[pct-l] Walker pass to Kennedy Meadows - advise

[Scott Williams]

In 2011, Plain Slice and Little Engine had pitched their tent at Joshua
Tree Spring and began fixing dinner a short distance away when they turned
around and saw a bear clawing at the mosquito netting of their tent.  It
was a juvenile black bear who had put his claws through the netting and was
just sort of playing with it.  They began yelling and throwing stuff at it,
but it was not too quick to quit the place and seemed pretty comfortable
with hikers.  It eventually took off and so did Little Engine, Plain Slice
and several others who had begun pitching camp.  They later stitched up the
bear claw holes, which were in a beautiful shape of the bears full paws,
with yarn and were very proud of their bear mauled tent for the rest of
their thru hike.  It was definitely the coolest piece of mosquito netting
on trail that year.

I finished my hike in the desert that year and remember seeing lots and
lots of bear scat at Joshua Tree Spring where I filtered water right next
to a big pile of the smelly stuff.  There was other evidence of bear
activity all through the lower elevations north and south of Walker Pass
that year.  The evidence was the holly leafed cherries which had been
picked all along the trails just up to what a bear could reach and the
resultant bear scat filled with the huge cherry stones.  I managed to climb
up on rocks and other stuff to be able to reach my own share of the fruit
at places, but they clearly forage along the easiest pathway, which often
happens to be the PCT.

I wouldn't worry about them and would not carry a bear canister where it's
not required by law, but also am careful not to camp where there is
evidence that the place is a regular bear stop.  Stealth camping in out of
the way places is much safer and much more fun anyway.

Have a great hike,

Shroomer