Bear(s) at Avalanche camp

[joshco7]

Just in case anyone is concerned about bear activity this summer. My fiancee and I had a bear visit our camp at 3:45 AM. We were at the campsite right pass the wooden bridge at Avalanche Camp, to the right near the brook. We heard two moans from the bear or bears, it was dark and I didn't feel the need to peek out the tent. A few seconds later our bear canister was getting knocked around. I even heard a bear climb a tree where our clean pots and pans were hanging 30 feet off the ground. A few claps of my hands cleared our site of the bears. The next night we put the canister much further from our tent and hung our trash and pots at the just installed hanging wires near the Avalanche lean-to. The night we had the bears we had changed our clothes we cooked in and had nothing that smelled in our tent, not even chapstick. The bear never came up to the tent. Each night we were cleaned up from dinner by 6-6:30. A ranger told me 5:00 is an ideal time to be done with dinner, but it's hard to do that if you're out exploring all day from base camp. But I would clean up by 6-6:30 at the latest. Some of those bears are not afraid to walk up to you and join you for dinner. Bears always make a trip in the backcountry more interesting!

Have a great summer,

Josh

 

[stoopid]

Thanks for the info, yet another reason I try to day hike as often as possible in the high peaks.

I have to venture out there in September, hoping things will go well (I do own a bear canister now, so that shouldn't be an issue).

 

[Outtabreath]

Excuse my ignorance, where is Avalanche camp??

 

[joshco7]

Avalanche Camp is .8 miles pass Marcy Dam toward Avalanche Pass and Avalanche Lake, just over the Marcy Brook bridge crossing, there's a lean-to at the intersection of trails past the bridge. Hope this helps.

Josh

 

[masshysteria]

Outtabreath,

THE place to stay if you don't like the crowds at Marcy Dam.There is a leanto before you get to the brook crossing, and a nice tent site across the trail from there.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Outtabreath: Since you live in Massachusetts, you may not know that these places are in the Adirondacks. Avalanche Pass and Avalanche Lake are very special. If you ever hike in New York's Adirondack mountains, visit these places. The trail access is from the ADK's Adirondack Loj area, near Lake Placid. -ALG

 

[Outtabreath]

Thanks for the info, I have a bear phobia and wanted to make sure I didn't run into any !

 

[Mike D.]

Took my first trip to the dacks this year through avalanche pass, up colden to arnold lake. Then up marcy, down by slant rock all the way to deer brook lean to by jbl. Then over brothers, bigslide, yard and to klondike brook leanto, then out s/ meadow back to the loj ,I am hooked hopelessly on the dacks now. Will be back every chance i get, Avalanche pass is absolutely amazing. Sorry , started to ramble there.

 

[Outtabreath]

I guess it's not really a phobia of bears, just a phobia of being eaten alive, in a bad way!

 

[joshco7]

BEARS

Take the proper precautions and you'll be fine in bear country. Northeast bears are more comfortable around people. I wouldn't let the fear of bears (especially black bears) stop you from a trip. I feel more focused when I know bears are around. It makes the trip more exciting.

Change cooking clothes before going to sleep. Use a bear canister. Don't leave anything with a strong scent or food in tent, even chapstick. Anyone else who is bearanoid can also carry bear spray, for a very last resort in a bear confrontation. But most of all educate yourselves about bears and read about other hikers experiences with bears.

The bear in our camp that morning was only 12 feet from our tent, but never came any closer to the tent, I almost felt careless for having the bear canister too close to the tent. Next night we stashed it a bit further away.

But most of all, be aware of your surroundings and keep a clean camp. This is their territory, we're just visitors. Keep them wild!

Josh