North Carolina – Bear Activity (UPDATED 5/23/23) – Southern Nantahala Wilderness
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|nc
|bear-activity
|hiking-safety
|Alert
05/23/2023
Update: The ATC continues to receive reports of bear activity in this area. Most recently, a bear defeated a bear hang at Standing Indian Mountain (NOBO mile 87.4).
All overnight hikers should properly store food, trash, and scented items in a bear canister for the duration of their time on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). Bear canisters are the most reliable and flexible means of food storage for camping along the A.T. to ensure that bears do not access human food.
In addition to properly storing food and scented items overnight, hikers should keep a clean camp, pack out all trash and food waste, and never leave food unattended. All area visitors should use caution.
See below for more details.
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05/09/2023
Bears continue to be active along the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) from Deep Gap to Mooney Gap (NOBO miles 65.6 – 98.1). So far this year, the ATC has received bear encounter reports of food-conditioned bears most recently at Standing Indian Mountain (on 5/7/2023; NOBO mile 87.4) and at Beech Gap (NOBO mile 90.3) and Betty Creek Gap (NOBO mile 97.2). At both Standing Indian Mountain and Betty Creek Gap the bear(s) defeated several PCT-style bear hangs and stole food bags. At Beech Gap, the bear(s) ripped open an Ursack. See other Trail Updates for North Carolina for more information.
All overnight hikers should properly store food, trash, and scented items in a bear canister for the duration of their time on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). Bear canisters are the most reliable and flexible means of food storage for camping along the A.T. to ensure that bears do not access human food.
In addition to properly storing food and scented items overnight, hikers should keep a clean camp, pack out all trash and food waste, and never leave food unattended. All area visitors should use caution.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) recently released a new food storage order that requires hikers to properly store food, refuse, and scented items (animal attractants) when camping on national forest land along the A.T. south of Shenandoah National Park. Hikers are still required to use a hard-sided bear canister if camping between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap on the A.T. in Georgia between March 1 and June 1 each year (NOBO miles 26.3 to 31.3).
Learn more about bear canisters and bear safety on the A.T. here.
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05/02/2022
In previous years bears have been active from Deep Gap to Mooney Gap (NOBO miles 65.6 – 98.1). This year, so far, bears have been active in this section of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) at Beech Gap (NOBO mile 90.3) and Carter Gap Shelter (NOBO mile 93.5), including reports of a bear that took food and “bluff charged” hikers. All area visitors should use caution, keep a clean camp and be sure to properly store food and other “smellables.” The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recommends that all overnight hikers carry a bear canister.
To learn more about bear safety, proper food storage on the A.T., and the bear canister lending program, visit: https://appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/safety/bears/
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