Bear bags and such

[down-hill]

The last two summers I've gone from Williamstown to Middlebury Gap. Next week I'll head from Middlebury to Journey's End. For the south half I carried and at first used bear bag, 30 ft. of rope, biner, but this isn't the Rockies, and the biggest thing I saw in a shelter was a mouse.

Any need for this stuff in the north? Or will hanging from the tuna cans do? Rope's not much use above tree line in any case.

Thanks.

[stranger]

I've made the trip twice and never seen a bear, always hung my food from the mouse guards in shelters, but I haven't been on the LT in 10 years.

Last year on the AT I had to hang my food every night of my trip (GA-VA), while back in 1995 I only had to worry about bears in the Smokies in the south, times have changed and loss of habitat means bears are roaming further and further.

Maybe talk to the GMC.

[mdipi]

On my thru hike in June we just used the mouse guards as well and never had any trouble. We never saw any bears on the entire trail and only saw evidence of them (footprints and dung) around Stratton Mtn.

That being said, if you don't use them (the mice guards hanging at the shelters) the mice will be in your food as soon as you turn your headlamp off.

[MattBuck30]

I would recommend at least bringing a rope so that you can hang your food outside of the shelter high in the trees. During my thru hike, I took on the attitude that I would not have any problems with Bears after I had no problems the first couple of months. I became lazy and it finally came back to haunt me when a Bear came in the middle of the night, ripped my food bag down, and ate everything in sight (I had just re-supplied). Granted, this was in the NC/TN area and I did not have any problems up North, but better safe than sorry!

[Hiker8261]

I know that several of the LT shelters either have or are getting bear boxes due to bear activity. Seth Warner (near MA line) had one of the Job boxes on site last year chained to a tree. The bear showed up and was pushing it around.

The GMC will likely tell you to hang food everywhere and, since camping is not allowed over 2500' except at designated spots, lack of trees shouldn't be an issue.

chris

[NorthCountryWoods]

I would recommend at least bringing a rope so that you can hang your food outside of the shelter high in the trees. During my thru hike, I took on the attitude that I would not have any problems with Bears after I had no problems the first couple of months. I became lazy and it finally came back to haunt me when a Bear came in the middle of the night, ripped my food bag down, and ate everything in sight (I had just re-supplied). Granted, this was in the NC/TN area and I did not have any problems up North, but better safe than sorry!

Agreed.

We have plenty of black bears, but they have more undeveloped space to roam so tend to stay away from humans. The more development, the more you will see encounters on the LT. You will have more problems with the mice/weasels/raccoons.

The biggest black bear I've seen outside of Canada was at Sterling Pond and another almost the same size in Devils Gulch. Recommend a bear bag and hanging it. You may never really "need" it, but is never a bad idea.

I use a HK Anderson peanut butter filled pretzel keg from costco in a bag and hang it. Easy to open, mostly waterproof, won't stop a bear but keeps the little critters out and most importantly.....CHEAP!

[peakbagger]

The bears in the whites have gotten real active this year raiding food bags, the forest service is posting several areas where hanging food is mandatory and putting in bear boxes. It apparently wasnt a great year for natural foods last year and this year so the bears are moving onto to other food sources.

Not sure if the bear in VT have acquired similiar habits but it may be a good to at least have the gear and read the shelter logs.

[vinovampire]

I've been hiking and camping out along the LT all spring and summer between north of Killington and up to Canada. I haven't seen a single bear or even any tracks/scat. I suspect this may be different further south, since I have heard of bear activity around Seth Warner since the 2007 season. Still, none of the LT hikers I spoke with this weekend on the trail mentioned any sights of bears.

I ALWAYS toss up a bear bag at night, unless I'm in a 4-walled cabin like Butler or at least a behind a gate like David Logan. I just think of it as part of my nightly routine and make a game out of it, so I find bear bagging rather fun.

That said, I rarely ever see anybody else throw up a bear bag and haven't heard of any ill results... except for at Seth Warner.

[mirabela]

I would bag it. Besides the 4-walled camps, there are a few higher elevation places where you're probably OK with the tuna can (Puffer, Whiteface, and Tillotson come to mind) but at least in the lower ele forests I would hang it. There are plenty of bears around.

[StubbleJumper]

I only saw four lumps of bear ***** on the trail over the 273 mi. Two were on Mt Horrid, and one was on Journey's End Road. I saw no marks on trees, no prints, and no overturned stones. This level of bear activity is negligible, IMO.