[CedarDave]

Bears are in hibernation and the smallish black bears don't pose much of a problem for older women anyway (young women who are menstruating can be attacked). Cougars? I don't how many are left in the Gila. Also have re-introduced wolves in the area.

[reagandemo]

I was in the Santa Christa (sp) back a year and a half ago for a two week hiking and camping trip ran into bears but did not see any cougars. Other people did, not me. Also bears have a strange habit of coming out of hibernation on occasion for some strange reason. I would not want to run into one then.