Bear problem at Thomas Knob

[TNhiker]

However when gsmnp has relocated bears, some have managed to come back to their old trouble areas, after being relocated hundreds of miles away.

reminds me (and i cant find a link to it anymore) of i believe as bear #95 from GSMNP...

it became a problem bear in cades cove-----they took it about halfway into the park...

it came back to the cove...

so they moved it to the far east part of the park...

it came back to the cove...

they took it into cherokee national forest...

it again came back...

so they took it another time to cherokee forest up near the tri cities area......

it was killed on a highway, and they were presuming that it was trying to return to the park...

[KnightErrant]

Currently thru-hiking but taking a couple of days off while passing by home in southwest VA. I avoided Thomas Knob for sleeping by camping on Whitetop Mountain on Saturday and just past Wise shelter on Sunday. Hung my food with PCT method both nights and no evidence of a bear. But on Sunday I stopped at Thomas Knob for lunch and to wait out a downpour, and there was a ridgerunner there. He had a picture of the bear and interviewed a couple who'd had their food stolen from a tree Rhododendron Gap. They said all but one of the 6-8 bags in that area were taken. Ridgerunner said the bear had eaten upward of 60 bags in 3 weeks and there was no money in the budget for relocation, so if the electric fence + berries coming in don't convince the bear to give up his food-bag-thieving habit, they'll have to put him down. Sad for this particular clever bear, but as the guy said, "we're not hurting for bears around here".

Then the next day, I met a woman who'd had her food stolen from her canister! She showed us the teeth and claw marks all over it. She said she was in her hammock and could hear some noise but was too nervous to try to confront the bear, but after just a few minutes of scraping, the bear got the top off and ate and/or punctured everything.

[SWODaddy]

Currently thru-hiking but taking a couple of days off while passing by home in southwest VA. I avoided Thomas Knob for sleeping by camping on Whitetop Mountain on Saturday and just past Wise shelter on Sunday. Hung my food with PCT method both nights and no evidence of a bear. But on Sunday I stopped at Thomas Knob for lunch and to wait out a downpour, and there was a ridgerunner there. He had a picture of the bear and interviewed a couple who'd had their food stolen from a tree Rhododendron Gap. They said all but one of the 6-8 bags in that area were taken. Ridgerunner said the bear had eaten upward of 60 bags in 3 weeks and there was no money in the budget for relocation, so if the electric fence + berries coming in don't convince the bear to give up his food-bag-thieving habit, they'll have to put him down. Sad for this particular clever bear, but as the guy said, "we're not hurting for bears around here".

Then the next day, I met a woman who'd had her food stolen from her canister! She showed us the teeth and claw marks all over it. She said she was in her hammock and could hear some noise but was too nervous to try to confront the bear, but after just a few minutes of scraping, the bear got the top off and ate and/or punctured everything.

What kind of bear cannister?

[saltysack]

Zpacks must be using picnic basket scented cuben....@ $50 a pop they’re loving it!


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[martinb]

[QUOTE=KnightErrant;2210112
Then the next day, I met a woman who'd had her food stolen from her canister! She showed us the teeth and claw marks all over it. She said she was in her hammock and could hear some noise but was too nervous to try to confront the bear, but after just a few minutes of scraping, the bear got the top off and ate and/or punctured everything.[/QUOTE]

hmmm, would also like to know what can.

[Berserker]

Currently thru-hiking but taking a couple of days off while passing by home in southwest VA. I avoided Thomas Knob for sleeping by camping on Whitetop Mountain on Saturday and just past Wise shelter on Sunday. Hung my food with PCT method both nights and no evidence of a bear. But on Sunday I stopped at Thomas Knob for lunch and to wait out a downpour, and there was a ridgerunner there. He had a picture of the bear and interviewed a couple who'd had their food stolen from a tree Rhododendron Gap. They said all but one of the 6-8 bags in that area were taken. Ridgerunner said the bear had eaten upward of 60 bags in 3 weeks and there was no money in the budget for relocation, so if the electric fence + berries coming in don't convince the bear to give up his food-bag-thieving habit, they'll have to put him down. Sad for this particular clever bear, but as the guy said, "we're not hurting for bears around here".

Then the next day, I met a woman who'd had her food stolen from her canister! She showed us the teeth and claw marks all over it. She said she was in her hammock and could hear some noise but was too nervous to try to confront the bear, but after just a few minutes of scraping, the bear got the top off and ate and/or punctured everything.

Holy smokes, this guy is chowing down and figured out how to get a canister open. Yeah, as much as I hate to say it I think he's gonna end up being put down. Relocating him is just gonna move the problem somewhere else unless the relocation is to a zoo or some similar facility.

As others have asked I wonder what can was breached? I'm thinking a Bear Vault from the vague description.

[KnightErrant]

Afraid I didn't get the specific brand. I'm not particularly familiar with canisters, but it was the kind with a large twist-off lid, not the kind that screws down with a coin/key/etc. From a quick google image search of "Bear Vault," I think that could have been it.

Also read in the shelter log that he got into an Ursack. This guy is smarter than your average bear all right!

[chknfngrs]

Hey boo boo. Let’s go get us a pick nick baskets

[SWODaddy]

Afraid I didn't get the specific brand. I'm not particularly familiar with canisters, but it was the kind with a large twist-off lid, not the kind that screws down with a coin/key/etc. From a quick google image search of "Bear Vault," I think that could have been it.

Also read in the shelter log that he got into an Ursack. This guy is smarter than your average bear all right!

One of the youtubers has video of what appears to be a torn up Ursack Major. Pretty incredible.

[SWODaddy]

Afraid I didn't get the specific brand. I'm not particularly familiar with canisters, but it was the kind with a large twist-off lid, not the kind that screws down with a coin/key/etc. From a quick google image search of "Bear Vault," I think that could have been it.

Also read in the shelter log that he got into an Ursack. This guy is smarter than your average bear all right!

One of the youtubers has video of what appears to be a torn up Ursack Major. Pretty incredible.

[cneill13]

This is the video which shows the destroyed Ursack. It is near the 5:30 minute mark.

It looks like it failed on the seam line which I think has since been upgraded by Ursack. But I am not sure about this.

Either way, it is not a particularly good advertisement for the company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwrNParBSh8

BTW, if you are looking for a good AT hiking video, Evan is pretty entertaining. I have been follower of him on YouTube for a long time.

[Crushed Grapes]

This is the video which shows the destroyed Ursack. It is near the 5:30 minute mark.

It looks like it failed on the seam line which I think has since been upgraded by Ursack. But I am not sure about this.

I have a year-ish old Ursack and the one in the video that got destroyed looks different from mine, so it could be the older version. Cool of Tom from Ursack to chime in on the comments of that vid, though.

[Musky]

I was up at Thomas Knob about 1 1/2 mile north a few weeks back. The bear got a hold of my ursack, but did not get in to it. Just crushed things inside and put teeth holes in the bag. Should have had the metal liner. All I can say is the Ursack worked. The bear did not get in to it. Get the metal liner......

[Five Tango]

I was up at Thomas Knob about 1 1/2 mile north a few weeks back. The bear got a hold of my ursack, but did not get in to it. Just crushed things inside and put teeth holes in the bag. Should have had the metal liner. All I can say is the Ursack worked. The bear did not get in to it. Get the metal liner......

I got the metal liner(10-11 oz) for my Ursack Major XL.It fit perfectly.I did add a small piece of gorilla tape to pull the seams together on the liner and put it in the sack,topped it with my sit pad and sat down on it like a stool.I weigh 148 pounds and it help me just fine.YMMV.

From what I have read on line the bags made after April 1,2014 will have a certification tag sewn inside.If not,the bag might be compromised along the seam.I do not know,but do suspect,that the bags ripped wide open at Thomas Knob shelter might have been the older models.I got the liner because I dont want bear cooties on my food.I also made a bottom for the liner out of roof flashing that is free floating but would protect the food on the bottom of the bag from puncture I hope.

[wornoutboots]

After have my "prefect hang" taken by this bear, (broke whole branch clean off) I would say it is common sense to have implemented a mandatory bear canister or no camping in this area just like Blood or the Sierras on the PCT a month+ ago. Not sure why so called "authorities" are dragging their feet and allowing this bear to interact with humans Every night?!?? smh.............

[chknfngrs]

Money. It’s all about money.

[carouselambra]

After have my "prefect hang" taken by this bear, (broke whole branch clean off) I would say it is common sense to have implemented a mandatory bear canister or no camping in this area just like Blood or the Sierras on the PCT a month+ ago. Not sure why so called "authorities" are dragging their feet and allowing this bear to interact with humans Every night?!?? smh.............

This is a very difficult and no-win situation for whatever group has authority for this area. Removing this particular bear(s) will be both unpopular and a short-term solution, but the issues with unprepared and and inconsiderate/indifferent campers in this area need to be addressed. I have camped in this area eight or ten times over the past 10-15 years and a couple of years ago I took my wife up there for a day hike from Massie Gap. It was a Saturday on a night where there was a new moon and I was blown away by the traffic I saw heading up the hill. I saw people hauling coolers on wheels, carrying gymnastics mats from PE class to sleep on, straight from the store bags of groceries brimming with chips and cans of food, large fold out chairs, Coleman two-burner propane stoves, etc.. Pretty much a bunch of people were going to be car camping two or three miles from their car. I talked to several of the people who where backpacking and they did not have bear bags or know how to hang one. Probably over 200 people were spending the night in the Pinnacle/Rhododendron Gap/Thomas Knob area. It is going to be very difficult to monitor and control the camping in the area. One short-term solution would be to ban camping between Mt. Rogers and the Pinnacle. That being said, the largest bear I have seen on the AT was just south of the State Park border, outside of that stretch of trail.

[JPritch]

Due to its popularity, a permit system might be in order instead of an outright ban.

[pjclay]

I was up at the Thomas Knob shelter on Saturday, 6/2/2018, and they have installed two bear-proof food lockers in the vicinity, and one of them is enclosed with and electric fence for added protection. Just need to ensure people use them properly.

[Jesshiggins]

Listed on the ATC website "Problem Bear Activity - Mt. Rogers/Thomas Knob Shelter (05/10/2018) Problem bear activity has been reported at Thomas Knob Shelter in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in southwest Virginia, mile 498.5 from Springer Mountain, Georgia."

In reddit found this "I did an overnight up there last night. Was camping north of the shelter near the water source at the crest trail. A guy from the ATC was going around the sites warning people about the problem bear so I made sure I had an extra good hang.

About 1 in the morning I woke up to bear horns and people yelling "no bear, get on bear" a few campsites away. That seemed to scare it off but I did hear the horn again about an hour later. Needless to say I didn't sleep very much.

OMG, I'm quite new in hiking and such kind of stories make me give everything up. Hope everyone is alive. You guys are truly brave!