!!


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[TSWisla]

I don't live in the city! I hate the city. I am concerned because the bottom of the quilt is open of course. Won't the critters have an easy way in? I really should not be concerned with that?

[Dogwood]

"I realize that out of 1000s of hikers, one or two may be attacked, but it bothers me. Am I thinking about this all wrong?"

YES, you are thinking about this incorrectly. Get a grip, seriously. Don't be a hypochondriac. You're running on emotions and fears rather than facts, knowledge, and wisdom. Get the facts. Verified black bear "attacks" on the AT according to statistics occur at a rate much much higher than one or two attacks in 1000's of hikers. Without providing a long list of statistical links black bear attacks experienced as an AT hiker are estimated by authorities to occur once in every 200,ooo+ hikers and these are not fatal encounters. Fatal encounters are at an even higher degree of chance. Chances of having a black bear attacking you personally or chewing on your leg are significantly, much significantly lower, than having a rampaging tick or careless human transmit disease to you, you falling resulting in injury or death, getting into a car accident if your drive 50 or more miles/wk, having lightning strike you, or you being swept up into the wild blue yonder during the Rapture.


"I am concerned with camping away from shelters and not having anyone to help me in the case of an emergency (bear attack, etc.)"


"Any ideas or words of wisdom?"

YES, seek knowledge and wisdom not unwarranted fear.

[RockDoc]

I'm concerned with bears too. I never get to see them and I want to see them really bad.

[ScareBear]

I don't live in the city! I hate the city. I am concerned because the bottom of the quilt is open of course. Won't the critters have an easy way in? I really should not be concerned with that?

In a shelter? Mmmmmm....well.....I don't know. I am not a shelter fan and other than GSMNP, I don't use them. I am not a quilt fan because I cant get used to just me on the mat. I also get that squished down doesn't insulate much, but I just like the "feel" of the sleeping bag v. quilt. It's not a sin, but it's good for almost a pound, I'd say...YMMV...

I suppose an argument could be made for a 30 degree bag being the "universal" bag, if you were only going to spend the bucks on one good bag. Then, I'd decide whether I was going to spend 250 or 450 on the bag. The difference is about a pound.

[saltysack]

Bears...mice and ticks oh my!!!!!! I'll stay in my house and die from boredom!


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[Engine]

Guys, the OP has a phobia (or two), but treating it like it's just a stupid reaction will not somehow allow them to see the light and suddenly get over it. My wife had a bad experience as a child and she has a serious phobia regarding water. It can be waist deep and she still starts to hyperventilate and gets almost tearful when she wades through, which makes even a modest creek crossing quite an adventure. I've worked with her for years and if anything, it may be a little worse now than in the past. I see the fear as completely irrational and I've even been so brazen as to tell her it's a dumb fear to have...I won't be doing that again .

Phobia: A persistent,abnormal,or irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid the feared stimulus.

[Maydog]

Hiking with a partner can sometimes lead to conversation. Who needs that?

[egilbe]

Hiking with a partner can sometimes lead to conversation. Who needs that?

All that chattering going on when I want peace and quiet...


I mentioned to my gf that I like hiking with her because she doesnt talk. May go an hour or two before she has anything to say.