Forest Service: Bears break into cars at Desolation Wilderness trailhead
Its not just a picnic basket bears have been after at the Desolation Wilderness Bayview Trailhead last week. Some hikers have returned from the trail to find their cars not only broken into, but ransacked.
Pictures on the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Twitter page have shown windows torn from their frames and the foam from seats pulled apart.
Bears want food, and if food, not matter how small of trace, is left in a car, they will go after it.
These break-ins are a good reminder to not leave food in cars, no matter if the door is locked or not.
Have kids and the smell of food is always in the car? One way to keep the bears out of your vehicle is this simple trick:
Put PineSol into a food storage container with a sanp-on lid and leave on the floor of the car. When not on the car leave the lid off. When driving, snap the lip back on. Bears do not like the cleanser's smell, but the best practice is to never leave any food in your car.
Because bears (and other animals) are attracted to anything edible or scented, improper storage of human food and other scented items and improper disposal of refuse is a leading cause of human-bear conflict, according to the Forest Service. Go here for tips on bear-human prevention measures.