Bear destroys thru-hiker tent in Shenandoah NP

[Lemni Skate]

My kids and I met a thru-hiker, Twig, at the Big Meadows Wayside in SNP yesterday. He told us that a bear destroyed another thru hiker's tent Saturday Night near the summit of Bear Fence Mountain. He mentioned seeing a lot of bears and that they seemed pretty bold.

The ranger at the entrance to the park told me they are having a huge number of bear sightings this year, especially in the Northern section of the park.

Finally, the one family we made friends with on our hike Sunday, told us that they saw a bear following behind them on the trail (again at Bear Fence Mountain) during their short hike.

If anyone knows Twig he seems to be having a great hike and he'll be hitting Harper's Ferry really soon.

[Pedaling Fool]

Doesn't surprise me. Everyone talks about GSMNP and bears, but SNP I think is bear capital. And some of them have completely lost their fear of humans. The pic in my gallery is of a bear that grunted at me and did not want me to pass him. That was at Lewis Mnt Campground (on the trail), which is only about a mile from that shelter. I think some actually feed the bears, just speculation based on how some seem fearless.

[ATsawyer]

The ridgerunner witnessed the incident. He also confirmed that all food was hung on the bear poles. The Park is aware of the problem and is taking steps to deal with it.

[10-K]

He also confirmed that all food was hung on the bear poles. The Park is aware of the problem and is taking steps to deal with it.

Dang! That's going to really disappoint the food-hangers who were just waiting to hear there was food in the tent so they could say "I told you so!!".

[Skidsteer]

I bet he had an unleashed goldfish in there.

[Pedaling Fool]

The ridgerunner witnessed the incident. He also confirmed that all food was hung on the bear poles. The Park is aware of the problem and is taking steps to deal with it.

Was anyone in the tent? Just curious what would cause a bear to tear up a tent. I could see if there was food in it, provided no one was in it, but to just tear up a tent? Maybe a rambunctious young male

[mweinstone]

atsawer your saws are so frikkin cool. man, i hate you. not.good lookin out. man. folks dont see the picture big or small anymore.

hi. im mat. im a eastern black bear.
my mom and dad are too. we live in the shennies.
my grandpaw and grandmaw lived here untill they were old.
our friends who live outside the park are mostly dead.
thats cause we need alot of freedom to live. and space.

paw and maw say well all be dead in a few decades cause humans need us dead.
i understand they like to spraw and build on our habitate.
so im ready to die.
maw and paw say its okay if were hungry and have cubs to feed that we take food from humans. so we do. but only cause they chopped up all the other food.

[Lemni Skate]

SNP has always been the bear capital of the trail. When I hiked the park 3 years ago I saw 11 (vs. 3 when I did the Smokies). They really aren't very afraid of people, so I figure if the rangers have noticed an uptick in sightings and activity it's really a year to make sure your food and your person is secure when backpacking the park.

[Carl in FL]

I've always thought that when humans feed bears, the bears do not see this as being
friendly, they see it as you being afraid of the bears. You are not feeding them; you are
surrendering your food. Why should they be afraid of this?

[Pedaling Fool]

I've never heard SNP referred to bear capital; it was always about the bears in GSMNP, with all the cages and such. At least that was my impression prior to 2006 the year of my thru. But whatever...SNP is bear central, even in comparison to NJ, just by what I've seen and heard. Everytime I've been thru SNP you always hear hikers saying, "Did you see that bear...."

[Hikerhead]

SNP has always been the bear capital of the trail. When I hiked the park 3 years ago I saw 11 (vs. 3 when I did the Smokies). They really aren't very afraid of people, so I figure if the rangers have noticed an uptick in sightings and activity it's really a year to make sure your food and your person is secure when backpacking the park.

I've been in GSMNP 3 or 4 times, over 100 miles, never saw a bear. It's just about a sure thing to see one in SNP.

[kayak karl]

so a hammock is better then a tent

[kanga]

maybe the bear was just pissed off because nobody brought him a pinata to play with and he took it out on a real hiker.

[MuddyWaters]

I hate to come across badly, but Ill just say it. Most hikers are just idiots. Their idea of bear avoidance is shouting "go away bear" when one shows up. They are a hazard to the bears existence. Stupid people should be banned.

The basics as any 13 yo boy scout knows......

Never cook anywhere near where you will sleep

Never hang your food near any where near where you will sleep

Never ever have food in a tent for any reason, ever. A bears nose is remarkable and the smell from crumbs or a ground in bit of food can last forever.

Cooking near your tent or under the fly is suicide. The smell remains forever to a bear.

Separate sleeping clothes that are used just for sleeping. No day clothes that may have contacted food allowed in the tent. Period.

All smellables are bear bagged and hung, not just food. Once a container has had a drink mix in it is a smellable forever.

No packs that have been carrying food in sleeping area.

No dishwater on the ground near where you sleep. No food particles on the ground. Pack it out in trash. All of it. every last morsel.

How many of these guidelines do you think the owner of the damaged tent broke? Shelters attract bears because NO ONE practices bear avoidance. They cook there, burn trash there, leave food on ground there, etc. Stupid, stupid, stupid hikers.

[ATsawyer]

Was anyone in the tent? Just curious what would cause a bear to tear up a tent. I could see if there was food in it, provided no one was in it, but to just tear up a tent? Maybe a rambunctious young male

As I understand it, the thru-hiker was cooking his dinner back at the hut, away from his tent when the bear paid the visit. The bear was reluctant to leave but the Ridgerunner managed to chase it away (probably not very far).

[vamelungeon]

Oh boy, here we go again!

[Hikerhead]

[QUOTE=MuddyWaters.

How many of these guidelines do you think the owner of the damaged tent broke? Shelters attract bears because NO ONE practices bear avoidance. They cook there, burn trash there, leave food on ground there, etc. Stupid, stupid, stupid hikers.[/QUOTE]

That's why I almost always stealth camp. I've never had a bear around my camp when I stealth. ( And bears don't like hammocks. )

[Lone Wolf]

I hate to come across badly, but Ill just say it. Most hikers are just idiots. Their idea of bear avoidance is shouting "go away bear" when one shows up. They are a hazard to the bears existence. Stupid people should be banned.

The basics as any 13 yo boy scout knows......

Never cook anywhere near where you will sleep

Never hang your food near any where near where you will sleep

Never ever have food in a tent for any reason, ever. A bears nose is remarkable and the smell from crumbs or a ground in bit of food can last forever.

Cooking near your tent or under the fly is suicide. The smell remains forever to a bear.

Separate sleeping clothes that are used just for sleeping. No day clothes that may have contacted food allowed in the tent. Period.

All smellables are bear bagged and hung, not just food. Once a container has had a drink mix in it is a smellable forever.

No packs that have been carrying food in sleeping area.

No dishwater on the ground near where you sleep. No food particles on the ground. Pack it out in trash. All of it. every last morsel.

How many of these guidelines do you think the owner of the damaged tent broke? Shelters attract bears because NO ONE practices bear avoidance. They cook there, burn trash there, leave food on ground there, etc. Stupid, stupid, stupid hikers.

hmmmmmm. i'm either the stupidest or the smartest. i never hang food, always cook outside my tent and in the vestibule when in lousy weather. then sleep with the rest. and i've walked more AT miles than you and 95% of the members on here. i'll continue my arrogant ways cuz i'm wise

[MuddyWaters]

Simply remember that a bears nose is 50 - 100 times better than a dogs. And a dog can smell where you walked 12 hrs ago, and also tell what direction you were going.

The real miracle is that given the minimal bear avoidance practiced by most hikers, that there arent many serious incidents.

[Lone Wolf]

Simply remember that a bears nose is 50 - 100 times better than a dogs. And a dog can smell where you walked 12 hrs ago, and also tell what direction you were going.

The real miracle is that given the minimal bear avoidance practiced by most hikers, that there arent many serious incidents.

simply remember bears can smell a human in an occupied tent and wants nothing to do with that human just for a snack. me thinks you no not too much about bruins