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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried about camping in America?

101 replies

3lionsonapoacher · 08/07/2018 07:46

In August we're doing a road trip from San Francisco to Utah. Idea was we'd get hotels along the way but it's taking out expensive.
DH said he'd love to camp somebody of it and I agreed it sounded lovely, sleeping under the stars, next to lakes etc and we do a lot of camping in England so I agreed.

However after looking into it, all the areas we're going to a frequented by bears!! And I'm shitting myself that we'll end up in a situation. It just doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

AIBU to insist we just stick to hotels for this reason?

OP posts:
LittleNoSleep · 08/07/2018 19:38

Bubbles I really want to read that book. Think it was self-published, so £120 on Amazon Shock. Where did you get it? And which charity shop will you be leaving it at when you’re done? Grin

Notquiteagandt · 08/07/2018 21:06

little no sleep & bubbles off topic sorry but the film of it can be watched on amazon prime. If you didnt already know. Its worth a watch.

bruffin · 08/07/2018 21:09

There is a good film out at the moment about a true story of Father and daughter found living in a national park in Portland Oregon. It's called Leave No Trace and the book is called My Abandonement

LittleNoSleep · 08/07/2018 21:14

Brilliant! Thank you. I’ll get on to both of those. I’ve got Prime.

theoldtrout01876 · 09/07/2018 02:13

I live in Massachusetts and camp in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont often. I know its the other coast and we only have black bears but apart from North Conway in New Hampshire bears will leave you alone if you follow the rules.

North Conway bears are different. It is a very touristy place, very popular with families, the bears are soooo used to humans and have ZERO fear. The hotels and condo rental complexes dont do bear proof trash, people feed them all the time. We had one stroll into our pitch as we were sitting in front of the campfire, strolled in, strolled around then moved on to the next pitch. My friend has a condo up there and a bear stole her bacon out the frying pan through her window one morning, while she was standing there cooking it.

I never even think of bears when camping, unless Im in North Conway, then Im constantly on watch.

halfwitpicker · 09/07/2018 02:23

Came on to mention Bill Bryson's Walk in the Woods.

LuMarie · 09/07/2018 02:29

@Notquiteagandt

You were chased by a bear on horseback?!!

Kursk · 09/07/2018 02:36

Brit living in the USA. Do it, it will be one of the best experiences of your life.

If you take the proper precautions you will be fine.

helacells · 09/07/2018 02:43

Watch Backcountry on Netflix ConfusedShock

Semster · 09/07/2018 03:20

I never even think of bears when camping, unless Im in North Conway, then Im constantly on watch.

I do love North Conway but I wouldn't camp there for that same reason!

The bear that raided our campsite for food was at Lincoln NH - again, they're so used to stupid campers leaving food out that they aren't scared of humans any more, and you can't scare them off by shouting at them.

Notquiteagandt · 10/07/2018 17:59

@LuMarie haha I was on the horse not mama bear just to clarify...now that id pay to see a bear riding a horse!

whippetwoman · 10/07/2018 18:18

Whatever you do, don’t watch The Revenant.

LeighaJ · 10/07/2018 18:25

@3lionsonapoacher

I'm from the US, you only go camping there without a gun if you don't mind being eaten by bears, wolves, a pack of coyotes, mountain lions etc.

We also have much scarier insects and spiders then in the UK.

Then there are the snakes...

There's a TV series called "I shouldn't be alive" have your husband watch it and see if he still wants to go camping in the US.

LuMarie · 10/07/2018 19:08

@Notquiteagandt

Lol, yes me too! If you were chased by a mama bear in horseback I would definitely want to come on a trip with you! Quite an image:)

Semster · 10/07/2018 21:40

I'm from the US, you only go camping there without a gun if you don't mind being eaten by bears, wolves, a pack of coyotes, mountain lions etc.

I won't go camping with anyone who brings a gun. The idea of someone trying to shoot a visiting bear in a campsite at night terrifies me more than I was terrified by an actual bear being 3 feet away from my children.

Bear spray is my compromise.

LeighaJ · 10/07/2018 23:19

@Semster

Well it's crying shame we'll never go camping together since you seem so polite and fun.

Semster · 10/07/2018 23:47

Um - those of us who don't want people shooting guns around our tents at night are just no fun Confused

Even the police round here don't use bullets on bears - they use pepperballs.

Plenty of organisations recommend using bear spray rather than guns. They're not doing it just to be rude.

SalemBlackCat · 10/07/2018 23:57

"I won't go camping with anyone who brings a gun. The idea of someone trying to shoot a visiting bear in a campsite at night terrifies me more than I was terrified by an actual bear being 3 feet away from my children."

Exactly. It is their territory we are encroaching on, after all. But the Americans and their obsession with guns. They just don't think like normal people in the rest of the western world do. Hmm There are some sights I'd love to see in America, but the country and their mentality as a whole is so backwards and barbaric. From the moment I got off the plane, I'd be terrified of being shot. And of course they don't really believe in health care so if you are shot, tough luck. As much as I would like, I can't visit there until they enter civilisation. Which is possibly not for another 200 years at the rate they are going. Iraq and Palestine will probably be civilised before America.

Semster · 11/07/2018 00:02

They just don't think like normal people in the rest of the western world do.

Well... Some of us do. And as you just quoted me I suspect you know that...

SalemBlackCat · 11/07/2018 00:04

Oops. Sorry. I thought you were in the UK.

Blush Blush

Kursk · 11/07/2018 03:15

SalemBlackCat

We really don’t think tthe way you discribe.

However I do agree that having a gun handy while camping is prudent as you are not at the top of the food chain.

Kursk · 11/07/2018 03:23

Even the police round here don't use bullets on bears

Because the standard police 9mm bullet would only piss off a bear. It only jut manages to kill people. You need at least .45 for a bear.

ApolloniaC · 11/07/2018 03:24

It's not just the bears Op. Rattlesnakes, spiders, scorpions, mountain lions. I live in California. There's creatures everywhere. Stay in air bnbs or cabins.

ApolloniaC · 11/07/2018 03:26

Ha! You must be crazy NOT to camp in bear territory wit a gun! How are you going to scare them off when they come sniffing at your tent at 3am?

fieryginger · 11/07/2018 03:58

Sounds too risky. However, your trip sounds great. I'd love to do that. Have a great time.