Directly behind my house in Limestone Cove is a mountain, Stone Mountain I guess it's called. This is the mountain north west of Beauty Spot, Unaka, Cherry Gap. Very rough trails there. It's not a mountain that is hiked much. And it isn't hunted much.
I've lived here in the Valley for 2 years and hiked a hundred miles of the appalachian trail but never been to the top of this mountain which towers over my house. I want to go up and hike around and spend the night, see the view.
So I mention it to a buddy. He lives down the road. He's a hunter. He's hiked up there several times. Only hikes when he hunts. Doesn't camp any.
"There's bear scat every 10 yards up there. You'll get bear et! (translation: eaten by a black bear).
He wasn't saying the bears are aggressive. He was saying they are plentiful. Not many humans up there. It's their territory. Don't do it.
So now I'm wondering. Should I do this? By myself?