I have just been researching current regulations with regard to camping in black bear country on the Pacific Crest Trail in California. One site offering some good advice is here. It seems that in the Sierra Nevada range in California you have to use a bear proof container to store your food. I have found this company here. http://www.bearvault.com/bearvault_links.php

Last year on the Continental Divide Trail I got into the habit of hanging my food in the trees every night. This was in grizzly bear country and hanging is the recommended way to store your food. I continued to hang my food all the way down to the Wind River Range and in parts of Colorado but I admit to getting lazy in New Mexico, leaving my food in the tent. This is probably a bad idea.

Did you know black bears are not necessarily black and can come in a variety of colours. They are surprisingly common throughout North America. An adult bear weighs between 300 and 400 pounds and generally survives on plant matter. Only 10% of its diet may consist of other animal’s, very often scavenged dead animals.

Bear bagging refers to the practice of hanging your food in a tree so the critters cannot reach it. However these guys are expert climbers and can reach a fair distance of the trunk. There have been cases of bear cord being snapped or chewed through to get at the food bag.

There is a cunning way of suspending your food using the counterbalance method. You need a high branch to do this.

Bear Myths

Do bears growl like a lion?

Whilst making a range of noises they do not growl and spend much of their time making no noise at all.

Why is a mother bear called a sow?

I do not know...a bear is not related to a pig.

Pictures courtesy of Alaska stock photos