Bear taking bags on AT from Betty Creek Gap to just north of Beech Gap

Did a clockwise loop at crowded Standing Indian this weekend and nearly every hiker I passed had something to say about a bear taking bags at Carter Gap shelter. There are no cables in NC so these are all hiker hangs, a lot of which are not great hangs I’m sure, but several hikers said they had good hangs and bags were still taken. Bear is not aggressive but doesn’t seem afraid of humans.

Doesn’t appear to be just the shelter either as a couple of hikers who said they were about a mile north of Beech Gap had their food bag taken as they were preparing dinner after arriving late to camp, presumably hoping to put some distance between themselves and the shelter with known activity. I stayed at Beech Gap last night with no issues. Passed the shelter midday and read about the same issue at Betty Creek Gap on 5/31.

Who/what agency should be contacted?


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Thanks for the report. Use the Bear Encounter Report Form linked from ATC's website at www.appalachiantrail.org/bears.

Mine is a second hand report, wasn’t able to make it through that online reporting. Hopefully someone who was out there will read this and provide a detailed report.


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It wouldn't hurt to call the Nantahala Ranger District and let them know - 828-524-6441.

In April I did a section from Unicoi to Winding Stair and pulled into the Carter Gap Shelter at about 5:30pm after a long (for me) day. There were at least fifteen tents set up. I did not see many good options for hanging bags and I saw exactly two bags hung before I hung mine. With the large camping area and a shelter being there I thought that that would be a good location for some boxes. I guess that was not crazy thinking.