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In reply to the discussion: Grizzly bear kills guide just outside Yellowstone National Park [View all]Rollo
(2,559 posts)Albeit in California where there are black bears, and no grizzly bears. Everything I've heard about grizzly bears makes me want to avoid them like the plague.
Not that black bears cannot be dangerous too. I backpacked the same river gorge alone three times over five years or so. It would take me about a week. I usually saw a black bear at some point each time. The first two trips, the bears kept their distance and I did the same. I don't recall bear spray being an option back then.
On the final trip, I found a harrowing note from a previous hiker, detailing how a bear ransacked their food and campsite, etc. I was always careful to hang my food from a tall tree branch and generally did not have a problem with the black bears. Occasionally I would see one, but it would keep its distance.
I got a bit freaked out, and decided to hike 10-15 miles up the 4,000 foot canyon in one day. Usually I'd stop halfway up to rest and enjoy the last night in the wild. But that time, largely because I knew that good trees to hang food from were sort of hard to find on that part of the trail, and I didn't want to risk a bear encounter I decided to make it all in one day. Took me about 10 hours, and when I got to the car campground at the top, it was pitch dark, and I was exhausted.
The kitchen had closed for the night, but I persuaded the staff to allow me to eat some food at the facility, and then fumbled my way to an open campsite. I hadn't much food left, what I had was freeze dried, and not thinking I just took the pillow sack it was in out of my backpack and tossed it on the picnic table. My flashlight batteries were dead and I could not for the life of me see if there were any secure places to keep the food. I crawled into my sleeping bag, no tent, and was asleep within seconds.
Some time later, I awoke to the sound of the pillow sack being ripped open. My bad... Other campers heard the noise and got up and were shouting, "Bear!". I guess they had working flashlights. The bear looked huge to me, sniffed in my general direction, and just grunted and waddled off, freeze dried whatever in its maw.
I haven't solo backpacked since. Been here, done that!