Hi All...
Our family has planned a wonderful trip to Yosemite this summer. We are experienced hikers from the New England White Mountain area and plan to do some hikes in Yosemite. Our question is...How safe are the hiking trails in Yosemite concerning BEARS? We are used to shy black bears from the northeast and have heard that the bears out west aren't so shy..
Are we safe carrying food etc in our backpacks on the hiking trails in Yosemite?
Has anyone had any experience with this? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

The biggest bear concern at Yosemite is food storage when backpacking or camping. The bears in Yosemite are still black bears (not Grizzlies or Kodiak). I've never heard of Yosemite bears raiding the food out of a backpack on your back, though I've definitely heard of them breaking into an unattended car for food. If you are camping, use the metal food lockers at campsites conscientiously (or the "bear-proof" cannisters for backpacking), and you should be fine. Now the squirrels may raid your backpack while you are resting along the trail...

Over the last few years, the rangers at Yosemite have made good progress at (1) reducing the Yosemite bears' association between "humans" and "food" and (2) increasing the bears' association between "humans" and "trouble." For the most part, the bears are becoming far less agressive in trying to get food from human sources.

Unfortunately, one of the methods the rangers have had to use is to kill any bear that consistently raids campgrounds; in one case, they had to kill both a mother and her cubs learning how to break into cars from her.

The problem is that it takes just one stupid visitor to undo ten years of effort. So you can never be 100% certain that a bear you meet hasn't learned the "correct" association. I assume you understand what being "Bear Aware" means; in Yosemite it's VERY critical.

And above all, don't be that stupid visitor! As noted above, use EXTRA care in making your food bear proof. Yosemite is a place where any bear that learns "humans = food" will eventually be killed. So remember, if you allow a bear to eat any human food, you've just signed that bear's warrant for execution. You may not be the one to carry out the bear's killing, but you've authorized it.

Based on what I learned about black bears in Arizona and California, I agree with all of the above. I'm quite sure you'll be safe carrying food in your packs, and as experienced hikers you know to pack out everything you brought in, including food remnants, wrappers, etc. And please do be careful storing food when you're not on the move. Have a great trip!

Rangers explained to us that bears in Yosemite have become nocturnal in their quest for human food. In all my many years of trips and hikes there, I've only ever seen two bears during the daytime, but I've seen several dozen during the evening hours.

IMO, you can worry less about encountering a bear during a hike and more about a bear raiding the camp or car during the nighttime hours -- they have learned to be stealthy and seek food when the humans are not around.

You've received good tips here, just read the guides that you'll receive at the park entrance and follow them, and you'll be fine.

Although we did see a bear in Yosemite (but not while on a hike), we had more trouble with squirrels and steller's jays! Those suckers were aggressive if you were trying to picnic!

The advice above is good.

I just wanted to add that the definition of "food" that needs to be locked up in the bear boxes if you are camping or brought inside if you are staying at the lodge includes gum, chapstick, mints, soap, shampoo, etc. Basically anything that smells like it could be food. I have heard of bears raiding a camp to get someone's shampoo or breaking into a car because they smelled some gum.

It's not as scary as it seems - as long as you take the proper precautions, you wont have any problems.

Hi All...
Thanks so much for the BEAR advice! We are well aware of the bears definition of "food"..ie: gum, toothpaste, soap etc too..our main concern was how agressive they are on the hiking trails sniffing out those yummy products..sounds like its more of a nocturnal problem with cars,camping etc..we plan to stay at lodges so we'll be sure not to leave anything in the car at all..Thanks again!

This is sort of gross, but a friend of mine had her windshield broken and the back seat of a rental car ripped out at a campground in Yosemite by a bear that was in search of - get this - scented sanitary napkins. The rangers were very angry with her for not putting them in the locker. It never occurred to her. Yeah, "food" means a lot of things...Have fun and just be carfeul and you won't have any problems. P.S. Don't sleep in the clothes that you cooked in.