I've got a full canister of Counter Assault I've had for about seven years. I finally quit carrying it about 4 years ago since ninety percent of my hiking is done in either Georgia or California, and the bears in neither state concern me any longer. I know it's still good though - I tested it once last year on the neighbors' mutt that they allow to run wild at times. He hasn't wandered into my garage to bark at me since . . .


And for what it's worth, this was in July of last year at the Portal - about 50 feet from the picnic benches outside the store entrance:



I've also had a (very) close encounter in a condo garage in Mammoth Lakes, just outside the dumpster chute.

Last edited by Bulldog34; 06/05/12 07:27 PM. Reason: Added photo