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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
This has only happened to us once, and we were able to camp elsewhere, but what do you do if you have a permit for a campsite and you arrive to find a bear or two hanging out there? Do you just carry on and set up your tent?
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
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Bootpathguy Member
Joined: 18 Jun 2015 Posts: 1790 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
Bearanoid?
Just go!
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
No, not bearanoid, but thanks for asking. 🙄 It’s nothing to do with going or not going, and it’s a perfectly valid question, which you answered by not answering.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
veronika
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
veronika
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6722 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
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Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:56 pm
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Black bears or brown bears? If it's a brown bear I wouldn't go anywhere near. If it's a black bear I guess it would depend on several things. I once had bear cubs climb into the back of my truck at Cougar Rock CG at Mt Rainier with their mother nearby. I kept my distance until they left.
Cyclopath, mosey, Flower Sniffer
Cyclopath, mosey, Flower Sniffer
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Exmoor Member
Joined: 20 Mar 2013 Posts: 89 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish |
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Exmoor
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Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:58 pm
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I would camp elsewhere. Nowdays it'd be fairly easy to take a photo to explain the situation to a ranger if the need arose. I can't imagine they'd disagree with your decision.
Flower Sniffer
Flower Sniffer
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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
Now that’s a great story!
I’m talking black bears.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
Hmmm. Maybe. I guess it would depend on where you are. I might run it by a ranger next time I see one!
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
A couple years ago were were backpacking in the Bob and after going over the pass from Grizzly bear basin we encountered miles of blowdowns from a fire over the trail. So we were looking for a place to camp along the creek and came to a perfect spot, an abandoned horse camp. We were getting ready to set up camp when we spotted a huge pile of bear scat, I thing black bear....we decided to move on and after a couple more miles of misery we found another spot.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Flower Sniffer, mosey
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Flower Sniffer, mosey
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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
Chief Joseph wrote: | A couple years ago were were backpacking in the Bob and after going over the pass from Grizzly bear basin we encountered miles of blowdowns from a fire over the trail. So we were looking for a place to camp along the creek and came to a perfect spot, an abandoned horse camp. We were getting ready to set up camp when we spotted a huge pile of bear scat, I thing black bear....we decided to move on and after a couple more miles of misery we found another spot. |
Yeah, that’s prudent if you don’t need a permit. I’m specifically looking at something up near the Seven Lakes Basin, so permits are pretty enforced. The only time we’ve dealt with this situation was several years ago up at LaCross Basin. We were planning on camping at LaCross lake, but found a big, healthy blackie sitting by it, so we camped at nearby Heart lake instead. That said, there was bear poop EVERYWHERE! There was no avoiding it. I wrote up a report on that trip, so you can read all about it! It was a weird one. The bears were very thick that week! 🐻
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
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RumiDude Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 3590 | TRs | Pics Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Sun Sep 11, 2022 4:48 pm
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Flower Sniffer wrote: | I’m specifically looking at something up near the Seven Lakes Basin, so permits are pretty enforced. |
Not much you can do to get away from bears on the High Divide area. Also not much history of actual bear threatening behavior around there. You are required to use a bear canister and camp in designated camping spots in that area so as long as you are careful about a clean camp I don't think bears would be an issue for you. Most bears there just ignore people and move away.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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Pyrites Member
Joined: 16 Sep 2014 Posts: 1884 | TRs | Pics Location: South Sound |
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Pyrites
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Sun Sep 11, 2022 4:53 pm
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I waited three or four hours to back little trailer into camp spot in Jellystone N.P. Bull bison claimed possession. I didn’t contest it.
Keep Calm and Carry On?
Heck No.
Stay Excited and Get Outside!
Flower Sniffer
Keep Calm and Carry On?
Heck No.
Stay Excited and Get Outside!
Flower Sniffer
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MackAttack Member
Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 112 | TRs | Pics
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I've had this happen twice, both in the Olympics, Enchanted Valley and Glacier Meadows. Both times the bears were fat and happy and just grazing in the meadows. Both were large campsites so we and the other groups camped as normal and tried to give the bears their space and made sure to be careful with our food.
Flower Sniffer
Flower Sniffer
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Malachai Constant Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
This time of the year at places like 10 lake basin there are bears pretty much everywhere feeding on berries. In my experience they totally ignore humans and are not a problem. In a less rich ecosystem I would camp elsewhere. If the bears are used to humans (garbage bears), garbage around camps esp fish guts, follow you around, or Griz, go elsewhere. In California if there are piles of fist sized rocks at all the camp sites look elsewhere keep walking.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
Flower Sniffer
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
Flower Sniffer
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Brian Curtis Trail Blazer/HiLaker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 1696 | TRs | Pics Location: Silverdale, WA |
There are tons of bears in the Seven Lakes Basin area right now. We were up there a couple weeks ago and, depending on how you count them, saw 5-7 bears in three days. One was up close and personal.
The first was right on the High Divide Trail. I came around a sharp corner and the bear was coming up the trail right in front of me. I will admit that I jumped backward. The bear acted very appropriately. My hiking partners who were right behind me never even saw it.
At Hoh Lake where the 4-site campground was full we saw three bears in the evening and 2 in the morning (I think two were the same as we had seen in the evening so I would set the total at 5 bears for the trip). Those bears were used to people and my guess is that the bear you saw was the same. I would leave it alone and come back later to camp in the designated site. Wherever the bear goes to bed down it won't be in the designated camps.
For the second night of our trip we were in a seldom visited basin. We found a bear there but it didn't stick around. It was amazing to see the cliffs it scaled to get out of the basin. There is a big difference in behavior between bears that are used to seeing people and that one that wasn't used to people.
that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
Flower Sniffer
that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
Flower Sniffer
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Flower Sniffer Sniffer of flowers
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 977 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish, WA |
RumiDude wrote: | Not much you can do to get away from bears on the High Divide area. Also not much history of actual bear threatening behavior around there. |
Yes, I fully expect to see bears, and I'm fine with that! I like bears! That's not really what I was asking about!
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
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