Bear alert closes popular trails |
| July 18, 2013 |
|
Visitors to the Beehive and Harrison Lakes
Trails are being warned of bear activity in the
Beehive and Harrison Lakes area. As of July 17,
2013, these two trails and the surrounding area
in the Upper Pack River area are closed to the
public until further notice to ensure public
safety. The temporary closure is being enacted due to a bear recently entering a camp site near the Beehive Lakes Trail and removing camping equipment and human food. Visitors to the national forest are also reminded that there is a mandatory food storage order in effect from April 1 through December annually. All food and beverages including canned food, soda and beer, garbage, grease, processed livestock or pet food and scented flavored toiletries must be unavailable to bears and stored in bear resistant containers at night and when unattended. For more information on proper food storage, members of the public are encouraged to visit the Idaho Panhandle National Forest's food storage web site. Forest visitors should understand that some caution should be exercised whenever they are in bear country. Bear sightings are not unusual, but bears may be unpredictable at times. Temporary closures are the first step in ensuring public and bear safety when problematic encounters occur. For more information please contact the Sandpoint Ranger District at (208) 263-5111 or visit the Idaho Panhandle National Forests website, http://www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf. |