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Old 03-19-2014, 09:56 AM   #1
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Yosemite Bears

So, how over the top do I need to be not just with foods, but things like deodorants, cleaning products, soaps shampoos...etc Do I need to have EVERYTHING in my trailer cleared out and placed in a Bear locker? Keep nothing in the shower, or cabinets?

Including the beers in my fridge?? This will be my first time there, and I don't want to be part of the problem...I also like the way my trailer and truck look right now without a bear smashing it...

What are peoples experiences with bears from inside the trailer? Did you absolutely clear EVERYTHING out? Or can I leave the basics and store just the obvious food and meat items in the locker? Thanks for your help.
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Old 03-19-2014, 10:08 AM   #2
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The rules talk about food in cars/trucks, trailers/motorhomes don't seem to be an issue with bears breaking in. No restrictions on TT & mohos
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Old 03-19-2014, 10:14 AM   #3
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Trailers/motorhomes have one thing that cars and trucks generally don't— a refrigerator.

Which I can tell you after tons of food rotted inside home refrigerators after the month-long power outage of Hurricane Katrina, does an excellent job of keeping odors from escaping. But ye gods, the odors that escaped when we opened the fridge doors to clean out the spoiled foods!
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Old 03-19-2014, 11:35 AM   #4
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Yosemite bears have not yet started breaking into motorhomes or trailers. They only break into cars if they see signs of food in them (visible cans) or smell food, or if they have had good luck with another car that looks like that one. If one brown Mazda gets broken into, other brown Mazdas are at a higher risk. The usual MO is for the bear to hook its claws into the top of the door and bend the door in half at the base of the window, the weakest spot.

Don't leave any food outside your trailer unless it's in a bear box. And don't leave tasty things in view inside the windows, or leave your windows open with a plate of cookies just inside (bears have a sweet tooth). They yield to temptation, but are pretty lazy in what they'll explore unless they see evidence.

Your shampoo is fine in the bathroom, your food is safe in your fridge and cupboards. Don't leave any food in your tow vehicle.

Have a great time!
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Old 03-19-2014, 12:07 PM   #5
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Yosemite bears have not yet started breaking into motorhomes or trailers. They only break into cars if they see signs of food in them (visible cans) or smell food, or if they have had good luck with another car that looks like that one. If one brown Mazda gets broken into, other brown Mazdas are at a higher risk. The usual MO is for the bear to hook its claws into the top of the door and bend the door in half at the base of the window, the weakest spot.

Don't leave any food outside your trailer unless it's in a bear box. And don't leave tasty things in view inside the windows, or leave your windows open with a plate of cookies just inside (bears have a sweet tooth). They yield to temptation, but are pretty lazy in what they'll explore unless they see evidence.

Your shampoo is fine in the bathroom, your food is safe in your fridge and cupboards. Don't leave any food in your tow vehicle.

Have a great time!

I hope there are no other red convertibles in the campground!
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Old 03-19-2014, 03:51 PM   #6
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I always wondered how a BBQ grill would fare in bear country...I usually leave it out if I'm in one spot fir a few days or under cover Bakflip) in the bed of my truck. The grill has some cooking bits on it...not sure how attractive test might be to a bear. Not so concerned about damage to the BBQ...I just don't want to attract any unwanted guests. Has anyone ever had issues with that?
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Old 03-19-2014, 04:16 PM   #7
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Your best bet is to ask the Park Rangers - they are very knowledgeable & interesting to talk to.
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Old 03-19-2014, 05:51 PM   #8
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Your best bet is to ask the Park Rangers - they are very knowledgeable & interesting to talk to.
Yup. There is usually someone at the information desk in the visitor center in Yosemite Village. They try to keep up with bear sightings and things to watch out for.

I have a couple of cousins (cousin and her husband) who lived in Yosemite while raising their children. The dad is still a ranger and their daughter has followed in his footsteps. She is now one of the wildlife biologists who live in Yosemite Village and deal with the delinquent bears.

In my experience, and from what I've heard, bears are drawn as much to sweets as to meat. The one time I had a vehicle broken into (nearly 40 years ago, before there was as much bear info), a bear neatly swiped out the rear passenger window. It ate the zucchini bread off the dash and all of our swiss miss cocoa mix, marshmallows and granola, but left the jerky, dried soups and other non-sweet foods.
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Old 03-19-2014, 11:11 PM   #9
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Which campground are you in FreshAir
Very nice
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Old 03-21-2014, 11:13 PM   #10
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I don't know about Yosemite, but we live in bear country and recommend the following.

1. Food inside your fridge in your AS is fine, but close up the trailer completely when you are away. Ditto for your tow vehicle. I think the bear-proof lockers are more for tent-campers.

2. Don't leave any food items outside, such as picnic coolers (which bears can open) or food on a picnic table. I don't think they'd be attracted to most non-food scents. (So long as they don't smell like honey. )

3. Scrub any BBQ grill you plan to leave outside. Bears can be attracted to the smell of those burned food particles.

4. Don't leave a pet outside tied up or in a wire crate if you are away.

5. If you have a functioning cell phone and a bear wanders into your campground area, just call the park service. (And don't get close to it to take its picture.) Generally the rangers like to know where the bears are, and often do, so that they can keep everyone safe. If one heads towards your campsite and going in your AS isn't an option, you can grab pots, pans and metal spoons and start banging on them, while yelling. (This does scare away black bears. Ask me how I know.) If this doesn't faze it, walk--don't run--away.

It's up to you, but if you plan any backcountry hiking, you might carry some bear spray. It is available in stores that cater to outdoorspeople.

Now, is anyone ready for bear jokes? The last thread like this generated quite a few.
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Old 03-21-2014, 11:46 PM   #11
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In a previous life my father and I were walking at night in Yosemite and we spotted a bear. We became a legend in Yosemite as two unknown streaks of light spotted close to the lodge.
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Old 03-22-2014, 07:00 PM   #12
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When we camped at Yosemite, we were told to close all windows and hatches when we left and to put food out of sight. We never left stuff around and always emptied the trash before bed. We did grill out, but we were good about staying right next to the grill except once, when my husband left the burgers cooking and came in the camper for a quick minute. We heard our dog, who was tied outside, suddenly start barking ferociously towards the woods behind us. We ran outside, but it wasn't until later that we found some fresh bear scat in the forest behind our site. But like others said, just ask the rangers what to do when you check in - they'll gladly make sure you follow the rules!!
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Old 03-22-2014, 07:55 PM   #13
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You will get plenty of information as you check in - and read it all. The regulations in Yosemite regarding bears and food storage are unlike other national parks - especially those Rocky Mountain national parks that have grizzlies.

Yosemite has its own set of problems, and issues. Thus, they have their own regulations and rely heavily on the bear boxes - which the bears cannot get into. For example, as webspinner said, the bears in Yosemite learned how to break into cars - and so the regulations focus on cars.

The biggest suggestion is not the recommendations of others - and I say that with respect to their recommendations - they are good ones for bear country - normally. But Yosemite is... Yosemite. The issue is the regulations - and they are very strict. For instance, the only "grill" you can leave out is the one that comes attached to the ground in the campground - leave your own out and count on at least a $50 - or more - "food storage" fine. And don't blow off the fine - it's a federal area and the fine will follow you wherever you go. That's why there is a branch of the US District Court in Yosemite with its own resident magistrate judge!

Having said all that - millions of people camp in the park every year, and they get along fine. You will too!
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Old 03-24-2014, 10:16 PM   #14
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We went to Glacier National Park with some trepidation, knowing that the bears there are grizzlies and not black bears, and thinking that National Park bears are National Park bears.

We needn't have worried. Glacier learned from Yosemite before any bear problems became entrenched and the bears, by and large, keep clear of civilization. Apparently, Glacier bears don't even know that coolers hold food.

Yosemite bears are the bad apples and learn bad habits from each other faster than the park employees can re-condition or relocate them. So follow the rules and report any bear sightings and you'll be fine.
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Old 03-26-2014, 10:34 AM   #15
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Glacier NP has both black and grizzly bears. We were camping at Kintla Lake and had one black bear just across the creek from the auto CG; and another one walked into the primitive CG at the end of the lake, where we were canoe-camping. We also spotted one at Avalanche Lake, a popular hiking destination. We've seen cinnamon bears (the brown variety of the black bear) at Waterton Lakes NP just over the border from Glacier.

It doesn't take much ingenuity for a bear to open a picnic cooler. They are intelligent and powerful.

At the Lake Louise CG in Banff NP, north of Glacier, you will see a display by the entrance station: a small billboard about being "bear aware" with a mangled picnic cooler mounted beneath it.

I've not heard stories of them learning to open car doors, though, in our region. We live in bear country and have had them in our yard on occasion.
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Old 03-26-2014, 04:25 PM   #16
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We went to Glacier National Park with some trepidation, knowing that the bears there are grizzlies and not black bears, and thinking that National Park bears are National Park bears.

We needn't have worried. Glacier learned from Yosemite...
Actually, it's the other way around - Yosemite has yet "to learn" - if we ever meet along the road, somewhere, I'll be happy to give you the back-story...
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Old 03-26-2014, 10:15 PM   #17
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We've camped in our Airstream in Yosemite Valley--Upper Pines--and had absolutely no problems with bears. Follow the rules, they're posted everywhere; and you'll be fine.
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Old 03-27-2014, 07:15 PM   #18
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When we went to Yosemite last summer, we put our small grill into the food box (there's one located in each campsite) every night...after the grill cooled down, of course. We left no other edible items outside. Didn't have a problem.
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Old 03-27-2014, 10:41 PM   #19
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We spent a week in Yosemite two years ago. One day there was a car in the lot behind the General Store that had been there all night. They had left some canned goods, unopened, in the back seat, and the car was mauled by bears during the night trying to get to the cans. The damage included scratches, dents, windows bent out, doors almost torn off, cracked wind shield, and more. And, it was a rental. We could just imagine the explanation when it was turned in.... Oh, to have been a fly on the wall...

Bottom line: Follow the posted rules, ask the rangers, and all will be fine.

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