Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Free Climbing Gear

Hi The overflow parking lot is turning into a free climbing gear depot. Looks like it must be extra since they are breaking the windows and hanging the gear out on display? Parking in the picnic area is working, also several windows broken to let the fresh air in and display more extra gear on the pavement, You could lock the bear boxes after you put the food in but that is extra work. How fast can you run between the car and bear box ? Thank the folks since May that have failed to secure the food. Your trip will have the added experience of losing your food and gear. Thanks Doug

What Doug has posted is exactly what we watched happen the other night (6/24) while in the overflow parking lot.
Several of us parked there with the idea of getting a few hours sleep in the bed of my pick up truck before getting a very early morning start. Within an hour of bedding down the mosquitoes were feasting on us so we jumped in the truck cab for the last couple of hours before leaving.
Just after getting in the cab and starting to doze off we watched a good sized bear and her cub go systematically from car to car in the lot and walk around each one. When they reached an SUV which already had it's rear window torn out the adult stood up and put her head in the window void and rooted around inside the storage area. They then walked to the rear of my truck and the adult got up on the bumper of my truck, looked into the bed of my truck and sniffed around.
I'm just glad we had decided to get eaten up by the mosquitoes and get out of the bed before these two had arrived.

Doug, you kill me . . .

So, free entertainment after sundown, too!

All this crazy weather. The portal isn't the only place with tons of critters.....seems to be up in No.Cal. too, along with
the CA sierras.

Just curious Just Bob; With your fury visitors, wondering if
you were caught off guard and your "Bear-ings" were off and if you
had to high tail it outta there "Bear-footed"?
Hu

Oh I see you got your computer back! (Congrats!)
Yes, I was caught off guard by these two and I couldn't "bear" the sight of these two tearing up my truck so I later made "tracks" to the "Den" Bar in S. California. I later checked my insurance policy for a bear clause ("Claws") and found my damages would not be covered in any occurred.

(You kill me with your Puns. Welcome back)

Well, bear in mind that after the summer, there must be a bearage of claims for auto insurance companies.....especially for vacationers who travel to the national parks.

Hu

Doug cracks me up. We enjoyed a great trip last weekend and didn't encounter any bear issues.

When we parked, two rangers were inspecting cars and posting bright notes on any that had left food or scented items out, so we were extra meticulous to ensure we hadn't left anything. Fortunately, all was well with the car when we returned.

To whomever left the large cooler full of cold beer (without a lid) in the same bear locker I stored my stuff, I may or may not owe you a cold one.