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Landshark
08-16-2007, 10:05
Hello out there! I am working on the Long Trail in sections, both day hikes and overnights. I have been hiking alone for over a year (although many of my hikes have been with a friend or group). I like hiking alone and it has been difficult to find hiking partners with schedules that mesh with mine (I only work part time over the summer). Anyway, at the start of another section earlier this week I had a very scary encounter with a black bear, never seen one while by myself before (only in campgrounds when I was younger). Finished that section once it eventually went away, but rather than spending the night I ended my hike early feeling like it was the walk of shame. Unfortunately I have lost my nerve for solo hiking and definitely solo backpacking for the time being. Encouragement and advice would be most welcome.

Jim Adams
08-16-2007, 10:13
Use common sense and usually the bears will not bother you. I'm sure that it shook you up a little, being the first time but, you are still here w/o any problems from the bear! We hike in their yard...think about that. I don't know many private land owners that would tolerate hiker intrusion as much as the wildlife does. All these years that you have been hiking and you were at far greater risk of being hit with lightening.
Ease your mind and hike on...the lost nerve will return.

geek

Crazy Legs
08-16-2007, 10:31
There is a definate comfort factor that must be met before heading out solo. Of course, there's a huge sense of personal accomplishment upon the completion of a solo hike too! When I run across bear, rattlesnakes, or an intense lightening storm, I really get a sense as to the value of my life. I also get a serious adrenaline rush and feel like I'm hiking 10+mph!!!! hahaha....

Seriously, don't sweat loosing your nerve. You faced a flight or fight situation, and you rightly choose flight. You're a smart hiker. Feed off of that. You've gained in experience. You've survived. You can do it again!!

Time To Fly 97
08-16-2007, 10:33
Many times, fear is caused by your mind filling in the blanks for a worst case scenario. I think you should consider studying up on Black bears. After you find out more about them, you just won't be as freaked out when you see them. They are powerful animals, for sure, but Black bears are very different from the brown or grizzly bears you encounter in the West - Black bears are pretty timid, unless you are trying to take their food away or seem threatening to their cubs. Most run away if you make some noise and make your self look big (raise your arms, etc.).

I'm kind of excited when I see a bear - it is a cool thing.

Happy hiking!

TTF

sarbar
08-16-2007, 11:13
Hey, I understand! The first time I had a close encounter with a bear (even though I had seen a number before) I came around a bend and disturbed a black bear eating berries at Mt. Rainier. I did everything the books tell you not to do, including screaming like a little girl :p

And yes, it did bug me for awhile to hike with just the kid and I. So don't worry...it gets better. Go back to hikes where you have a comfort zone (redo a few) and before you know it, you will feel better. And don't worry, it happens to most of us!

oldfivetango
08-16-2007, 11:33
Can we hear the details of the encounter please?
I like the scary stories dontchaknow!
Oldfivetango

RockStar
08-16-2007, 13:30
Hey, just imagine the awesome attack stories and cool scar to go with it! I do! :) Not enough to provoke a bear, just enough to fight it off and be able to tell the story! :D

Pennsylvania Rose
08-17-2007, 08:21
Look at it a different way - you were very lucky. In all my years of backpacking (a lot of it in the Smokies), I've NEVER seen a bear. You got to see A BEAR!!!

Don't feel ashamed about being too nervous to spend that night out, though. I once camped in a place that creeped me out so much (for no apparant reason) that I packed up in the middle of the night and left. Just get back up on the horse, so to speak. You now know that you can survive bear encounters, so you're more prepared for next time. And it may be years before you see another one.

If you need to work your way back into backpacking slowly, spend some nights close to your car. After a while you'll get more comfortable. Think of it like having a car wreck. The next few times you drive, you're understandably nervous and may only drive around the block. Soon you're OK again.

Good luck!

StarLyte
08-17-2007, 09:10
I always hike alone...that fear never goes away. Especially at night.

The black bear....don't worry. All you have to do is make noise or give it your foodsack ;) These are only black bear, not grizzlies or kodiaks. Educate yourself and you'll feel better.

I'm more worried about that little mouse running across my head at night...darn I hate that!!!!

Landshark
08-17-2007, 09:17
Thank you for your posts everyone, that's the kind of thing I wanted to hear. The details aren't all that exciting, compared to many I'm sure, but here goes. I came out onto a peak near the MA/VT border, which I later realized was a big blueberry patch, and heard some rustling nearby. I was like "must be a chipmunk" since that's all I ever see, and then I heard a noise like "woofffff." Then I saw two black ears sticking out of the bushes only a few yards away. It was right near a trail signpost that had garbage hanging on it, hooray for leave no trace right. I went "Oh F-, it's a bear!" and it stood up and looked around, never looking me in the face though. Maybe it never heard the f-word before. It was less than 100 lbs I'd say. I backed up behind a convenient cairn-like wall that some locals had probably made, and banged my hiking stick on the ground. The wall was full of pointy rocks, how fortunate. The bear looked around like "whatever" and went away. I waited but I must have waited too long because it came back. I could see its shadow, almost worse than seeing the bear itself, it was sitting there in the bushes and its shadow was on the ground, I could actually see its fur blowing in the breeze in its shadow, imagine the terror. It began snuffling around again, it sounded like a pig. I couldn't really go around it because there were some steep dropoffs, so I retreated once again behind the wall and began throwing rocks up in the air and going "arrrrr!" like a pirate (which, in retrospect, was probably dumb, I probably should have gone back the way I came). It sort of woofed again, and stood up fllicking its ears, but I kept up the crazy person act going "go away bear" and throwing rocks in the air and it didn't run away, but it casually went away. I waited for a shorter time this time and then went on my way, looking over my shoulder for over an hour. I finished the section of the trail I had come to do, but rather than go on to a section I'd already done and spend the night, I walked out on a road. Still feeling like it was the walk of shame, but I was pretty darn shookup, especially because I had seen no other hikers the rest of the morning.

What do all of you do when hiking alone, especially in areas known for bears? (VT is not particularly known for bears, but I guess the MA/VT border has had more than its share). Yell a lot? Or walk along in a daze until you nearly walk into one (as I did)?

Time To Fly 97
08-17-2007, 09:26
Sounds like you did everything right - good job.

Happy hiking!

TTF

sarbar
08-17-2007, 10:52
It was smelling you :) If it was tiny like you say, it probably was 2-3 years old and a youngster just kicked out from mom. Bears have bad eyesight so the move around sniffing.

I understand standing there wondering what the heckola to do! With that first encounter, I thought bears would run downhill to get away from me. My bear went uphill and "tried" to hide in the huckleberry bushes, right above me. When I look back at it, it was pretty hilarious. It was as if the bear was saying "you can't see me! I am hiding!" and it's whole head was sticking out of the berry bushes :p

I eventually back up the trail (not going where I wanted to go!) to give the bear room. The bear wouldn't budge. I realized that simply the bear was scared-probably more than I was!

After standing there and realizing if I wanted to go home EVER I had to walk past the bear, I told my son to get as close as he could to me (he was 5 1/2 at the time) and to not look at the bear and get walking. In the end we walked past the bear, about 3 feet away, him a little uphill from me. I talked quietly to the bear the whole time as we went by. We were eye level with it. It had gorgeous eyes.

We got by, and I stop and look...and the bear toook off, up the trail we had been coming down. He had only wanted to go where we were.

I quess that incident changed my views of bears (well black bears). As long as you are not interruppting a bear's kill or a mamma's babies, life is usually good. And yes, if you EVER smell a rotting animal, keep moving-bears and cougars stash kills for later eating. That is one time when I'd either bushwack or turn around.
More than often young males, who are alone, are just as scared as we are.

Now you just need to come see the famous female bear in Rainier that produces triplets and is known for flipping logs in the air and shredding them as entertainment for the backpackers in one backcountry camp, while her babies follow her around :D She is one cool lady!

Gray Blazer
08-17-2007, 11:26
They always tell you to show no fear around wild animals and I have taken that to heart. All the bears I have walked up on have heard the F word from me. A couple of times I've yelled at them and they looked at me as if I was stupid and then ambled off (the campground variety if you know what I mean). One night I had to fight off a bear who was trying to get in our tent while we were sleeping (we never had eaten or even kept food or candy in that tent. My wife was on her period at the time and that was the only reason we could figure the bear was trying to get in. It didn't bother using the zipper either). This past summer, I was hiking on the FT and I scared a baby bear right up a tree. He started chattering to warn his mom who I could hear rooting around (she sounded like a pig). I wanted to get a pic of mom so I went up the trail about 20 yards and scared another baby right up a tree, chattering like the other one. I didn't want to be in between the cubs and momma, who was ignoring them as if they ran up a tree and chattered the whole time (like the boy who played wolf). I still wanted that pic though, so I backed up to where I saw the first one. By that time, the momma was starting to take her cubs seriously and I could hear her moving about with a purpose. I had my digital camera ready (low batteries so it was turned off). The bear's face appeared in the bushes about 20 yards away and when I turned the camera on she skedaddled as fast as she could.

What I was most anxious about in the woods by myself was the time I was stalked by Bigfoot (read the I was Stalked by Bigfoot thread). I now have a companion that will always be with me when I hike, my baby chocolate lab. I've heard that dogs keep bears away (I'm sure they can warn you at the least). That's my story and my plan. Now get back out there in the woods. At least if you and more people are out there, that will reduce the odds that someone else (like me) will get eaten.

oldfivetango
08-17-2007, 15:42
Thanks for the story Landshark.I believe it would have shaken
most folks up for sure.Now you have a really great campfire story
to tell!!

Oldfivetango

Anghiker
08-19-2007, 12:32
I too, am working on the Long Trail in sections. I do not like hiking alone. If you want some company on the trail I still have 9 sections to go on the LT.
I live in Central Vt. We can also car spot and that would help us both out.
Angie "Wilderness Gramma"

gypsy
08-19-2007, 13:42
Jeez, Gray Blazer! I don't know what I would have done if a bear tried to get in my tent. However, I do keep my food in my tent though. I was hoping I would get to see a bear or a moose when Wolf and I were on the LT this summer. I saw a lot of poop, but no animal. The coolest thing we saw was a bard owl perched on a tree limb near the trail in the early morning. That was neat. Landshark, I hope this experience won't deter you from backpacking all together. You really are lucky that you saw one at all. I've only seen two on the AT, and it was from a pretty good distance.

DogMother
08-20-2007, 12:51
I went "Oh F-, it's a bear!" and it stood up and looked around, never looking me in the face though. Maybe it never heard the f-word before.

I couldn't really go around it because there were some steep dropoffs, so I retreated once again behind the wall and began throwing rocks up in the air and going "arrrrr!" like a pirate (which, in retrospect, was probably dumb, I probably should have gone back the way I came).

Is it bad of me that these two sections of your post had me laughing? :D
Sorry.
I have never encountered anything larger than a squirrel on the trail. But I can imagine how scary it must have been. No advice from me except that there are scary things everywhere and that you probably fared better with it being a bear and not a mugger after your purse.
Good luck getting back on the horse though.

first time poster long time lurker

flyingduckmonster
08-20-2007, 13:04
I hope one day I have as good a story as yours--exciting, funny, and no injuries--after hiking, Landshark! (Also, OMG squee, great username!)

I have very little to add to what the others have said. Take it slow, go hiking with friends for a while if that will help you pick up your confidence again, and don't beat yourself up for being nervous. I'd be nervous, too. But you did everything right, and good on you for that!

Sly
08-20-2007, 13:25
I love to see wildlife when I hike, especially bears. I can't imagine not going into the woods because of them. So far, in chance encounters with several dozen, they've all run, including griz. Don't feel bad though, lots of bearanoid hikers out there.

Shutterbug
08-20-2007, 14:42
Hello out there! I am working on the Long Trail in sections, both day hikes and overnights. I have been hiking alone for over a year (although many of my hikes have been with a friend or group). I like hiking alone and it has been difficult to find hiking partners with schedules that mesh with mine (I only work part time over the summer). Anyway, at the start of another section earlier this week I had a very scary encounter with a black bear, never seen one while by myself before (only in campgrounds when I was younger). Finished that section once it eventually went away, but rather than spending the night I ended my hike early feeling like it was the walk of shame. Unfortunately I have lost my nerve for solo hiking and definitely solo backpacking for the time being. Encouragement and advice would be most welcome.

I have also had three different encounters with bears that rattled me. One was just a case of being startled. I knew that there was a bear in the area, so I had my camera in my hand, just in case I saw it. I came around a sharp corner of the trial and there was the bear right in the middle of the trail. It stood up on its hind legs and looked me squarely in the eyes -- a perfect picture opportunity. Unfortunately, I was so startled that I missed the picture.

The second was a bit more serious. Other hikers had warned that there was a mama bear with two cubs ahead. The trail entered an area of fairly heavy cover, so I couldn't see very far ahead. All of a sudden I heard noises on my left. I stopped immediately, but in a few seconds I also heard noises on my right. I realized that I was between the mama bear and one of the cubs. I turned around and ran.
I gave the cub time to cross the trail, then moved on by them. That time I was able to get a picture, but was a good distance away.

The third encounter was frighening in another way. My son and I were hiking the Wonderland Trail. On the steep downhill into the Indian Bar Camp, my son got mre than 1/4 mile ahead of me. Because I was high above him, I could see him and could also see a mama bear with a cub coming right toward him. For a long time, he didn't see the bears but I watched as the bears got closer and closer. They were less than 100 yards from him when they stopped. I yelled to tell him about the bears, but he was too far away to hear me. Once again, I got some pretty good bear pictures. Here is a link: http://www.naznet.com/mcclung/wt/dsc03864.html

My advice is to just force yourself to get back on the trail. Creatr some fresher mental images to overcome the mental image of the bear.

Shutterbug
08-20-2007, 14:51
... And yes, if you EVER smell a rotting animal, keep moving-bears and cougars stash kills for later eating...!


Sometimes the rotting animal smell is just the bear. They smell awful.

Gray Blazer
08-20-2007, 14:53
My advise is to just force yourself to get back on the trail.

Yeah , mathematically the more people out there, the less of a chance of getting attacked. It's like when I used to go surfing. I didn't want to be the only one out there early in the morning.:eek:

Landshark
08-20-2007, 20:23
Many times, fear is caused by your mind filling in the blanks for a worst case scenario. I think you should consider studying up on Black bears. After you find out more about them, you just won't be as freaked out when you see them. They are powerful animals, for sure, but Black bears are very different from the brown or grizzly bears you encounter in the West - Black bears are pretty timid, unless you are trying to take their food away or seem threatening to their cubs. Most run away if you make some noise and make your self look big (raise your arms, etc.)....
TTF

It's great to read that I'm not the only one who has been spooked by a bear! I took some time to read up a little more on black bears in the east, including searching for other hikers' bear experiences on trailjournals. It seems like the general consensus is that they are potential food-stealing nuisances and cool to see, not too scary. I think I take all the right precautions though (hanging food, no food in tent, etc). I will have to remember to make more noise when hiking solo! If you are on the trail and you hear someone loudly singing Shady Grove or 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall or Waltzing with Bears, it's yours truly, Landshark!

Someone also suggested that I get a new mental image other than the bear image in my head. That's a little tough.... I have gone out on a few dayhikes on crowded trails, the kind where there are 10-15 cars at the trailhead, and every stump looks like two ears sticking up out of the bushes!

And that bear WAS stinky!

Landshark

Trailjockey
08-20-2007, 21:37
After reading your posts, everyone`s comments and suggestions, I suddenly found this question hanging over me.:confused:
Just how did we come by the trailname Landshark?:D

flyingduckmonster
08-21-2007, 16:45
After reading your posts, everyone`s comments and suggestions, I suddenly found this question hanging over me.:confused:
Just how did we come by the trailname Landshark?:D

Obviously, she plays D&D.% (Sarcastic marker, because, no, that isn't obvious. But she might!)

Pokey2006
08-22-2007, 04:19
I remember singing to myself and clanging my poles together for a week after my first bear sighting...but then you see a couple more, and it becomes more cool then scary.

It's a controversial subject, but I'll throw it out there anyway -- you could consider carrying some sort of defense tool (aka: weapon). Bear spray, perhaps. Chances are excellent you wouldn't need it, but it could help ease your mind. It's a very personal decision, though, and might not be the right one for you.

Maybe also find some bears in captivity, and go and watch them for a while. Watch how they move and interact with each other...they're really cool animals, and maybe becoming familiar with them in a safe environment would help you feel more comfortable about meeting them in the wild. I know that for me, seeing them more often (try a walk through Shenandoah if you wanna see lots of bears!) made them less scary.

Good luck!

Route Step
08-22-2007, 08:57
As mentioned earlier, bears a powerful and wild.
I had just finished the AT through the GS mountains last year when a camper and her two girls were attacked by a black bear. The youngest was killed and mom and the older girl were in the hospital. The bear was shot a few days later.
All but two of the bears I saw last year ran away faster than I walked away. I think I saw a total of eleven, three were cubs. A pretty good size one walked past a shelter I was at in Pennsylvania. It might have been four years old. The other on the Rattle river rattled me. It was about thirty feet over to the side of the trail. I waved my sticks and got big, and kept going past it. I looked behind me after walking fifty feet or so and the bear was on the trail coming down toward me. It stopped when I turned around so I yelled, waved my sticks and this time throw a small stone near it into the bushes. It backed up the trail a bit and then looked at me. I walked on and about a minute later I heard a noise behind me. There was the bear again about forty feet behind me coming down the trail. Once again I got big, waved my sticks and took a couple of steps toward it as I throw a small stone near it. It finally went on its way and I on mine. I guess it was a young bear given the boot by its mother and didn't want to be alone in the woods. I haven't seen a bear since but I have some mace just in case and keep it handy.

Landshark
08-24-2007, 08:29
I have gone on some solo dayhikes on what I would have formerly considered "overcrowded" trails and have had a good time. I am hoping to do another section hike soon but I am still a little nervous about sections of the trail that see fewer people. What is everyone's opinion on bear spray?

As for the questions about my trailname, it was given to me from a love for early Saturday Night Live sketches, the one with the shark coming to people's doors and politely trying to get in. For example, one went something like this:
Shark: "Um, plumber ma'am"
Lady: "I don't think so, you're that clever shark"
Shark: "Flowers!"
Lady: "Flowers my foot. You're that shark and you know it!"
Shark: "Um, I'm a dolphin ma'am."
Lady: "Oh, a dolphin? Well, that's okay."
Door opens..."AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

And, when I was in college I was part of a comedy group, and we had the shark show up in a few sketches, and guess who got to play the shark and eat people????????

And no, I don't play D&D, never have, didn't even know that sharks had anything to do with it!

Gray Blazer
08-24-2007, 09:34
Candygram!

Twofiddy
09-17-2007, 11:45
Hello out there! Unfortunately I have lost my nerve for solo hiking and definitely solo backpacking for the time being. Encouragement and advice would be most welcome.


HOORAY!!

A 29 YO Hiking Female that has lost her never to hike solo!!

Since I'm a 29 YO male that has often in my life found it hard to find some member of the opposite sex who can keep I think that it is great that you have lost your nerve to hike solo for a while anyhow.

Now go out and meet some nice guy, who just like me, would like to find a girl that can carry her own shelter, own food, and survive a night alone if necessary, and hike together, sit around a small camp fire together, and tell stories together...

Say anyone think that the should change the "seeking a hiking partner" section to a personal ads section here at WB... Anyhow I loved your story.:banana

envirodiver
10-02-2007, 10:18
I've seen a number of bears while on the trail (usually in camp, especially the Smokies) and never felt threatened by them. The only one that shook me up was last summer in the Citigo Creek Wilderness. A friend and I arrived at the trailhead about 1:00AM and planned to hike in a couple of miles to a campsite that I know and get an early start the next morning. The trail starts as a logging road and about a 1/2 mile in converts to footpath. Right at that location as we were starting to the footpath we heard a rustling in a large bush at the side. Then the whooofing began. We slowly backed away (we never saw the bear, but it obviously was not happy about us being where we were. We thanked her/him for letting us know she/he was there, apologized profusley for bothering it and moved out back to the car and spent the night in a primitive campground, got up the next morning and hiked in. Never saw the bear, but no doubt about what it was.

Frosty
10-02-2007, 11:05
I have gone on some solo dayhikes on what I would have formerly considered "overcrowded" trails and have had a good time. I am hoping to do another section hike soon but I am still a little nervous about sections of the trail that see fewer people. What is everyone's opinion on bear spray?If bear spray increases your comfort level, by all means carry it. The actual threat of a bear attack is not high, what you are calming is your fear of a beat attack, and anything that helps reduce the fear is a good thing.

As I grow older, I am less and less thrilled with solo camping. Besides being boring in the evening (after hiking, before sleeping), there is something comforting in having someone else nearby.

After a scary night with coyotes (or dogs) circling my shelter all night on hte Monadnock Sunapee Greenway, I bought a knife with a four inch blade. Not that I think that there are packs of wild dogs out there waiting for me, or that I could even use the knife for anything besides slicing bagels, but I felt better with it, and that was the whole idea.

Now, two years later, it is just four unneeded ounces that I don't have to carry.

But it served its purpose, and I'm sure you will sleep better at night and hike more serenely during the day with the bear spray handy, even if you never use it.

dessertrat
10-02-2007, 11:18
I only saw the butt end of a bear, once, as it disappeared into the bushes running away. That made me nervous for the rest of the day and for that night, but of course nothing happened-- fear will take over if you let it.

It might make you feel better to carry some bear spray (big can of pepper spray). At least you won't feel defenseless if the worst happens. It's more for peace of mind than any expected utility, but might turn out useful. And it works for the two legged sort of threat too, if it comes to that.

sweetpeastu
10-02-2007, 11:30
I don't think you should feel sheepish. I sometimes have the same problem. I would never consider backpacking alone, though I will day hike by myself. However, when alone if I get a weird feeling that something isn't right and if it doesn't go away within the first mile of the hike, I will turn around and head back to the car.

warraghiyagey
10-02-2007, 12:48
Hello out there! I am working on the Long Trail in sections, both day hikes and overnights. I have been hiking alone for over a year (although many of my hikes have been with a friend or group). I like hiking alone and it has been difficult to find hiking partners with schedules that mesh with mine (I only work part time over the summer). Anyway, at the start of another section earlier this week I had a very scary encounter with a black bear, never seen one while by myself before (only in campgrounds when I was younger). Finished that section once it eventually went away, but rather than spending the night I ended my hike early feeling like it was the walk of shame. Unfortunately I have lost my nerve for solo hiking and definitely solo backpacking for the time being. Encouragement and advice would be most welcome.

Hey LS, the trail is there every day with people hiking it alone and with partners. No matter what you are doing on any particular day, the trail keeps us that are following its path. It will give you what you need when you're ready to follow it. And it will challenge you and teach you to be safe with yourself whether you're on it or not.
Come back to the trail and relish in its elixir of life. In the end you only need you. The rest of us are just ingredients for enjoyment of a great life.
Peace. Hope to see you on the trail.:)

Landshark
10-09-2007, 16:45
Hi again, folks. Well, I have made it out for some "solo" overnights (which turned out to be less than solo, because thruhikers were in the area at the time!) and had a great time... and I have gone on a group overnight as well. I still wear the bear spray on my pack when hiking alone, and make way too much noise, and the bear spray is inches from my face when sleeping. Still, I'm back out there. Funny thing I was just explaining to someone... once you've seen and heard a bear (and the amount of noise they make) all the little sounds (chippies, porkies, squirrels) no longer wake you because you know how much noise a bear really makes!

Frosty
10-09-2007, 17:00
once you've seen and heard a bear (and the amount of noise they make) all the little sounds (chippies, porkies, squirrels) no longer wake you because you know how much noise a bear really makes!Boy, ain't that the truth. I wasted a lot of sleep time in my tent listen to chipmunks, etc. Scurrying in dead leaves and brush, a tiny critter can sound like a rhinocerous. UNTIL you hear a big animal. Then you know :D

2009ThruHiker
10-09-2007, 21:08
My husband and I live in the Shenandaoh Valley in VA. We have been fortunate to see several bear in the wild. I think the total is 10 now. We've seen a mom with cubs in Skyline Drive, (actually in Skyline Drive we've seen 5 bear total while hiking over the past 5 years) we saw three cubs alone on the Tuscaroosa (sp?) Trail running up a hill (well at least we never saw a mom with them!) , and twice we've walked up on two bears unexpectedly. Once in Ft. Valley we hiked right up on a bear and were all three scared silly! I never knew bears could run so fast! Really! Fortunately it took off the opposite direction down the hill. When they are in the distance it's amazing to watch them. Like the mother with her cubs in Skyline. Another hiker caught up with us at that point and we all stopped to watch. When she noticed us she made a sound and her cubs started climbing a tree. It was a little scarey because of all you hear about moms and cubs...but that's all that happened. They eventually went the other direction and we continued on. I remember the first time we ever saw a bear. We were at Skyline Drive and were on a trail that made a 90 degree turn. At first we could see the bear walking and eating in the woods to our right and it was walking the direction we were going...ha, well when the path made the 90 degree turn to the right we started feeling A LOT less confident about the whole situation because we were afraid the bear would keep going straight and we'd meet on the turn! We walked SOOOOOO slowly!! Nothing happened. It ended up going further into the woods. But we told everybody we passed coming back down the trail! We also saw a ranger on the way out and thought we should stop and tell him we saw a bear. NOW when I think back to us telling the Ranger I think THAT's pretty funny! I'm sure he laughed so hard after we left...after all there are LOTS of bears in Skyline!

The reason I say all of that is to say I'm a little fearful by nature but it's actually been cool to be in all those situations. It's smart to be safe and I totally understand feeling anxious about venturing out again....take your time getting used to the idea of hiking alone again....just don't let this paralize you and keep from exploring more! Life is too amazing to let fear get the best of us. Nature can be terrifying but at the same time it's SO amazing!

Ha, my husband would like to hear that last part especially since I'm too scared of grizzly to venture into the "West" yet. I guess that's why God keeps putting black bear in my path....kind of working me up to the idea of hiking where Grizzly live! Just haven't quite gotten there yet!

2009ThruHiker
10-09-2007, 21:10
Oops! Just used my husband's account by accident to respond about the bears. Bet that confused some of you!!! 2009ThruHiker really is a guy and NO he doesn't have a husband!

BobTheBuilder
10-09-2007, 21:35
Landshark,

I just finished a solo section hike through the Smokies and saw five separate bears, or at least bears five separate times. It is one of the consequences of solo hiking, I guess. I have seen them twice on the trail before, and my experience is that they act pretty much like they are supposed to act. They don't run away in a panic when they see you, but if you make some noise and give them a chance to walk away, they do. Other than that, the coolest thing I have learned is that when you come across a bear, suddenly your feet don't hurt, your legs aren't tired, and your pack isn't heavy. True hiker nirvana!

rafe
10-09-2007, 21:52
I finally had my requisite "A.T. bear encounter" in Shenandoah this year. It was brief but magical. There was some surprise involved, but no fear. And I think that was true for both of us -- me and the bear. It was seriously cool, one of the highlights of the trip. That and the rattlesnake on the ridge above Duncannon. ;)

Tipi Walter
10-09-2007, 21:55
I've seen a number of bears while on the trail (usually in camp, especially the Smokies) and never felt threatened by them. The only one that shook me up was last summer in the Citigo Creek Wilderness. A friend and I arrived at the trailhead about 1:00AM and planned to hike in a couple of miles to a campsite that I know and get an early start the next morning. The trail starts as a logging road and about a 1/2 mile in converts to footpath. Right at that location as we were starting to the footpath we heard a rustling in a large bush at the side. Then the whooofing began. We slowly backed away (we never saw the bear, but it obviously was not happy about us being where we were. We thanked her/him for letting us know she/he was there, apologized profusley for bothering it and moved out back to the car and spent the night in a primitive campground, got up the next morning and hiked in. Never saw the bear, but no doubt about what it was.

Wow, that's wild but I saw a bear at this same location! It was at the junction to the North Fork/South Fork Citico trailheads and I was coming out after a long backpacking trip. The thing was big but I saw it as a positive validation to my nature treks and of course seeing it only made me feel impatient to get back out in the woods again.

I go solo on long trips all the time and you might consider gearing up a dog as a companion. Get the usual dogpack and take a friend out with you. My biggest fears aren't about nature, they are about the unending noise pollution of the nonstop jet airplanes, the cursed loggers defiling my beloved forest, the hateful whine of the screaming motorcycles on the roads near trails, and the foul stench that passes as fresh air in the Tennessee valley. These are the things that really scare me when I'm out in the woods.

Cerridwen
10-09-2007, 22:16
Everyone has a phobia and mine unfortunately is bears. So, believe me, I can relate. I grew up in northeastern PA, thus being close to NJ and NY have done a good deal of hiking here. I worked in Stokes State Park in NJ (the AT goes through here) and my sole responsibility was to warn campers-most often those that came in for the weekend from the city and didn't have the first clue how to handle themselves in the woods- of the blackbears in the area. At that time, Sussex County was the most densely populated black bear area in the country. And this was not necessarily the problem...the problem was that these bears were accustomed to people and their food/trash. Therefore they were fearless and all the usual tactics were worthless. Every single time I went hiking in this area by myself I ran into multiple black bears, none of which were ever aggressive, but at the same time looked at me like I was the crazy one yelling and waving my arms, and singing songs at the top of my lungs, and yelling random obscenties and phrases in the deepest meanest tone possible. Until inevitably, it was me who had to back up down the trail and just wait for them to leave.
The first time I planned on setting up camp by myself out on the AT...I set up my tarp, went aways away from it and made myself a pb and j. Next thing I know I see two bears to my right, then one to my left, then one that mosies out of the woods behind my tarp. I had never been so terrified, despite all the things I knew I was not supposed to do in this situation, I dropped my sandwich, left my foodbag, pack and tarp, and being close to a road, walked back down the trail, onto a gravel road and out to a main road, where ashamed and defeated I called my parents to come pick me up. So be it. Not worth it if you are going to be scared the whole night, nor is it worth it if you know that you are dealing with bears that have been conditioned by people, people who did things that I did in that very moment. However, the next day I went back with my dad to pick my stuff up, and not a single morsel or piece of gear had been touched. It was the height of blueberry season and plenty to eat in the woods and obviously they hadn't cared in the slightest about what I had to offer.
Despite this interaction and others, I have continued to hike, most always alone. I thru hiked 1000+ miles on the AT this past spring/summer solo. I always hiked alone, and there were plenty of times when I just about gave myself whiplash, looking this way and that, at all the sounds in the woods, however, after a while, especially of not seeing any bear down south in the early cold spring, the fear diminished, at times was completely gone. I hiked in peace of mind. However, I must admit, without shame, that I most always slept at shelters because I liked having others hikers around me- figured they could come to my rescue if I screamed (as irrational as this fear of attack was). As I went north, through CT and MA I again saw bear (that never became aggressive me, on the other hand, nor did they run away from meand I just had to give them their space until they walked off in some other direction) and in fact had one sniff out my tent-the ranger told me his name was Old Limey and had a tendency to check out campers at Limestone Springs Shelter-but having no food in my tent, he left as soon as he got a whiff. Nevertheless, my fear returned for some time after this encounter. I dealt with it the best I could and kept on hiking.
I guess where I am going with this lengthy story telling is that the fear is still most definitely there, and I doubt it will ever completely go away. However, just as some of the other members said, you have a better chance of getting struck by lightening than you do getting attacked by a bear-this is true. However, fears are often not rational and thus can continue to plague you, but if hiking is something you love, you simply don't let it. Acknowledge that you had an interaction that frightened you, there was nothing wrong with that, and it is good to have a healthy respect for other creatures and your surroundings. Let yourself turn and run out of the woods a few more times if you need to. Eventually you'll get so damn sick of your fear getting the best of you, when that rustling sound in the bushes or the shadow of the bear appears again, you'll just keep on marching, because you want to keep hiking. No shame, no worries, just give a good laugh at yourself, you pirate--arrrrrr!-and keep hiking.

envirodiver
10-10-2007, 11:39
[quote=Tipi Walter;422370]Wow, that's wild but I saw a bear at this same location! It was at the junction to the North Fork/South Fork Citico trailheads and I was coming out after a long backpacking trip. The thing was big but I saw it as a positive validation to my nature treks and of course seeing it only made me feel impatient to get back out in the woods again.

That is amazing...that's the exact location I was describing. It probably has something to do with that big camping area at the base of the hill and across the creek. There are always a bunch of people in it. It sounded big.

NW2NE
11-26-2007, 21:52
Nice to hear there are people out there on the trail willing to admit they have fears and yet be willing to face them. I admire your courage and willingness to ask other hikers to help motivate you to get back out there and hike again.

I have always been independant, often hiking or camping solo, and I love the outdoors. As I ponder starting the AT, my concerns with regard to bears, crime, aloneness will have to be taken into account. I am trying to learn as much as possible from others beforehand, and that seems to be helping. However, I think I may never get rid of a small amount of fear when alone for long periods of time in the wild. I think it helps me appreciate it BECAUSE it is wild and unexpected. It reminds me that I am the visitor.

Having recently moved to the NE I recently caught the AT 'bug' and am eagerly looking forward to hiking this next summer, 2008. I can't take the 6 months off work, but my job allows me to have 7 days off every other week. So I plan to hike as much of the trail as possible in sections.

I would be MOST excited to find other women, or men too, to hike with...especially since I won't be starting with the masses in March/April. This is my first AT adventure and I can hardly wait to get started!

dessertrat
11-26-2007, 22:29
It is perfectly rational to be afraid of bears, in proper proportion, just as it is rational to be afraid of falling off a cliff, or of being struck by lightning. It is only when it rises to the level of "bearanoia" that is becomes a problem.

You are less at risk in the woods than in a city, at any rate.

astrogirl
12-01-2007, 22:49
I'm a solo hiker, and I have run into bears.

I had an experience with a rather aggressive mama bear when I wasn't alone at Brink Rd. Shelter in NJ. I was *terrified*, and if there hadn't been another hiker there, I probably would have peed myself! We did scare her off and moved on...quickly. Oddly, this did not make me more afraid of black bears. Surviving the experience just made me more determined, but I will freely admit to have been really scared at the time.

Since then, I've seen them on my own, and they were either up a tree bolted when they saw/smelled/heard me.

As much as I've hiked in SNP, I've never seen a bear in there. I didn't see any in the Smokies either.

Just follow the rules -- hang your food, use your good sense -- get back on the horse!

maxNcathy
12-02-2007, 20:09
I had two cub bears for pets from early spring to late fall (1955). I fed them and played with them every day and they would follow us up and down the dirt road like puppy dogs.
When I would pick one up to give it a hug it would suck on my ear lobe.
We gave them to a zoo as we could not afford a proper cage as they got bigger.That was a very sad day for me and my bros and sisters as we placed them on the train to head off far away to a zoo.
I wish that i had thought to go see them a few years later when i got my drivers licence.

When I see a bear now I just think of the good times I had feeding and playing with them years ago.

Still I don't like hiking or camping all alone because my imagination gets me too spooked thinking of all the wild things that might want to eat or shoot me.

Sandalwood

Swirlingmist
12-13-2007, 22:06
I finally had my requisite "A.T. bear encounter" in Shenandoah this year. It was brief but magical. There was some surprise involved, but no fear. And I think that was true for both of us -- me and the bear. It was seriously cool, one of the highlights of the trip. That and the rattlesnake on the ridge above Duncannon. ;)

EEEEK! I don't handle snakes too well (shivers crawl up my spine just seeing one accidentally in a magazine or TV show). I still hike but pray wildlife stays out of my path (or encounters my boyfriend first so he can chase it off).

NorthCountryWoods
12-14-2007, 10:56
EEEEK! I don't handle snakes too well....

BELIEVE A WOMAN WHEN THEY SAY THIS!!

Wife told me this several times, but I REALLY underestimated it. Found out the hard way how she handles snakes.....screaming and knocking me over while running in the opposite direction. As I was falling in the bushes, I of course thought a bear, or dog, or maniac with a chainsaw was coming down the trail at her,...

...but it was a Garter snake about the size of a #2 pencil sunning itself on a rock. :rolleyes:


To the OP: Glad you got back out there and you can look at it this way...the odds of having another encounter just dropped dramatically.

Marta
12-14-2007, 10:59
EEEEK! I don't handle snakes too well (shivers crawl up my spine just seeing one accidentally in a magazine or TV show). I still hike but pray wildlife stays out of my path (or encounters my boyfriend first so he can chase it off).


LOL. I used to shriek involuntarily when I saw a snake. By New Jersey, I'd just glance at it and go on.

Swirlingmist
12-14-2007, 12:58
BELIEVE A WOMAN WHEN THEY SAY THIS!!

Wife told me this several times, but I REALLY underestimated it. Found out the hard way how she handles snakes.....screaming and knocking me over while running in the opposite direction. As I was falling in the bushes, I of course thought a bear, or dog, or maniac with a chainsaw was coming down the trail at her,...

...but it was a Garter snake about the size of a #2 pencil sunning itself on a rock. :rolleyes:

ROTFL - That's MY story! The guy I was with thought the same things, too...

Though I shared my stories (yes, I still hike - and screech like a banshee when something slithers anywhere near me), my boyfriend got the full picture of my phobia when he was showing me his collection of AT videos. Everything was fine until the narrator brought up "nature on the trail" - specifically things to beware of while hiking. Naturally, snakes came up and the video helpfully had some footage of one. My primal scream as I dove for the covers had the rest of those in the house assuming bodily injury of some sort. I give my boyfriend great credit for keeping his laughter contained and later, patiently explaining to others that fear cannot be explained or rationalized away. He did make a point of keeping a sharper eye out for snakes when on the trail together...possibly to protect his eardrums.

NorthCountryWoods
12-14-2007, 13:08
Best part of my story is there was another bigger garter (biggest I've ever seen) a couple hundred yards up the trail sunning on another rock.

I literally didn't know how to proceed, so just stopped and started laughing....which in turn made her scream more and blame me for everything.

We still laugh our a$$es off. Good times.

laserlips
12-14-2007, 14:12
Just a thought...most of the more famous hiking stories with gruesome,very final endings for the hiker have been in the context of the protagonist hiking ALONE.Sometimes fear is just that...the startle reflex over nothing, and sometimes it is an internal warning system saying,"hey...maybe this ISNT such a great idea".Only you can decide which is going on inside you.At any rate, don't be so hard on yourself.Think of how many millions of people were doing the 'slouch of shame' on the couch in front of the tv while you were out in the woods doing your so-called "walk of shame".Cut yourself some slack.(btw, don't flame me, solo hikers.What's right for some...)

Swirlingmist
12-14-2007, 14:53
Best part of my story is there was another bigger garter (biggest I've ever seen) a couple hundred yards up the trail sunning on another rock.

I literally didn't know how to proceed, so just stopped and started laughing....which in turn made her scream more and blame me for everything.

Yeah, I can only laugh afterwards myself. I'm glad your wife still goes out on the trail with you though. It's too awesome to miss...snakes and bears and scares included.