between a rock and a hard place...

[DougPaul]

haha I think id stay away from teh sleeping bear! They arnt true hibernatiors, so they dont slow they're whole system down, into an almost comatose state like beaver wood chucks, etc. You can shake a wood chuck and he'll stay snoozin cuase it will take him so long to regualtre his boy temps back up and what not. A bear doesnt drop his body temp or heart rate much so the'll be a littel groggy , but they come around faster than yad think! My wildlife management teacher actaulyl told me shes foudn bears jsut sleeping out in the woods with no den. Just piled under snow. Wouldn't that be a heart stopper! Imagine your just snow showin aroudn and hop up on a hummock which is actually a bear!

Bear researchers sometimes enter the den of a hibernating mother to check the cubs. The bears seem to be rather groggy and unresponsive. However, if the bear is in the process of waking up, it might get exciting... (Hibernating bears occasionaly wake up, take a stroll around, and return to the den.)

Needless to say, I suggest that you not try entering a bear den unless you are an appropriate researcher...

Doug

 

[Chip]

I was kidding guys, please see Pete's post about the bears whiskers.

Maybe we can agree on this...

...maybe not.

 

[Chip]

As mentioned bears do use brush and dead fall for denning and I've wondered if that is because it is warmer of the two choices...perhaps as they get snowed in the brush helps the snow 'roof over' and their body is heating a smaller space.

I've read there's more bear than suitable caves and that caves can be damp and can collect water. Your thought about heating the smaller space makes sense, but I believe they are so well insulated that they don't need a warmer space, like we would.

I know when looking for a spot to bivy over night to keep in mind that the place with little snow is often wind swept and thus a poor though tempting spot.

Great point.

...But I'm wondering with two proteced spots near each other, is the ground the warmer choice from radiant heat?...or the place with snow beneath you for it's insulating or reflective heat?

I know someone will say snow insulates, but it also melts. Cold is one thing, cold and wet is much worse. I'd take the ground and try to pile dry leaves, mulch, pine etc for insulation if I had time. I always have at least an old, black ensolite pad with me, however.

I have crawled under the over hanging branches of a conifer for protection from a snow storm but it was a planned overnight... though the snowstorm itself was unexpected.

I'd do that too, but I read a horror story when I was a kid about a trapper and his dog in Alaska who get caught out over night. He's beginning to freeze. He gets under a pine tree to get out of the snow, losing feeling and on his last match finally gets a small fire going, he's feeling better, warming up...the fire gets going and warms the branches enough over him to dump a load of snow on him and the fire. Fire's out, dog abandons him, he dies.

 

[AdkWiley]

I'd do that too, but I read a horror story when I was a kid about a trapper and his dog in Alaska who get caught out over night. He's beginning to freeze. He gets under a pine tree to get out of the snow, losing feeling and on his last match finally gets a small fire going, he's feeling better, warming up...the fire gets going and warms the branches enough over him to dump a load of snow on him and the fire. Fire's out, dog abandons him, he dies.

Great short story, jack london , To Build a Fire. After reading that I now know not to build a fire under any trees! well that and dont travel alone in -70 degree weather haha BUt from the way this winter is i dont think we have to worry about that!

 

[Chip]

Great short story, jack london , To Build a Fire. After reading that I now know not to build a fire under any trees! well that and dont travel alone in -70 degree weather haha BUt from the way this winter is i dont think we have to worry about that!

That story scared the cr@p out of me, much worse than most horror stories I've read. The scene where the dog finally turns to leave, looks back at him and then does leave him and he knows he's a goner has stuck with me for 35 years.

 

[Chip]

AH, and through the magic of the internet, I just found and re-read the story.
I won't post the link since I'm not sure about the legal stuff, but I ecourage anyone who hasn't had
enough winter to search "To Build a Fire".
It'll cure you.