I have been backpacking since 1973 and in all that time I have only seen 2 bears. Well that number is now 3. Sunday May 9 I tented with my wife in front of the Priest shelter about 40 feet just to the north. A family with 4 small children were in the shelter and there was 1 thru hiker and his friend visiting. At 12:20 my wife keeps saying something is outside the tent, it is big, it is breathing hard, she shoves me to full awake and says look outside. I find my head light and unzip the tent and shine the light around, A very large bear is 10 feet from the shelter and just behind it, it stops turns and looks right at me, then lifts its nose. Now my heart is racing, I do not even carry a knife, but I do pack a baggie with firecrackers, so I rummage around and find them and light 3 or 4 and then one goes pop. Then another. I figure the loud sound will scare the bear away. I shine the light around and only see camper and dog eyes in the shelter. After a long time I settle down and go back to sleep. At 4 am I feel a nudge, and a long blow just a few inches from my ear. I have the light still in my hand and I pop it on and the bear has its head under the rain fly pressing against the tent screen up against my head. It is as large as a basket ball and my wife screams roar, I was frozen stiff. My heart racing beyond belief. The bear just pulled back and disappeared. I must say I did not think I would be so scared, but I was petrified beyond my own belief. I did have a half a York peppermint Pattie in the side pocket of the tent, it is the only thing I can think he was after. I did see the family toss all there left over mac and cheese and oatmeal behind the shelter, then they did hang there food. ?? In the morning they all asked what the firecrackers were for so late and we said there was a bear in camp, I did not say he whispered in my ear, I did not feel anyone believed me The thru said it was awful rude to be setting off fireworks so late. ?? I was a memory I will never forget for sure. Odds are I never see another one.