Bear Proof Trailer?

coastsider

Adventurer
I'm planning a trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone NPs in August/September of this year. We will have four adults, one FJ and one Horizon Adventure trailer. Some backcountry camping is being planned but not sure exactly where in the parks yet. What I do know is that this is bear country and precautions have to be taken. So, I'm thinking to myself that I will be carrying a lot of tasty food and supplies with us in the trailer and the thought of having to unload this stuff every night into a bear box including a fully stocked Engel fridge is going to be a royal pain.

I would love to hear from trailer owners of any bear encounters regarding the trailer and food stored inside. While I would never underestimate the power and strength of a bear, we have all seen what they can do to a car, I'm curious as to weather the strength of a main cargo box on my Adventure Trailer is equal to that of a NP bear box and if so would it be reckless to assume my food would be OK to leave in the trailer if we set our tent a safe distance from it? Forgive my ignorance but having said that if I go backcountry how do I fit all my food and the contents of the Engel (without it spoiling) into a bear can?

Oh, and if anyone has any nice 4x4 trail/campsite suggestions for the Parks I would love to hear them as I know off road opportunities are slim in these NPs.
 

Victorian

Approved Vendor : Total Composites
I have seen pictures of black bears getting into trunks and ripping open car doors... just saying...
 

cnynrat

Expedition Leader
From pictures I've seen of the aftermath of bears ripping into cars, I don't think the Horizon will stand up to a determined bear (And yes, I have a Horizon, so I'm familiar with how they are put together.) I think a bear would be able to get the tip of their claw in the crack around the door and pull it open.

I think there is a thread around here somewhere in which putting your fridge in the bear box with a battery is discussed. Not sure if that is really practical though.

I've also read that a some of what motivates a bear to break into a car is what they see inside. They apparently have learned to recognize that coolers contain good stuff, even if they can't smell the contents. Not being able to see inside the trailer may help, but I don't think I'd want to count on that. If you are using the Horizon kitchen it would seem that there are likely to be food smells all over the trailer.
 

smokymt

Observer
I camp in bear country of the southern Appalachians all the time in my Horizon. Its all black bears in this part of the country, but they are very smart and very strong. However bears are opportunistic and will look for the easiest route to food. While I do think that a bear could get into the Horizon if it really wanted, I feel much more secure than most campers in their pop-ups and thin walled travel trailers.

In my experience its all about keeping a clean camp, which is often hard to do in campgrounds due to neighbors that just don't care, is the best way to reduce chances of problems with bears. Putting things away and out of sight that would be visual references like coolers, cans and bottles goes a long way. This also includes cookware, grills, soap, etc.

Most problem bears that would have enough nerve to try to break in to steal food typically hang around campgrounds and populated areas for easy targets. If you are not one of those easy targets then your chances are good. In the backcountry, if you are far enough away from the populated areas, most bears are going to stay away due to their natural fear of humans as long as you keep a clean camp and don't entice them.

Just my two cents.
 

The Swiss

Expedition Leader
Well, you could always bring your mother-in-law with you and place her strategically in the camp in a simple ground tent where she is easily accessible for the bear ... :peepwall:
 

coastsider

Adventurer
Well, you could always bring your mother-in-law with you and place her strategically in the camp in a simple ground tent where she is easily accessible for the bear ... :peepwall:

I don't think a Grizzly would stand much of a chance against my mother-in-law.
 

rezdiver

Adventurer
you know those bear proof garbage cans that are as thick as a sea container with a bear proof lid, well, they are not bear proof. if they are determined enough they will get in.

if you are in bear country best to follow common practice and keep the food and garbage away from the sleeping area and even better strung up in a tree.

no sense in having damage to a nice trailer unless you want the look of cool war wounds on it. its a pain in the *** sometimes to keep riggin up a rope and pulling your food barrel up in the air from a tree, but its also a pain in the *** to try and scare off a hungry bear. if your sleeping tent is away from the trailer with the food in it then all you have to worry about is claw marks and big *** dents in your trailer.
 

Martyn

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Living in bear country I can tell you that there is very little a bear can not get into.

We have a bear-proof garbage container at the end of our driveway as do many of our neighbors. I often see them broken into, the bear usually elbows the door at one corner, gets a paw inside and rips the door off.

The Horizon may give it a few minutes of fun, but the bear is going to get inside if you have food in there.

Bears have an amazing sense of smell combined with enormous strength.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
Did you look at the electric fence? They really work (I'm told).

I don't know about griz, but the black bears around here already know that dogs mean hunters; they stay far away from camps with dogs.
I carry bear spray too. I heard from a ranger in BC that he discharges his bear spray almost monthly when he's in the wild; has never had to shoot a griz either.
 

grimbo

Explorer
Still spins me out about the bears and camping. Camped many years ago in Algonquin NP in Ontario and we had to do all the precautions but as a 12 year old from Australia it didn't really sink in as to the dangers involved. Even had a couple of bears wander through the camp looking for the easy target which was the slobs a few sites over.

Did appreciate the danger a few years later on another camping trip in Alaska when a bear got into a tent of some bikers who didn't heed the warnings. They were in a site about 1km from us.

Think I'll stick to The safety of the Aussie bush
 

The Adam Blaster

Expedition Leader
Think I'll stick to The safety of the Aussie bush

At least you can usually see or hear a bear coming from a ways off.
All the creepy-crawlies that can kill you in your country can sneak up to you within inches before they'd be noticed, or even take a little bite out of you first!

I'll take the bears, they can't sneak into my sleeping bag during the day and wait until I crawl in at night to eat me!!!
 

kai38

Explorer
So ALL food should be kept out of the trailer at night?
I'll be camping in Alaska this summer May/June with a M416 & RTT on it.
I have kitchen boxes with dry goods & canned items in it I don't think there are trees on the Denali Highway to tie the food up high.
I plan to cook away from the trailer & FJ Cruiser clean up every night, trash, stove tables etc.
What else?
Thanks
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Living in bear country I can tell you that there is very little a bear can not get into.

We have a bear-proof garbage container at the end of our driveway as do many of our neighbors. I often see them broken into, the bear usually elbows the door at one corner, gets a paw inside and rips the door off.

The Horizon may give it a few minutes of fun, but the bear is going to get inside if you have food in there.

Bears have an amazing sense of smell combined with enormous strength.

You have bears in Prescott?
 

coastsider

Adventurer
So ALL food should be kept out of the trailer at night?
I'll be camping in Alaska this summer May/June with a M416 & RTT on it.
I have kitchen boxes with dry goods & canned items in it I don't think there are trees on the Denali Highway to tie the food up high.
I plan to cook away from the trailer & FJ Cruiser clean up every night, trash, stove tables etc.
What else?
Thanks

This is my dilemma, seven days supply of fresh and dried food for four adults, how do I keep us safe from the furry beasts? It's a lot of bulk to keep moving around. No, I don't want my trailer torn apart, which I guess they could easily do. Guess I'm just going to have to deal with it.
 

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