[pct-l] Even More Walking

[Marion Davison]

We watched this last night.  I was howling with laughter at the 
discussion of problem bears at Saddle Junction. 
A few years ago a forest ranger from Big Bear, who is their expert in 
bear management, spoke to our local Sierra Club group.  He told us that 
the San Jacinto mountains did not have a bear population, historically, 
because the mountains are an island habitat, separated from other 
mountains by a big desert.  Whatever bears had ever been there, if any, 
had  been killed off by the first settlers.  So for many decades the San 
Jacintos had no bears.  But then they built this trail called the PCT, 
which provided a corridor for wildlife to travel from the San 
Bernardinos to the San Jacintos.  So now the San Jacintos have bears! 
And also problem bears!  All thanks to the PCT!  Of course the current 
residents of the San Jacintos, in all those cabins and campgrounds, 
provide a great habitat for the modern bear population.
Marion