View Full Version : "Bummer" on the AT
Chicken Feathers
03-23-2009, 20:57
Can anyone in here conferm a story I have heard. The story is several hikers had their packs stolen and some hikers had their food stolen. This happened on the A T. And this happening was not in a town but in the wilderness. Thanks for any information about this happening.:-?
SGT Rock
03-23-2009, 21:01
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48061
Pokey2006
03-23-2009, 21:18
Are there other reports of this happening? Or is this one case being overblown as it gets retold on the trail? If anyone hears about other substantiated cases, it would be good to know.
Wise Old Owl
03-23-2009, 21:31
Well it is the internet, so a single story can take a life on its own, just remember this appears to be an isolated incident. Remarkably one felon can do a lot of damage to the reputation of other hikers and folk who live nearby the trail, once it happens it cannot be undone.
In the greatest economic down turn since the thirties, one will see a rise of desperation, and opportunistic thievery. You need to raise your awareness of others, not just on the trail but in every day life... Are you locking your car doors at night? are you properly securing your homes while you are at work. Do you have adult toys out front? (boats & RV's and nice cars?) get them out of sight and stop being a target. How about walking around your home right now and check ALL the locks on the windows?
Getting back to the Backpack - you would be surprised what a bear bell can do if you get forced to leave it outside when entering a rest stop. I never thought it was for bears anyway.
Pokey2006
03-23-2009, 21:32
Just had this thought...while it would be awful for hikers to have their food and water stolen, I'd hardly call it a "tragedy." Just sayin.
Just had this thought...while it would be awful for hikers to have their food and water stolen, I'd hardly call it a "tragedy." Just sayin.
agreed, poor word choice... it's just theft
Pokey2006
03-23-2009, 21:38
Should be "Bummer on the AT."
Bulldawg
03-23-2009, 21:49
Hmm, yes, Mother Nature and the staff at MC have confirmed there have indeed been several bear bags/packs stolen somewhere on the AT between Neel Gap and Hogpen Gap.
Pokey2006
03-23-2009, 22:40
Well, that just ain't cool. Please post more info as you get it!
medicjimr
03-23-2009, 22:52
Yes Tragedy was a bad description I was expecting the worse
sheepdog
03-23-2009, 22:54
someone takes my snickers bars...tragedy does not describe it.
Blissful
03-23-2009, 22:58
Hmm, yes, Mother Nature and the staff at MC have confirmed there have indeed been several bear bags/packs stolen somewhere on the AT between Neel Gap and Hogpen Gap.
That royally stinks and for the hikers losing gear like that is a disaster and a loss of a lot of money.
Thread title edit was my doing. I usually don't mess with thread titles, but this one was over the top. Theft or loss sucks, but is not close to a tragedy.
Ed
Pedaling Fool
04-03-2009, 09:17
They should have brought their food into their tent/hammock. http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=265652
It has been confirmed that there is a bear stealing food bags and packs in the area between Neels Gap and Testnatee Gap. Lion King wrote about it yesterday (see Gault's link). He thought it was a joke, but a couple of hikers actually saw the bear in question.
Jack Tarlin
04-03-2009, 10:55
The "pack thefts" north of Mountain Crossings did not involve humans. It involved bears. When bears eat food they find in the woods, this is neither a theft nor is it a "tragedy". It is merely what happens when bears find food in the woods. Move on people, nothing to see here.
saimyoji
04-03-2009, 13:31
Move on people, nothing to see here.
except bears habituated to humans, and relying on human food. the bears will need to be destroyed thanks to humans not knowing how to behave in the back country.
except bears habituated to humans, and relying on human food. the bears will need to be destroyed thanks to humans not knowing how to behave in the back country.
Your wasting your breath... There was another thread discussing this very topic, and the general conclusion was that the bears where a nuissance and should be destroyed anyway...
Those who choose to act irresponsibly in the backcountry (though that may be a strong term to describe the AT) when it comes to proper food handling and storage are simply lazy and feel it's their right to behave how they wish, regardless of the consiquences for wildlife and the environment.
I vote to save the bear and shoot the lazy SOB that won't properly store their food!
peakbagger
04-03-2009, 13:42
Back in the late seventies and into the eighties, Brutus and his family used to work three campsites in the White Mtns of NH on a three day cycle. The bears would charge into one of the Shelters and steal packs while people were in the shelter. It went on for several years with the WMNF using it as a way of discouraging use of a overused backcountry area. They eventually dealt with the problem permanently when the bears started to break into cars at a parking lot frequented by day users.
I rarely worry about bears I may encounter in the woods, but human habituated bears are another story.