I have seen 6 bears in VA in the last 3 weeks, just south of the Shennys. I did a 3 day hike in the Shennys a few years ago and saw 9 bears.
I have seen 6 bears in VA in the last 3 weeks, just south of the Shennys. I did a 3 day hike in the Shennys a few years ago and saw 9 bears.
There are so many miles and so many mountains between here and there that it is hardly worth thinking about
It's the number one question someone asks when I tell them I backpack.
I am crazy, apparently, for going "out there".
California, Yosemite Park
Saw a big black bear.
I have been fortunate to see bears in the Smokys and Shenandoah. The biggest were in Tennessee and though very close, they were silent. Made me re-think that I would hear them or smell them before they were close. They are 3x my weight but move so quiet. Here I am at 180 lbs. trying to hike quietly and sound like a garbage truck moving along. They scare the hell out of me and the encounters are not soon forgotten. The last one I saw was above Elkmont while fishing with my daughter in the GSMNP. Before that day I thought she loved me. She was fishing right near me and I told her just above a whisper that a bear was getting into the stream about 20 yards from us. I turned to see her now 10 yards from me scrambling up a 30 degree bank as fast as she could move! Obviously, she thought I could handle the bear. It is a beautiful sight to behold if you can control your bowels. The fishing was pretty good though.
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Tennessee (a lot) and Shenandoah (by far the most).
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-This SUCKS...and I love it!
Chain Saw
SNP, VA (not SNP), VT, MI, WY (YelNP), MT (GNP), CA (YosNP), AK (GBNP). All VA nears while backpacking. MT while day hiking. The rest from cars (or a cruise ship).
Just TN and NC. Kinda thought I'd see some around Yosemite, but I guess those bear canisters really work for keeping them away
Years ago when they still had wire on the shelters I was at Mt. LeConte shelter area. A two or three bears came around and a Japanese hike was talking pictures with a camera that had a flash that popped. One of the bears would growl and several of us suggested that he quit taking pictures as the bear didn't like it. Nevertheless he continued and eventually the bear gave him a chase thru the tents and the bushes. It was possibly the funniest chase I've ever seen. Eventually he got to the shelter and closed the gate and hid from the bear. Eventually the wire was removed from the shelters and people behaved a bit better but I've seen three or four bears stealing food from the camp fire area over the years. Surprisingly have never seen anyone injured by the bears either there or any other place. Perhaps we're not that attractive as a food source as many suggest.
Eventually the wire was removed from the shelters and people behaved a bit better but I've seen three or four bears stealing food from the camp fire area over the years. Surprisingly have never seen anyone injured by the bears either there or any other place. Perhaps we're not that attractive as a food source as many suggest.
yeah......they removed the wire and focused on education about better food habits and food storage....
sometimes there was people standing behind the wire and holding their hands out and straight up feeding the bears....
and there have been a few people that have been injured from bears around shelters----like the guy in the tent up at spence field a few years ago.....