cooking times and bears

Heading up to Marcy Dam tomorrow until Sunday (stop by and say hello). We're bringing three bear cannisters - growing teenagers need lots of food - but I've heard that the DEC Rangers are recomending cooking before a certain time. Problem for us is that we hike until late in the day, partly because we're lazy and don't start till 10 or 11 and party cause we do a lot of mileage. Will we have problems cookin late in the evening (7pm-9pm)????????????

peace
Oysterhead

If you're going to be hiking in late and not getting to Marcy Dam before 7-9 p.m., my suggestion would be to eat somewhere on the drive there or in the parking lot.

I always cook, eat, clean up and get rid of my canister before dusk (7 p.m. ish...?) I have seen at least one camp torn up and two french canadian dudes scared out of their wits by a bear coming by just after dark when they were cooking.

Oddly enough, last time I was at the Loj, just outside the front door, there was a lovely display of a tent that had been destroyed along with a sleeping pad that looked just like their stuff...coincidence?

prob too late to cook

if the bears don't hassle you the rangers will
they like to have you cleaned up by 5:30 or 6 to reduce the comotion
how about a cliff bar-and supersize it
bon appetite

I'll start with the "canned" stuff and say that you should be "cooked and clean" by 5 PM, just like they recommend.

However............. On a recent (less then 2 weeks ago) trip we did not arrive back at the Feldspar Brook lean-to from Cliff and Redfield til about 8:15 PM. It was solidly 9:30 PM before we were "cooked and cleaned". Granted, meals that night consisted of heat and eat dehydrated stuff (Mountain House), but we were fully expecting a bruin to come stolling in at any time.

Not only did they not come in, there was no evidence that they even visited us that night. We had a canister, but a few nearby had (poorly) hung bags that would have surely gone down without much effort.

I'm not saying what we did was right and you can take this info for what it's worth. But after 12 hours of hiking I wasn't "not eating" and it was that simple. I think the fact that we were making lotsa noise with a party of 5 had somwthing to do with it.

I think the 5 PM is a little unrealistic if you're talking the end of a hike day. But our "late" dinner is probably on the outer edge. btw, I think FOOD STORAGE is a much larger issue than dinner hours. Your bringing canisters is a WISE move.

If you do have to eat during peak bear hours, keep everything you don't immediately need in your locked bear canister. That way, if you are visited, you will only lose the meal you are cooking.

You might also plan meals that have short prep times or don't need to be cooked. The longer you have something simmering on the stove, the more likely a bear will be attracted to your cooking area. Something like salami sticks and bagels might suffice for a meal and can be eated right out of the canister.

The thing that would worry me most about preparing and eating a meal after dark is the inability to see a bear approaching. If they chose a surprise attack, it will really be a surprise!

I know what you mean about trying to feed growing teenagers. I wouldn't want to get in between mine and a hungry bear. Pick 'em for the winner!

Also, prepare/eat your meal away from camp.