Bear Takes Pack

The following e-mail was sent to ADK Headquarters.  It illustrates why the DEC is insistent that backpackers use bear canisters for their food and why they keep a clean camp.

August 13, 2007

Good day from Montreal,

I don't know if you can help me out but my son and I were backpacking in the area of Slant Rock leanto between July 29 and August 1 this summer and while tenting in the area of Slant Rock itself on our last night bears burst into our camp around two in the morning.  We did a great job of fending them off for an hour or so but after we thought they went away we went to bed.  Bad plan cuz mama bear came back after we were sleeping.  I guess she thought raiding our packs would have only awakened us so instead she took one entire pack and left [dangerous but funny as hell].  Anyway, with the help of others in the area we looked for over two hours the next morning to find the pack, all to no avail. 

Now I don't imagine the bears would have too much use for the pack or its contents once finished with it so maybe there's the outside chance the pack and/or it's contents may turn up at JBL or the ADK loj.  Is there any way you may confirm this?  The pack itself was a grey internal frame "Outbound" and it's contents included my perscription sunglasses, a fourteen inch Bowie knife [Kentucky toothpik] and a paperback book.

T. M.