The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) issued a notice last week warning hikers to be on alert. According to the post, bear-hiker encounters are rising on the trail, specifically on portions south of the High Sierra. Incidents included food theft, persistent camp visits, and bold bear approaches.

Hikers call the area near Mt. Whitney “bear country,” but the PCTA urges caution farther south as encounters increase.

Reports dating back to last summer included a number of hikers reporting lost, stolen, and eaten food by bears at Foxmill, 31 miles north of Walker Pass. Hikers also reported bear activity near Chimney Creek Campground, south of Foxmill.

A collared bear returned to camps nightly, climbed a tree above a tent, and ignored deterrents like shouting and banging pots. Two young bears also approached hikers near Olancha Peak during lunch

The number of PCT hikers has grown over the last 10 years, according to Allissa Brush, the Southern Sierra Regional Representative of the PCTA. That has led to increased reports of bears accessing food from packs, tents, and camps, Brush said. PCTA organizers have tracked bear clashes anecdotally through reports to federal agencies and PCTA staff.

“More people equates to more food opportunities for bears,” Brush told GearJunkie. “This leads directly to habituated bear activity in areas not previously thought to host many encounters, as the bears quickly learn to associate humans with food.”

Experts Warn: Don’t Food-Condition Bears

The Pacific Crest Trail stretches 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. Fewer than 5% of hikers travel southbound, and northbound thru-hikers overlook bear dangers until they reach the zones that explicitly require hikers to carry bear canisters.

Hikers report more bear sightings in the Sierra Nevada north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Amid the southern desert and barren landscapes where rattlesnakes frequent, hikers are often lax with bear precautions.

Official canister requirements are only implemented after a high quantity or severity of incidents, which is why the PCTA encourages hikers to practice bear-safe food storage — even outside of regulation zones. Bears use their sharp intelligence and sense of smell to find food easily. Human food access teaches bears to associate people with calories, making them dangerous, Brush said.

Supervisors for the Inyo National Forest warn that food-conditioned bears often lose fear and face euthanasia.

“When a bear accesses food, it may be a minor incident, but it can change the bear’s foraging behavior forever by reducing their fear of humans,” national forest officials said in a statement. “Once it loses that fear it eventually becomes food-conditioned and will likely continue to rely on hikers for their calories. The end result for these bears is death because their habits cannot be changed and they now pose a danger to humans.” 

The PCTA also warns that bears build habits. So, poor food management trends in the south can carry all the way into the High Sierra. Taking preventative steps will help keep bears from becoming food-conditioned and therefore protect hikers in return.

What Hikers Can Do to Prevent Conflicts

In the John Muir section of the PCT, black bear populations are greater. The PCTA recommends always carrying a bear canister, keeping your pack within reach, and leaving the canister out. Obeying food storage regulations, keeping your smelly foods within reach, and using a bear hang when available helps keep bears away.

Cooking and storing food away from your sleeping area also helps to protect against bears. The PCTA recommends using the Wildlife Incident Reporting System to report bear activity. Report incidents to the PCTA, local land agency, or state wildlife agencies.