Doug Young's Bear Encounter
The following is an account of a bear encounter by Doug Young one of our active hike leaders. I thought you would enjoy it. The picture isn't Doug's bear. I put it in in case you forgot what a bear looks like.
Is there anything a bear won't eat? They may prefer bacon or chocolate, but they also are happy with deodorant, tothpaste, lip gloss, old candy wrappers...you name it. So, as we l5 hikers adjusted our 35 pounds or so of backpack on our shoulders, a bear-proof cannister took prominence. Our security onthe 35 miles of John Muir trail between Yosemite and Mammoth. Good security, I thought. First night, piece of cake. Second night, a call, as we settled into tiny wind-flapping, one-person tents beside a pristine Sierra lake; 'bear headed our way. Sleep tight'.'
'How big"?
'BIG'.
l5 very silent campers, confident in their cannisters. Then I heard it and smelled it, cust outside my tent, inches away from my possum-silent body. Clanging, crashing, snorting; the full range of cannister-busting, ursuline activity. 'Oh, go away,' I silently command him or her. 'Nothing there.'
He/she knew better. Tirelessly working the cannister, until it yielded its peanut butter sandwiches and energy bars. Munch, munch, munch. An hour later, by the light of a million brilliant stars, I recovered cannister, emptied; backpack, somewhat shredded and discarded 50 yards away; and miscellaneous other.
Word to the wise; secure that cannister. And don't leave your deodorant just any old place. Bears just can't resist 'em.
