High Sierra Topix

robow8 wrote:

AlmostThere wrote:We've seen bears fairly consistently on the Alta trail, on the Mist Falls trail, and crossing the road.

In Yosemite, just hang around in the parking lots. We saw a few bears on the way to trailheads from parking lots - as they were walking toward the parking lots. As a corollary, don't forget to clean out your car.

About that corollary; what exactly do you have to do to clean out a car?

All food and trash. Empty boxes and empty ice chests need to be hidden, as the bears know those on sight to be "food containers." Anything that has a scent that might be interesting to curious bears as a possible food item - lotions, balms, lip stuff, hair stuff. Those dessicated French fries that linger under the seats. All needs to go in the trash or in one of the bearproof lockers around the parking lot.

There's a female bear that has a knack for trying door latches - she opens the door and climbs on in, trashes the interior of the vehicle, oozes back out the door, and her weight makes the car lean over then snap upright swinging the door shut. It looks like ninjas were there - no obvious entry but your upholstery and the contents of the car are a wreck. Clean cars and locked doors are needed. Most bears will just rip the door off or peel it down like a bandaid backing to get inside if they see something or smell something of interest.

To top it off - jerks tend to steal stuff out of the bear boxes. A friend lost his stainless steel coffee mug that way. It was replaced with a used starbucks cup.

Reportedly, incidents are way down compared to what they used to be. People are paying attention to the rules these days with a little more care.

Better to clean your car before you go. If traveling, stop at a car wash and clean an vacuum the interior. If you are day hiking, you must be camping somewhere- leave most stuff there. In Yosemite I have a "no eating in the car" rule. Traveling light, taking only necessary equipment makes it easier to keep your car clean.

I too have had stuff stolen from trailhead bear boxes. I now wash any dishes or coffee mugs and put them in the trunk. The backpacker's parking lot in Yosemite Valley gets lots of bear hits; I park elsewhere and just walk the extra distance or take the shuttle bus.

By the way, does car insurance cover bear damage? What about damage to a rental car?

WD wrote:
By the way, does car insurance cover bear damage? What about damage to a rental car?

http://comprehensivecarinsuranceguide.c ... -coverage/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wandering Daisy wrote: The backpacker's parking lot in Yosemite Valley gets lots of bear hits; I park elsewhere and just walk the extra distance or take the shuttle bus.

Not to take this thread off topic, but I am curious: Wandering Daisy, where do you park? I though the backpacker's parking lot was the only place you could park overnight in the valley unless you are staying at a campground or a lodge. I am not too fond of that parking lot either, so if there is an alternative, it would be good to know.

we park in the main lot at curry village.


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Thread was going off topic, split off posts not related to OP's inquiry.

Wandering Daisy wrote:Better to clean your car before you go...

Doesn't everyone do that on a regular basis?

dave54 wrote:

Wandering Daisy wrote:Better to clean your car before you go...

Doesn't everyone do that on a regular basis?

You'd think... My mechanic tells me I keep my car cleaner than most others, and I only clean it before I go to Yosemite.

Lately I've been riding with other people so haven't seen the floor mats for a few weeks...

what is this thing called a vacuum? I do sweep the dodge out once in awhile, but I do not eat in the truck. Heck, it has sticks in the bed still from the last old farts trip in 2012.

It gets a good wash every 5 years.

It's really simple as already stated. no food in the driver compartment. no food in the trunk. no Banana on the dashboard (OR).

Look around the parking lot and if you see someone violating that, park a few places from them so they are the target.

no Banana on the dashboard (OR).

LOL