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Bear Safety Guidelines

 Don’t leave your pack unattended on the trail.

 Keep all food, trash, or scented items in a bear-proof canister or safely hung from a tree.

 Pack out all trash.

 Don’t allow bears to approach your food—make noise, wave your arms, throw rocks. Be bold, but keep a safe distance and use good judgment.

 If a bear gets into your food, you are responsible for cleaning up the mess.

 Never attempt to retrieve food from a bear.

 Never approach a bear, especially a cub.

 Report any incidents to the appropriate authority.

Though present in the greater Tahoe area, mountain lions, also known as cougars, are rarely seen by humans. Ranging in length from 6.5 to 8 feet and weighing as much as 200 pounds, mountain lions are primarily nocturnal, patrolling a vast range. Though mule deer are their principal food source, mountain lions will stalk smaller mammals as well. At an average weight of 20 pounds, the bobcat is the mountain lion’s smaller cousin. Also nocturnal and equally reclusive, bobcats prefer a diet of rodents. You’re much more likely to hear their blood-curdling scream during the night than see bobcats in the wild.