Re: Bear Activity Summary

Bears have been active this week in Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley.

This week we had seven backcountry incidents involving a bear obtaining food or attractants from backpackers. Five of these incidents occurred at the top of the Snow Creek trail near the footbridge and popular overnight area. This bear has been reportedly rolling bear canisters away from campsites and getting into half-latched cans. This bear also entered campsites to obtain toiletries that were stored improperly outside canisters. Bears can’t tell the difference between something that smells good, but tastes bad until they have already bitten into it. Protect yourself and property by always storing these things in a latched canister.

Another two incidents occurred this week in Lyell Canyon along the JMT/PCT trail. In both cases, food was stored improperly outside a bear can. This bear approached campsites during the night to obtain food that was hung or left in packs.

If you see a bear during your visit please report it to the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: So far this year, five bears have been hit by vehicles. Please protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and paying attention while driving.

Interesting Bear Fact: Cubs stay with their mother for over 1 year, and then before sows begin to mate in the spring, they force their yearlings (cubs from the previous year) to stop traveling with them.

Other Wildlife Sightings: Two mountain lions were sighted this week. One lion was seen along the Pohono trail near Dewey Point. The other lion was seen along the Volgelsang trail near Booth Lake. For more information on mountain lions in Yosemite National Park, please visit the National Park Service website, http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/mountainlion.htm.

Thanks Eeek - Especially interested in the Lyell Canyon incident since I will be by there next month - We all have to be careful to get everything smelly in the canister

Would you happen to have the $$$ value of damage by bears and number of incidences so far and how it compares to other years? - For the past 2 years before this year, that was plummeting. I wonder if it's still low.

Is this an unusually high number of bear incidents and mountain lion sightings? I'll be there next week.

Heading out tomorrow.

I do hope I dont have to spend my mornings searching for where the bear decided to dump my can.

Picked up my rental can in the valley yesterday (BV500s were sold out in the places I tried) and it seems to have come pre installed with teeth and claw marks...

I'll be in the backpacking camp at May Lake and Glen Aulin. I think I'll just leave the bear can at home and use the bearboxes there. Seems like that's a better way to make sure my food doesn't go rolling away down the river or off the cliff.

Yes, I know space can be limited, but I have only a few lunch/snack items and a small bag of sunscreen and toothpaste. So I should be able to cram that into the bear box. I'm buying other meals at the High Sierra Camps (which may entitle me to use their bear boxes)

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Mom
Yes, I know space can be limited, but I have only a few lunch/snack items and a small bag of sunscreen and toothpaste. So I should be able to cram that into the bear box. I'm buying other meals at the High Sierra Camps (which may entitle me to use their bear boxes)

Keep in mind also that the lingering scent of food, etc., can be enough to attract unwanted attention -- whether or not there's still something in your pack. Still a good idea to isolate food and other smells, liquids, etc. from gear to prevent something from "walking off". We leave emptied packs partially open at night hoping to prevent gear damage or loss.

I spent 5 days and nights along Lyell Canyon between TM and Donahue Pass last week. ( TR pending )
Didn't see a single bear.
I guess it helps to not stay where most of the people are!
The bears learn where the highest density of people are and concentrate their hits in that area.

Yeah, the jmt and Ireland Lake trail jct is a popular spot for people and bears alike, not unlike the Clouds Rest and jmt jct. Definitely lock the canister if you're putting down in either spot.

Got back Saturday. Didn't see a single bear in 5 days. However, the manager at Glen Aulin HSC said that one came into camp one day when everyone was in having dinner.

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eeek


Red Bear, Dead Bear: So far this year, five bears have been hit by vehicles. Please protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and paying attention while driving.

I heard somewhere that the red bear sign's are placed anywhere that an animal is hit, not just bears.

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ryanmj
I heard somewhere that the red bear sign's are placed anywhere that an animal is hit, not just bears.

If so, I doubt it includes squirrels.

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eeek

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ryanmj
I heard somewhere that the red bear sign's are placed anywhere that an animal is hit, not just bears.

If so, I doubt it includes squirrels.

Hmmm, It just doesn't have quite the same emotional impact...





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2013 03:19PM by PineCone.

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ryanmj

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eeek


Red Bear, Dead Bear: So far this year, five bears have been hit by vehicles. Please protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and paying attention while driving.

I heard somewhere that the red bear sign's are placed anywhere that an animal is hit, not just bears.

While the signs are to make people aware of vehicle- wildlife collisions, the signs are for bear-vehicle incidents only. See http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/bear-management.htm for explanation of the program. If it was for all animals hit, there would be more signs. Have you ever noticed that squirrels seem to have a death wish and will run in front of your car and then turn around and do it again?

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parklover

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ryanmj

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eeek


Red Bear, Dead Bear: So far this year, five bears have been hit by vehicles. Please protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and paying attention while driving.

"Have you ever noticed that squirrels seem to have a death wish and will run in front of your car and then turn around and do it again?"

You mean like the commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40kPEjZpM8M



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2013 01:42PM by eeek.

That's a good one. Here is one of my favorites http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=rkSFeWNAOV0&feature=endscreen&list=RD0240kPEjZpM8M

I didn't see a bear until the final day of my 6 day hike. Then I saw two!

One seemed to smell my breakfast as I was packing up camp on Illuette Creek, and then I saw a big one sat in the way on the way down the 4 mile trail.

Steve

I saw a smaller cinnamon bear on the west slope of the summit of Excelsior on sunday. Wandering around the bare (bear?) terrain above 12k. Highest I've ever seen one of those furballs. He was timid, too, ran away when I made too much noise.