Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:46:25 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Westy Configurations and Bear-proofing
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTinPUcLYdUlJubIkOUbsUPmjjs7nzRrs_zELrRSj@mail.gmail.com>
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We always carry bear spray when in bear country, but come to think of it, it might be good to use against the drunk humans you mentioned. I think inquiries to knowledgeable personnel might be in order concerning bears in any particular region. Yosemite black bears seem to be the best anywhere at getting into vehicles. Grizzlies are pretty frightful critters, however, and don't seem at all reluctant to get into camps and tents. I wouldn't expect one to drop onto the van from on high, though.
when backpacking in bear country, we always hang all smellies, and we sleep at least 100 yards from storage and cooking spots. But we do cook, minimally -- freeze dried stuff, heatables, and such. We've never had a problem, but we've known folks who have. So, what to do in the vanagon? National Park campsites with known bear problems provide storage lockers, and some large NFS ones do too. But -- the cooking? Hardsided vehicle is reputed to be adequate, except in Yosemite. Hmmmmmmmm.
---- Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> My nickle ... nothing we have is bear-proof. They can get into anything you
> can drive into their "kitchen".
> I keep all of my food stuffs in 2 plastic containers and don't usually cook
> when in their kitchen. The
> containers tuck perfectly under the forward edge of the folded out bed so
> they're not in the way at night.
>
> After a couple bear and drunk human visits while 12 miles out at the end of
> a remote road near Ketcham, ID,
> I now have a "bear gun" and pepper spray. I'm more concerned about the drunk
> humans than the bears though.
>
> bob
>
> On Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 8:59 PM, B <oddstray@oddstray.com> wrote:
>
> > I still wonder about two issues:
> >
> > (1) Open windows, for ventilation at night. Bears, especially at Yosemite,
> > are getting more and more clever about opening the various tin cans they're
> > presented with.
> >
> > (2) A raised pop-top, with us two sleeping up there. Since we do sleep up
> > there, I'm guessing if we ever camp in bear country we'd be wise to move our
> > food outside the van. Which wouldn't necessarily be easy, since we keep
> > survival food in the Westy (it's our escape pod from earthquake/wildfire).
> >
> > B&S
> > '87 Westy 'Esmerelda Blanc'
> > SoCal
> >
> >
--
David McNeely
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