Forest creatures would just as soon eat your lunch as the food the forest has to offer. Squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and porcupines may look for food, but keeping a clean campsite and keeping food well wrapped may discourage these visitors. Black bears, however, are more tenacious.
Northeast mountains have no grizzly bears, but recent years have seen a marked increase in the black bear population. Though black bears have been known to attack humans, they are normally far more interested in fruit and nuts than in you. Since black bears have learned to associate backpacks and coolers with easy snacks, precautions are necessary to avoid meeting up with a hungry bear. To avoid conflicts with bears:
- Hang food from a high branch that will not support a bear's weight, as least 10 feet off the ground.
- Wrap trash and odiferous foods well in sealed plastic bags or other sealed containers to conceal smells.
- Keep a clean cooking area and fire pit. Grease and food scraps will attract bears.
- Remove the clothes you've worn while cooking: they hold food odors and attract bears. Hang such clothing with your pack.
- Never store food in your tent.
- If a bear gets your stuff, don't attempt to get it back.
- Report any bear encounters to the nearest forest ranger or ranger station.
Bears | Drinking Water | Getting Lost | Hypothermia | Tuckerman Ravine | Weather
