Camping in BEAR country (with hot springs for comfort)

Well, I have a new tent (a North Face Tadpole 23 like Doug's) and I live 2 hours from Yosemite and the snow is coming pretty soon. At the first dusting of snow the eastern entrance to Yosemite closes down and re-opens next summer, it's then a 9 hour drive to Yosemite from here.

So, it has to be done. I have got my bear canister, some maps, and some advice from Robyn at Bently Adventures. Now I need to go shopping, get some camping gas and extract anything that smells remotely like food from the car (bears like to peel back the doors from cars and extract whatever smells good from inside, including chewing gum, deodourant, toothpaste - well, you name it). Yosemite it seems, has a big problem with bear-human interaction, with frequent property damage.

I've directions to Buckeye campsite, right next to some hot springs about an hour from here (outside Yosemite but still in bear country and at altitude). And plans for an early start on Saturday to get in the queue for a pitch in Campsite 4 at Yosemite - it is far too busy there to turn up friday night and dump the tent out of the car! I'm expecting friday night's camping to be much nicer!

So, I'd better go and buy some flat food for camping and to hopefully not share with my bear friends.



(this cartoon is reproduced on a website with some very sensible advice about bears too, which is pretty re-assuring, especially for parents and distant girlfriends!!)