Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board For those who spend time on Mt. Baldy

I live in Rancho Cucamonga, and have a friend who lives in the foothills. Bears (and a Bobcat) have been spotted rummaging through garbage cans at houses in the foothills. This past spring, I saw a baby bear in the parking lot of Icehouse Canyon, looking for food, (and looking into cars). The coyotes are coming down quite far this year, (I have seen three this week in the middle of the night).

Spoke to a ranger this past week, that said they know a lot of Whitney hikers train on Baldy. Wanted me to pass on that although the bears on Baldy aren't very large, they are getting more aggressive, and to be sure you leave nothing scented in your vehicle, and please don't leave trash on the trail.

I know it's not really the hikers who are an issue, and Baldy gets a lot of day visitors who aren't familiar with bear issues, but if you see anyone with food in their car, you might want to spread the word.

Thanks!

When I was at the Ranger station at Lone Pine, the Ranger at the desk told me that scented items in the car also include sunblock, and even chapstick! So basicly just clear out your car as if you were going to Whitney Portal when you go to Baldy or any of the other locations. Recently there have been many reports of bears coming down to the local areas, so the problem may get worse.

I've seen piles of scat in the first mile of the Bear Canyon trail for years and its my understanding that the bears live in close proximity to the village. I use to ride a mountain bike around the canyons of Claremont and La Verne and those areas in and around Marshall, Live Oak and Webb Canyons, which connect up to Baldy through Potato and Sunset have always had bears who have often come down and pillaged trash in both foothill communities. Ditto coyotes in Claremont, whose residents bring their small dogs and cats in at night if they want them in one piece in the morning. To hear a "coyote concert" all you had to do was go to the Wilderness Park at Sunset. I've seen coyotes that venture down the spillway below the dam and have even sighted them on Arrow Highway next to the mall; however, I always saw a lot more of all wildlife before the big fires of October 2003. Seems like there use to be a lot more rattlers both on the ridge climbing out of Bear Canyon and all up and down Ice House, not to mention a lot more bighorn sheep that would sometimes come down to the stream next to the ski hut to drink or roam up and down on the ridge above the Bowl. Been years since I can remember them there. Occasionally, now I'll spot a bighorn near the Ice House Saddle if it's a week day but it's pretty rare these days with the crowding, noise and such.

Last year in the Ice House parking lot there was a little guy not much bigger than a cub that was going to town with a cooler left in the back of a service truck. He wasn't being scared off to easily either and this was about ten in the morning. Haven't seen him since.

Yes Randy, very well stated!! They do indeed expect the problem to get worse, and treating Baldy like Whitney Portal is exactly what people need to do.

LeeTintary -

I saw that same cub! I haven't seen him since either. After talking with some other hikers, I believe he was relocated. I never saw the mamma, but yes, he was a very bold little guy.

There are so many "tourist types" on Baldy who haven't a clue, and I'm amazed at all the food and trash that gets left next to cars. Particularly in Icehouse Parking lot. Last January, I picked up 7 bags of trash and 2 dirty diapers left in the open. You see a lot of garbage on the weekends up the trail to Manker Falls also. Last weekend, there were 4 bags of garbage sitting right next to the bear-proof garbage can at the bottom. Jeez....don't they realize the bear-proof garbage can is there for a reason?

My neighbors think I'm nuts because every weekend, I come home with garbage bags in my car, which I unload into my garbage cans. Come to think of it, I bet that does look strange!

Hi I like Baldy. Doug