View Full Version : Nightwalker
Just got a call from Nightwalker who is thru hiking this year. He wanted me to let you all know that there is a lot of bear activity south of Hot Springs. The night before last a hiker lost his backpack to a bear at Walnut Shelter and then the night before that two food bags were taken by a bear as well. Also he said someone had told him the bear had even taken some cigarettes as well. Of course I don't believe a bear would take cigarettes, so it could very well be a theif taking these things as well.
sofaking
05-14-2008, 11:53
smoke'em the bear, smokey's cooler, rebellious cousin did it.
Lone Wolf
05-14-2008, 12:49
sleep with your food in your tent. problem solved
Just got a call from Nightwalker who is thru hiking this year. He wanted me to let you all know that there is a lot of bear activity south of Hot Springs. The night before last a hiker lost his backpack to a bear at Walnut Shelter and then the night before that two food bags were taken by a bear as well. Also he said someone had told him the bear had even taken some cigarettes as well. Of course I don't believe a bear would take cigarettes, so it could very well be a theif taking these things as well.
What'd ya expect? The bear to gently pull the cigs out of the backpack before he took it? :-?
Nightwalker
09-27-2008, 16:31
sleep with your food in your tent. problem solved
Not with this bear. He was totally unafraid of people. He destroyed a guys tent and took his whole pack right out of the side. He walked into a shelter full of awake and freaking people and took a food bag off of one of those silly little mouse-can thingies. He could care less about folks.
The worst thing was that he had been marauding that area all Spring and not been put down. What the heck was the USFS doing all of that time?
P.S. Folks wanna carry a gun and think that it will protect them might wanna think about somethin'. How pissed can a bear get with a few non-lethal .380 slugs in ihim? Just askin'...
P.P.S. I know the answer to the above question. My folks used to hunt bears and the most dangerous one is a wounded one. They used .270s, 8 mms and .030-06s mostly. I can't imagine how dumb it'd be to empty a compact auto into a black bear if it wasn't pointed directly into his ear.
Where are you at Nightwalker and did you finish the trail?
Nightwalker
09-29-2008, 23:43
Where are you at Nightwalker and did you finish the trail?
Nope. I'm at home, having a bunch of week-long, weekend and day hikes.
I got off at Erwin because my wife was freaking absolutely out and she's more important than ANY hike. She is getting some better, but her care i9s so expensive that you wouldn't believe it.
She is having a harder time with menopause than most women, but she had the same problems with PMS as well, so it should have been expected. When she had a mood-swing on the phone near Erwin that went in ten minutes from "I love you so much that it's killing me" to "f this nonsense, I'm getting a lawyer," I put my thumb out and went home that day.
She has the strongest case of hormones and bipolar going on at the same time that I've ever seen. Ever.
The only problem now is that she's seeing so many docs and therapists that I can't afford to have my hurting feet fixed.
Still, I had around 350 miles of fun before home made it un-fun. Most folks don't get that.
Maybe next year, eh?
Cookerhiker
09-30-2008, 11:37
Sorry for all the medical problems your wife is experiencing. I hope she recovers some and you're able to hit the Trail again.
Are you hung-up on a thruhike? Why not resume next year from Erwin? Do the Jaybird "20 year plan" approach so that you don't have to leave your wife for several months at a time.
Not with this bear. He was totally unafraid of people. He destroyed a guys tent and took his whole pack right out of the side. He walked into a shelter full of awake and freaking people and took a food bag off of one of those silly little mouse-can thingies. He could care less about folks.
The worst thing was that he had been marauding that area all Spring and not been put down. What the heck was the USFS doing all of that time?
The club put up bear cables at a couple of the shelters south of Hot Springs. I was through there last weekend. Saw scat, but did not see the bears that made it. No problems with our food, either.
PS--Sorry you had to cut your hike short.