First time camping in bear country in popup.
We're heading to RMNP in 2 weeks and staying at East Portal campground in a popup for 3 nights.(Then down to Dillon lake for 2 nights then down to lake Pueblo for a night) I have a couple questions co...
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We were in RMNP Moraine Park CG last month and flyers were posted everywhere including bathroom doors saying there were bears seen in the CG, with reminders of the guidelines.
Tent campers (not young people, probably in late 50s or older) across from our site were traveling with relatives in an RV In the next site over. They all came back mid-evening, cooked dinner, and ignored the guidelines to put boxes in the trunk, not visible in the car itself. They also left a cooler, cooking pots and other items on the RV site's picnic table. A bear came along in the night, opened the tent site's car door to remove a food storage box inside, and proceeded to have a picnic. His dusty paw marks were visible next to the door handle.
I came out to walk the dog at 5:30 a.m. and there was trash all over their campsite. The tent woman later said they heard noises but were afraid to go out. She emerged later in the night to go to the bathroom and saw car door standing open and a coyote nearby finishing beef jerky the bear left behind. I wish people could just follow park rules so the bears don't become acclimated to people and then pay the price.
It's good to know you are not one of those oblivious people and are thinking ahead. If I were you, I'd just ask the Park Rangers for those items you aren't sure about.
Enjoy RMNP! It's beautiful.
Tent campers (not young people, probably in late 50s or older) across from our site were traveling with relatives in an RV In the next site over. They all came back mid-evening, cooked dinner, and ignored the guidelines to put boxes in the trunk, not visible in the car itself. They also left a cooler, cooking pots and other items on the RV site's picnic table. A bear came along in the night, opened the tent site's car door to remove a food storage box inside, and proceeded to have a picnic. His dusty paw marks were visible next to the door handle.
I came out to walk the dog at 5:30 a.m. and there was trash all over their campsite. The tent woman later said they heard noises but were afraid to go out. She emerged later in the night to go to the bathroom and saw car door standing open and a coyote nearby finishing beef jerky the bear left behind. I wish people could just follow park rules so the bears don't become acclimated to people and then pay the price.
It's good to know you are not one of those oblivious people and are thinking ahead. If I were you, I'd just ask the Park Rangers for those items you aren't sure about.
Enjoy RMNP! It's beautiful.
