Yosemite prep

[ccarley]

At this point, my vehicle is pretty much ready for our upcoming Yosemite trip. We are leaving Rohnert Park Thursday evening, and stopping in Mountain View for a set of used Smittybilt step bars, which will make my wife happy. I may also be selling my old rear leaf springs on the way, which is cool too!

We are slightly concerned however about bears. We are planning on sleeping in the Suburban, and although we won't have any food inside, I will spray the windows with bug spray to keep the mosquitoes or what have you out, since I don't have screens yet. We'll be bringing one trunk (latchable container) for food & silverware/ pots/ percolator etc. which we'll be putting in the "bear locker" whenever we are not using it. Over the back window, I use an old Mexican blanket usually, and the front windows are not covered.

Should we be concerned about sleeping in the Suburban? Even though there will be no food in it, will bears come investigate the bug spray smell?

We are both looking forward to this trip, and are hoping to check out Mono Lake, as well as Bodie, while out there.

Thanks,
Clay

 

[spencyg]

I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish by spraying bug spray on the windows, but it certainly won't keep bugs away.

And I've never heard of any brand of bear being attracted to any sort of bug repellants.

Good luck!

 

[ccarley]

In the past, I've left the wing windows open. We had bug issues the first time I did that, so since then I use bug spray on them It has worked really well at keeping bugs away from us. The weather report shows that it's going to be warm while we are there, so I'm probably going to have the wing windows open again.

That's good to know about the bears though, my wife was really concerned though.

Thanks!
Clay

 

[Ronct110]

Clay, my family and I have been going to Yosemite almost annually, and bears have not been a problem.

We just got back a few weeks ago and same common sense apply: keep food far from where you will be sleeping and in the bear locker....

There are no grizzly or brown bear to be concerned about in Yosemite (this is good); bears there are black bears; tend to avoid people and scare easy by yelling or banging pots & pans.

Only have seen black bear once when we stayed late in one of the developed picnic ground for BBQ dinner (it was dark and hardly anyone in the park). Ranger warned us that a black bear could approach us and by making noise, yelling, baning pots, should go away. And it did.

We've done car camping outside the park and in one of the developed campgrounds and again bear was not a problem w/common sense practise.

Also as far as mosquitos, my wife and I spray deet-free stuff when we see the buggers flying around and seems to go away when the evening coldness sets-in (we usually go late summer early fall); allows us to crack our window open (if sleeing in the car).

Also talk to a ranger when you get there, and read up here: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/scarebears.htm

Have fun, and here's my troop on our recent trip to Yosemite this year; kids took a dip in the Merced River and now ready to explore the park.

 

[02TahoeMD]

bug spray alone wont work....

Get a set of four of these and you wont have to worry about bugs:

The Skeeter Beater

I have them for sleeping in my Tahoe. They work great. No bugs.

 

[Rot Box]

I camp in heavily populated bear (Brown and Black) country often in the summer and bears are something that should be taken very seriously. Did you hear about the Cooke City MT. attack (Brown bear) leaving two injured and one dead? I was in the same camp area 4 days before that happened :Wow1: Food storage is a precaution and it should be considered mandatory, but it will not keep a curious bear away--nothing really will. Bear boxes don't block the smell they just make the bear loose interest and hopefully leave once it figures out there is no way to get to the food inside.

That said I wouldn't stress out at all. In most places with a bear population it is recommended that you carry (and know how to use) bear spray/mace just in case. Just be aware that they are around you and follow all the guidelines provided by the Rangers and you shouldn't have any problems. Hope this helps...

Andrew

 

[theduece]

another thing often forgotten is toiletries. if it smells good ie minty toothpaste etc i have seen bears eat it.:smileeek:

but as noted above keep pots pans or other noise makers handy and it will typically scare them off. also when sleeping in the truck I've kept the keys handy and the panic alarm works well also.

 

[Maximus Ram]

we've been going to yosemite for the past 5 years , staying at a campground outside the park, and have not had any problems with bears....cows yes, bears no.
I've used bug spary , along with these cheap window screens type things I found on clearance a couple of yeas back oat wallyworld. Works pretty wel to keep the bugs out of the XJ.
Just be aware and have fun.

 

[desertrover]

Looks like you've already gotten a bunch of great suggestions, but I'll second the use of screens instead of chemicals for mosquitoes. Strong DEET sprays can take off/damage paints, lens coatings, and even melt some plastics. As for bear pepper sprays, they work, but remember that they are just a big can of pepper spray which can blow back in the wind and will trigger asthma attacks in people prone to them. Use a bear can, stay safe, and enjoy Yosemite! I lived in Healdsburg for a couple years, really miss everything you have in reasonable driving distance there.
-CJ

 

[dbreid]

I have a Suburban also, and I am in Yosemite ALL THE TIME (and Kings Canyon, etc etc). I sleep in my truck, and I keep food in the truck with me (windows rolled up) and keep a clean camp. ANd no bear has ever bothered me.

That doesn't mean I am flip about bears. I take them seriously (a fed bear is a dead bear), and took extra precautions when camping in Yellowstone, Glacier and Banff (also sleeping in the suburban). But there is no way a little black bear is going to make it into a full size Suburban.

If you were, through some freak, to find a bear sniffing around your truck at night, slide into the drivers seat, start the engine, and honk a few times.

And bugs aren't much of an issue in Yosemite.

-Dan

 

[bobcat charlie]

Dan,

Different bears in Yellowstone and Glacier! I have camped in Yosemite, and all over Montana and I act differently when the big guys are around.

A few years ago we were in a tent cabin in Yosemite valley. Left a bad of marshmellows in an ice chest sitting in the opening to the tent. Around 2AM we were visited by a good sized black bear who proceeded to beat the heck out of the locked ice chest...all the time the wife is yelling "Do something!". I was already yelling and banging a pot, the Bear did not appear to care. Bear eventually got the lid off, grabed the bag of marshmellows and trotted off across the valley.

Lived in Billings and camped all over Montana and I ALWAYS use a bear bag to hang the food. Cook away from the truck and keep a very clean camp. I've seen a truck cab that a grizley pealed open and it made me a real believer!

Mickey

 

[ccarley]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I've talked to my wife, and she is less worried now after hearing all of this. We're leaving tonight for Santa Cruz, picking up a set of Smittybilt step bars in Mountain View on the way, and then to Yosemite either Friday or Saturday. I think it's Saturday. Should be a nice long relaxing weekend.

Clay

 

[Maximus Ram]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I've talked to my wife, and she is less worried now after hearing all of this. We're leaving tonight for Santa Cruz, picking up a set of Smittybilt step bars in Mountain View on the way, and then to Yosemite either Friday or Saturday. I think it's Saturday. Should be a nice long relaxing weekend.

Clay

Have fun. Just you , your wife and 30 thousand other peopleeepwall::jump:

 

[ccarley]

Have fun. Just you , your wife and 30 thousand other peopleeepwall::jump:

Haha, yeah, that's the big concern I have... Labor Day weekend, it's like, who won't be out there?

Clay

 

[Maximus Ram]

If you can't or don't want to stay in the park. There are some nice campgrounds outside of the park.
Big Sandy and Little sandy are neat, but can get crowded
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/recreation/camping/campgrounds/bigsandy.shtml