Bear proofing on vehicle-based expeditions?

[TheRoadie]

Last year, my September expedition was to the west side of the Sierra Nevadas - definite bear country with multiple sightings in the campgrounds. We stayed in organized campgrounds with large bear boxes that fit the cooler and a dry food footlocker.

This year, we'll be on the eastern side, in less-developed areas, likely without bear boxes. How does one handle the threat when you have way too much food to go in bear cannisters plus an Engel fridge?

1) Is the Engel gasketed well enough, or look less like a cooler, to attract bears if left on its slides in the vehicle?

2) If there is a large enough bear box, does anybody bother to relocate the fridge into the box, and run it with a small battery overnight?

3) Has anybody used Pelican cases as bear cannisters, chained to a tree or to the vehicle?

4) Are the bears so wily and omnipresent that people always camp where there's a bear box, or avoid their habitat altogether, such as above the tree line?

Bill

 

[Ursidae69]

All great questions. No idea on the answers. I've not camped much in places where the bears are that used to people. I sleep either in or on top of my vehicle, so if a bear comes around snooping my plan wopuld be to get up and scare it off before it broke into my vehicle. I've scared off bears from camp before, but not in the middle of the night yet.

 

[slosurfer]

I've wondered the same thing about the Engel fridges. From what I have seen, the eastern Sierras are not nearly as bad with the bears as the western side, but you should still be as vigilant though.

If you have a dog, they will help alert you at night, but that doesn't help you when you all are out for a hike in the middle of the day.

Sorry, not much help, but I am interested also. This is the main reason I need to make a hard top for my trailer.

 

[teotwaki]

I was just in the Sierras near Bishop last week and erred on the side of caution. I put all food in the bear locker and piled things near the Engel with a blanket over it to modify the appearance.

If you ever see the video of a bear working on various containers I would wager that a Pelican case might get the latches opened by the bear. Locks would help fix that but bears have ripped car doors off before. I like your idea of a lock and chain.

How is your vehicle (GMC Envoy?) set up for food storage? Where is the Engel located?

 

[slooowr6]

When I was at Yellowstone in the campsite, they are ok with food in RV/Camper if you put food in the fridge. You can't store food in the car. Not only food needs to be store in the fridge anything that is scented needs to be store properly.

 

[TheRoadie]

I was just in the Sierras near Bishop last week...

What campsites on that side have bear boxes? I'm planning Grandview near the Bristlecone Pines, and Mosquito Flat near Rock Creek south of Tom's Place. Guess I should just call the rangers.

How is your vehicle (GMC Envoy?) set up for food storage? Where is the Engel located?

I'm waiting for my custom bumper to get powder coated before posting a build-up thread, but my cargo compartment had a built-in drawer unit, with two Pelican footlockers on top of that, and my rear seats have been replaced by a platform with an elevated slide-out for the Engel. The rear windows are tinted, so maybe the bear can't see in too well and we can always throw a blanket over most of the fridge except for the vents.

 

[Mlachica]

These are all great questions that I've wondered about ever since I got a fridge. I've camped in the eastern sierra's a couple dozen times and I've never seen a bear. Not to say they're not out there, I'm just lucky or not lucky depending on how you look at it. I'd just try to keep a super clean camp. Keep all your food put away and keep your trash a little away from the site.

I hear because of the really dry winter the bears are venturing farther into more civilized areas looking for food.

as for camp sites with bear boxes...

big pine - great hiking with beautiful scenery and good fishing.
rock creek - less populated, beautiful area

Those are the only two that I know of that have bear boxes. I mostly go primative and haven't seen bears.

 

[slooowr6]

I was at Porcupine Flat campground in Yosemite this past weekend. There was a bear near one of the camps at around 10pm. The campers scream and honk at the bear but it did not seems to scare the bear away. Eventually I heard shots were fired to scare away the bear. I have no idea who fired the shots. But I talked to a couple that was going to report the bear sighting about 20mins before I head the shots.
I never really think about bear too much before this. I just follow what the park said. After this I'll be more careful

 

[slosurfer]

I was at Porcupine Flat campground in Yosemite this past weekend. There was a bear near one of the camps at around 10pm. The campers scream and honk at the bear but it did not seems to scare the bear away. Eventually I heard shots were fired to scare away the bear. I have no idea who fired the shots. But I talked to a couple that was going to report the bear sighting about 20mins before I head the shots.
I never really think about bear too much before this. I just follow what the park said. After this I'll be more careful

Yep, places like Yosemite are the worst because the bears are too used to people. It would be easier to scare off a bear someplace where they are not as acclimated to humans. Reminds me of this pic I took in Yosemite (you have to look close at the pic for the humor).

 

[slosurfer]

What campsites on that side have bear boxes?
]

I was just at June Lake, if you make it up that far. Oh Ridge Campground had big bear boxes and I believe the other campgrounds there and Mammoth have them. I think Mammoth has more bears in camps than anywhere else on the eastern sierras.

 

[OverlandZJ]

Yellowstone had a Bear encounter yesterday. Not sure what to think about this..

http://missoulian.com/articles/2007/08/27/bnews/br27.txt

 

[slooowr6]

I think Mammoth has more bears in camps than anywhere else on the eastern sierras.

Glad I did not know this before I went camping at Ediza lake this past weekend. :ylsmoke:

 

[teotwaki]

What campsites on that side have bear boxes? I'm planning Grandview near the Bristlecone Pines, and Mosquito Flat near Rock Creek south of Tom's Place.

Hey! 'Xactly where I was. Mosquito Flats had bear lockers. I was going to spend time at Grandview but we skipped it. Call the visitor center as I wonder if they have bears in the White Mountains. They seem too barren.

 

[big sky trapper]

If its in a standard vehicle, they will peel the doors right away and get in. Years ago when we could hunt bears over bait I've seen them tear 55 gallon drums to get at whats inside. Now if a bear can tear a 55 gal drum I would think a fridge would be no problem if they really wanted in.

Anything they can get a "grip" to they can get into.

 

[kcowyo]

Yellowstone had a Bear encounter yesterday. Not sure what to think about this...

If it makes you feel any better John, this incident wasn't actually within Yellowstone National Park boundaries, but rather 6 miles west of the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.

The bad news is, it's actually closer to where you'll be camping in a few weeks. Good luck!!