Forest Scares the Bears and Derrick Knob Shelter

When I arrived at Mollies Ridge Shelter last night, there was an Appalachian Trail runner there warning everyone of high bear activity in this part of the Park. We get warnings like that from time to time, so I didn't think too much about it, but like always made sure that all of my food, toothpaste, meds, and anything else with a scent were in my bear bag well away from the tent. Both exhausted, Forest and I turned in early.

At about 1 a.m., Forest let out a sleepy bark, and we heard something heavy running away. It must have been an adult bear, because just a minute or two later, a cub actually touched our tent; in the wind neither Forest nor I heard it until it was right next to us. Then, it must have smelled Forest, gotten scared and run away after the other bear(s). Needless to say, some of us had trouble going back to sleep after that; it was a long night.

A crowd of hikers were talking about what happened at lunch today. Apparently, when Forest barked, the bears ran in an all-out panic. One took out a tent as he sprinted through the campsite; talk about a rude awakening! It will be interesting to see if some of the hikers try to stay with us for the remainder of the Trail through the Smokies. I think the legend of Forest is beginning to grow; by the end of the Trail, I wonder how many people will have heard of him.

Camp Hero: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

If you remember, I told you yesterday that dogs are not typically allowed in the Park; that's probably why the bears were brave enough to come into camp, and why just one "Woof" from Forest sent them packing. That, and the bears have learned to associate campsites with food, thanks to some careless hikers who don't understand the importance of keeping food, etc., carefully contained and stored away from the tents.

Thanks to all the excitement and the time it took to go back to sleep, we got a later start than I had planned this morning, leaving camp at about 10:15. We made decent time, though, arriving at Derrick Knob Shelter (mile 188.8 of the Trail) at about 7:30 p.m. Another 12-mile day. Here's hoping for a quieter night!