View Full Version : I'm new here. Is Lone Wolf crazy or joking?
loki_racer
03-30-2010, 00:30
With nearly 24,000 posts, Lone Wolf surely has some digital miles under his belt. After reading about 20 or 30 threads, I'm come to the fork in the road to either decide that he is crazy by recommending that people sleep with their food, or joking in hopes that someone will get eaten (either by mice or bears).
Either way, he has more balls than I for admitting that he sleeps with his food in his tent.
He's usually both. :D
Many people sleep with their food and lived to tell the tale..including Wolf.
He's hiked more of the AT than most on this board. And that is NO joke.
Siestita
03-30-2010, 03:27
Loki Racer -- No Lone Wolf is not crazy. I confess that I too have occasionally risked death, defying the night varmits by sleeping with my food in my tent.
There have historically been many places in the Appalachian mountains, along the trail and elsewhere, where one could sleep with ones food with only very small likelyhood of having any bears come for IT. The probablity of a black bear coming instead for the purpose of consuming YOU would be much smaller still, perhaps infintesimal, most of the time, in most places.
But, since you are concerned about bears, I suggest that you either hang your food properly between trees (sometimes a major hassle), store the food in a canister, or restict your camps to sites that have established bear cable systems (eg. all shelters and campsites in GSMNP--the Smokies). It has not happened to me yet, but I've met others who have lost equipment and/or had hikes shortened when unsecured food has been taken by bears.
Apart from preserving nervous hikers' peace of mind and protecting their goodies, the practice of securing food when visiting places frequented by nuisance bears serves another purpose; it helps preserve the bruins. There is probably much truth to the official adage, "A fed bear is a dead bear."
My challenge is trying to guess in advance where the nuisance bear areas are. I suspect that the number of locations along the AT where problems occur has increased in recent years. Siestita
there are some places on the trail where it is not safe to sleep with your food. Gren Anderson shelter in New Jersey comes to mind. When I stayed there I stored my food in the bear box and sure enough a bear came that night and tried to get into the box by jumping up and down on it. However he could not get in.
Panzer
We have had several bear incidents in Georgia this year. It is the time for them to get out and forrage for snacks.You risk an ugly incident if you don't hang your food.And the bear is put at risk also.
Graywolf
03-30-2010, 04:25
there are some places on the trail where it is not safe to sleep with your food. Gren Anderson shelter in New Jersey comes to mind. When I stayed there I stored my food in the bear box and sure enough a bear came that night and tried to get into the box by jumping up and down on it. However he could not get in.
Panzer
Panzer, I just couldn't help it..For some reason this thought made me laugh..I think it was the thought of visioning a bear standing on a box and doing jumping jakcs..I don't know but the thought had me laughing..But it is true though..
Gray Blazer
03-30-2010, 07:42
He is just more funny than your average person.
I had a bear try to come in my tent while I was sleeping and I had never had even a gum wrapper or any food inside that tent. Go figure.
I'm not crazy or ballsy but I admit to sleeping with everything in the tent with me including my dog.
chiefduffy
03-30-2010, 08:08
Someone above mentioned limiting your camping to areas with established bear cable systems. Those things are there for a reason! The bears have learned where to find food. You will rarely have a problem if you DON"T camp near shelters or established camp sites.
- Duffy
chiefduffy
03-30-2010, 08:12
BTW, when I met Lone Wolf, my impression was he is one of the most practical, down to earth, common sense people I have met. His comments may not work for you, but there is a lot of wisdom there....
loki_racer
03-30-2010, 09:54
Before this goes south, I was messing around. I love his responses. I've never met Lone Wolf, but I already have a mental picture of Grizzle Adams sitting in a tent on the AT arguing with a bear on the outside that wants his food.
loki... this is way off topic but I gotta ask!
Are you a Linux user or is loki referring to something else?
loki_racer
03-30-2010, 10:09
Loki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki) - commonly known as a mischief maker.
However, I use Linux on most of my servers. Keep Windows on the desktop solely because of gaming.
Lone Wolf
03-30-2010, 10:13
i ain't crazy nor do i wanna see someone eaten by a bear. it's just a non-issue to me. i'll never hang my food while hikin' on the AT. no need to
His comment about "on the A.t" may be crucial too. Some places elsewhere you may need to consider it.
Jack Tarlin
03-30-2010, 10:37
A hiker on Blood Mt. just lost his pack and everything in it, due no doubt to the fact that it was full of food.
It's a personal decision, but to suggest that there's never a need to hang your food or that it's perfectly safe or smart not to......well this is quite obviously not true. There are times when hanging up your food makes a lot of sense.
Lone Wolf
03-30-2010, 10:39
It's a personal decision, but to suggest that there's never a need to hang your food or that it's perfectly safe or smart not to.....
never a need for ME
Tenderheart
03-30-2010, 10:41
A hiker on Blood Mt. just lost his pack and everything in it, due no doubt to the fact that it was full of food.
It's a personal decision, but to suggest that there's never a need to hang your food or that it's perfectly safe or smart not to......well this is quite obviously not true. There are times when hanging up your food makes a lot of sense.
I heard that!!
litefoot 2000
never a need for ME
That's cuz all you eat is tofu and dried cuttlefish these days.
I've met Lone Wolf.
He's not crazy.
Everyone else is.
Pass the cuttlefish.
jnl82381
03-30-2010, 11:08
Didn't I read a post just a few weeks ago about somone hiking along the AT who was using their food bag as a pillow when a bear ripped into the tent to get it? Might just be me, but I think that guy is prety lucky.
I've seen a kid who was dragged out of his tent with his head in the mouth of a black bear. The bear continued to chew on him until some other guys finally got the bear off him by hitting it in the head with rocks...big rocks. When the bear did let go it went right back to the tent and started licking up the blood. Apparently human blood tastes sweet and once they have it they develope a liking for it. Happened in NM, not along the AT but still.
Granted, everything about the campsite that night was inviting a bear problem and it was during the 3rd visit to the campsite that the bear had a human snack. So hopefully with a little more common sense you can avoid it.
I'm not trying to deamonize bears here, this incident was definatelly the humans fault as it is most of the time with "problem bears". Like it was said above, a fed bear is a dead bear. The fact is, bears are oportunistic omnivors. Which means if the bear thinks its easier to take your food than to go find it someplace else, it's going to try to take you food, no matter where you have it. In a tent is easier to take than hung up or in a bearbox.
Personnaly, I'll always hang my food so I don't become something elses. I do believe that in some places along the AT it is not necesary, but given that the vast majority of hikers won't know where these places are, I'd advise being safe rather than sorry.
Wise Old Owl
03-30-2010, 11:08
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/moose3.jpg He's harmless, and not crazy.
Snowleopard
03-30-2010, 11:56
LW also never sleeps in shelters, he appears to hate them. So he may be camping away from the places where bears know they can always find food (shelters).
Chaco Taco
03-30-2010, 12:17
Hes just another person, no one special:D:D:D
Cookerhiker
03-30-2010, 13:22
Also, Wolf's WB persona has him ranting against hikers especially thruhikers but in actuality, he helps hikers out more often than not.
Lone Wolf
03-30-2010, 13:24
he helps hikers out more often than not.
MOSTLY section hikers.
SouthMark
03-30-2010, 14:11
MOSTLY section hikers.
They are all section hikers until they finish.
With nearly 24,000 posts, Lone Wolf surely has some digital miles under his belt. After reading about 20 or 30 threads, I'm come to the fork in the road to either decide that he is crazy by recommending that people sleep with their food, or joking in hopes that someone will get eaten (either by mice or bears).
Either way, he has more balls than I for admitting that he sleeps with his food in his tent.
Dude, LW is absolutely crazy, no ifs, ands, or butts!
That incident was a boy out west, the bear was a grizzly. Big difference between a grizzly and a black bear. And the kid did have food in his tent. It was all over the news. You knew him??????
And LW camps away from shelters. Not in places that are known food sources.
LW has probably hiked more miles than the number of posts. I wonder how many people can say that?
jnl82381
03-30-2010, 15:22
That incident was a boy out west, the bear was a grizzly. Big difference between a grizzly and a black bear. And the kid did have food in his tent. It was all over the news. You knew him??????
I guess there was more than one incident then, because it wasn't a Grizzly, it was a black bear. I met the kid it happened to the next summer as well as various responders to the incident and the bear researcher for the area who confirms it was in fact a black bear. I don't believe there are Grizzly bears in New Mexico? correct me if i'm wrong though.
I sleep with my food in my tent, as well. Just a personal choice. However, like LW, I rarely sleep in shelters. Staying away from shelters has benefits beyond the aesthetic choice to avoid them.
Grizzly bear range starts in/near the Tetons. I have heard of no grizzly bears here in NM for my 20 year tenure.
With nearly 24,000 posts, Lone Wolf surely has some digital miles under his belt. After reading about 20 or 30 threads, I'm come to the fork in the road to either decide that he is crazy by recommending that people sleep with their food, or joking in hopes that someone will get eaten (either by mice or bears).
Either way, he has more balls than I for admitting that he sleeps with his food in his tent.
He's opinionated - and not afraid to show it!
He does things his way and doesn't care whether you do or not.
If he disagrees with someone he won't sugar coat it.
Lots of folks say he's really a nice guy who will go out of his way for those who are truly in need and tell the entitlement minded where to put their trekking poles.
He knows about hiking and the AT. That's what matters here.
WILLIAM HAYES
03-30-2010, 19:08
Both like me
Toolshed
03-30-2010, 19:21
Don't sleep in areas that others frequent and its not a big deal. animals will generaly stay away when thery smell humans, except where they've learned to identify humans with food - Sheltards.
I only know Lone Wolf as a cyber friend, but I just have to add that I thought it was pretty funny that the question is posted under the category of Health, Safety & Hygiene. Then I read the thread and see that it is really just another thread about bears and ticks and giardia and stuff. Lone Wolf on the other hand...
"General Woundwort's body was never found. It could be that he still lives his fierce life somewhere else, but from that day on, mother rabbits would tell their kittens that if they did not do as they were told, the General would get them. Such was Woundwort's monument, and perhaps it would not have displeased him."
In truth Lone Wolf is more of a Bigwig character, if I'm not mistaken, one of the good guys.
In most areas along the AT, hanging food is a waste unless you are prepared to hang everything that smells like food, such as the clothes you cooked in, your trash, and everything that may have come in contact with food, like your pack. And don't forget to set up your kitchen/eating area the recommended 100 yards downwind from your tent. :rolleyes: Sure, there are nuisance areas, and those generally provide a bear cable or bear box, using them usually takes no effort, just tag your bag because they are generally full during the busy season.
earlyriser26
03-31-2010, 05:30
I almost always sleep with my food in my tent. Never have had a problem on the AT in over 40 years. However, if I were to camp in an area with a "bear issue" I would hang it up away from my tent. I can't recall anyone ever being killed in their tent by a bear because food was left in it on the AT. LW generally has pretty good advice.
I've only been here a short while, but several times I've seen more wisdom in LW's one-sentence posts than others' 5-paragraphs of hot air. I also love his cynicism. :D
Gray Blazer
03-31-2010, 07:34
Dude, LW is absolutely crazy, no ifs, ands, or butts!
Look who's calling who crazy!
Graywolf
03-31-2010, 16:16
Ive got to admit, Ive had some cyber arguments with LW but I do agree he does have some wise wisdom at the same time..And his jokes even though at time "dry" are kinda funny..You have to agree on that..
On the same tokin, there is a reason NOT to hang your food..If you don't hang your food, then Big Foot cant reach it..
So then its a catch two senerio...If you don't hang your food, you risk a bear or mice getting to it..If you hang your food, you put it in reach for Big Foot..Hmmmm....What is a hiker to do..
Graywolf
Wolf - 23000
04-01-2010, 01:06
i ain't crazy nor do i wanna see someone eaten by a bear. it's just a non-issue to me. i'll never hang my food while hikin' on the AT. no need to
Lone Wolf,
I agree with you. I don't hang my food either and never had a problem with it.
Now the crazy part, I don't know about. You do some strange things on the trail for a thru-hiker. :D
Wolf
i ain't crazy nor do i wanna see someone eaten by a bear.
Yea, I know your not crazy but can't you think of at least one person you wouldn't mind seeing eaten by a bear.
Panzer
ps I wouldn't mind seeing my old boss eaten by a bear...
So then its a catch two senerio...If you don't hang your food, you risk a bear or mice getting to it..If you hang your food, you put it in reach for Big Foot..Hmmmm....What is a hiker to do..
Graywolf
Bigfoot gotta eat too. Besides he only takes what he needs.
saimyoji
04-01-2010, 14:53
Yea, I know your not crazy but can't you think of at least one person you wouldn't mind seeing eaten by a bear.
Panzer
ps I wouldn't mind seeing my old boss eaten by a bear...
i would like to see a bear try to eat kanga.....we could eat the bear afterwards.....if there was anything left.....
randyg45
04-01-2010, 17:27
Loki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki) - commonly known as a mischief maker.
However, I use Linux on most of my servers. Keep Windows on the desktop solely because of gaming.
I am KungfuFugu on PokerStars