Sequoia NP & Bears

[CPT Tripss]

Don't get out of bed, you could trip, hit your head and die. Why chance it?

Usually you provide good advice. But not on this subject. Sorry.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

We were up at Yosemite earlier this year, one of the rangers commented that one of the employees bought a brand new car, and in the trunk there was a scent, but it wasn't food, totally trashed his car.

I wonder if insurance covers this kind of damage. Usually when we rent a car, we know our own car insurance covers rentals but is there 'bear insurance'? I don't want to be stuck.

I'm guessing minivans are targeted the most because kids are messy and leave food that has fallen on the floor. Even if the parents are cautious and remove all the bags from the car.

We were camping at a campground called Dorst in Sequoia w/my sis-in-law & family. I had everyone make sure there was nothing in their van that could be construed as candy wrappers, coolers, etc. At first, my sister-in-law thought I was being a little overcautious. However, she & her husband changed their minds when we saw bear paw prints on their windows that the bear left when he was checking out their car.

I've been camping at Yosemite and Sequoia since I was 10. I've seen too many instances of bear damage, have had to chase bears out of our campsite, and have had one break into our bear box when it wasn't completely latched. I don't take the warnings there lightly.

Usually you provide good advice. But not on this subject. Sorry.

 

[Sherry E]

Mary Jo -

You gave a lot of great information!

I'm the sort of person who uses a multitude of fruit-based products (hair products made from banana pulp, lotion made from peach nectar, etc.), and I would probably tend to toss them in a bag and bring them with me on a camping trip, or to a stay in a cabin in the middle of the woods, without even thinking twice about it.

I'm glad you mentioned that the peppermint and banana-scented items (or other fruity scents) could also be items which attract some unwanted visitors because that speaks directly to me! My camp or cabin would be bear central if I packed up all my products and didn't prepare or plan properly!


CPT Tripss -

That last photo you posted - of the bear's glowing eyes - is scary!

 

[Albort]

Been back on the trip for about 2 weeks.

I think its still better not to chance it, I took the precautions of being very careful but my party wasnt as concerned. We left food in our car majority of the time, but in places where there are just a ton of ppl. The one time we didnt was when we were at Crystal Cave but there were a ton of bear boxes so we stored most of our food in there.

I highly recommend like a cooler or a food bag, easier to just take and put into bear boxes whenever u stop.

 

[Ets80]

I can't believe how messed up that car was. Makes me scared of camping!!

 

[scrapshappen]

We went to Sequoia for a day trip last July and left our cooler and food in the car. We only parked in busy parking lots during the middle of the day and only did the short trails in the groves. I don't remember seeing any bear boxes in those parking lots at all. The rules say that you are required to use bear boxes where they are provided.

I would guess in the busy parking lots you aren't going to have as much of a problem because bears are looking for the easy take and aren't going to go where there are a lot of people (and rangers) during the day. The rangers have worked hard to keep the bears wild and to keep them afraid of people.

Even in Yosemite, we left our car in the big Valley parking lot all day while we rode our bikes around. No bear boxes provided there either. (Similar deal in when we visited Yellowstone this summer as well).

If you are camping or backpacking then use the bear boxes and containers for sure. Bears are much more active at night when people aren't. They were telling us in all three parks that hanging food from a tree is not going to work either.

 

[pixiewings71]

Matt, where you are bears probably don't bother cars, around here they do. We have camped at SNP (and other locations with bear warnings) and we always put our food in the bear box. We didn't have bear paw prints on our minivan but people around us sure did......
Doesn't stop me from camping, most places we go don't have have bear "problems" but when we see a bear box we sure use it. lol

Albert, I hope you had a great time!!

 

[Albort]

Albert, I hope you had a great time!!

Have been back for about a month... :] only thing that sucked was the one way goin into SNP...wasted about an hour sittin in the car...

 

[pixiewings71]

Have been back for about a month... :] only thing that sucked was the one way goin into SNP...wasted about an hour sittin in the car...

Only an hour?