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.