My only experience with backpacking is in the ADK region. Maurauding bears were a constant problem. From early evening to mid morning. My Bear container was they only thing that kept my food safe. In fact, I was the only one on a particular weekend to not lose my food. I have never been to Shenandoah and hope to go there this summer. What are the shenandoah bears like? Do I need my container or are hangs enough? Do I absolutely need to counter balance ? Thanks for any help.
Northernhker
Most of the bears in the park will run at the sight or smell of people. I jog the section of the trail between compton gap and chester gap where the hostel is about 4 days a week. Last summer while on my jog most of the bears I encountered ran away but a few of them wacthed me closely as I passed and didn’t run. I did read an entry in the tom floyd shelter that a hiker had his packed ripped apart after he dropped and left it on the trail. I have never had a problem with them in the 20 years I have hiked in the park.
Scaper
Since you’ve got a bear container and are used to carrying and using it, I’d go with that. Also should keep the mice, raccoons, etc out of your food.
All people do not behave the same and all bears do not behave the same. So most of them are afraid of humans, some are not, some of the big males are spoiling for a fight with anything (just like humans). So be prepared for whatever. Most of the AT does not have really bad bear problems, in fact very few bear problems except in places where people have feed the bears. “A feed bear is a bad bear” always wanting a handout and being very very persistent about it, even stealing your food.
See you out there.:cheers
Maintain
I have backpacked within the past few years both in the Adirondacks and the Shenandoah’s.
The bears in the Adirondacks are smarter than the average bear. Bear canisters are the only way to go when camping at one of the popular areas there, such as Lake Coldin, Flowed Lands, or Marcy Dam. In Shenandoah National Park, there are bear poles at the shelters. So, when staying near there, use the bear poles. Otherwise, just throw up a quick bear line, and your food should be fine.
Peaks
Thanks for the info! As for the ADK’s had the Bushnell and slant rock sites to “bear problem” areas. Some bears grabbed packs not ten feet from the owners!
Northernhker
Ok, this is an off base response, but every time i read about bears tearing into someones pack, like above, it reminds me of an ABSOLUTELY TRUE story from extremem western NC, Eastern Tn border from the 1980’s while i was in college. Some guys were out squirrel hunting one day and came across a duffel bag that had been torn open by a bear, and the contents had been pillaged and partially devoured. the contents you ask??? several kilo’s of powdered cocaine wrapped inplastic. the bear you ask?? laying beside the duffel bag with a powdery snout and a decomposing body. apparently, the druggies (remember the mid eighties was the cocaine boom) apparently were being chased by a dea plane, and dumped cargo in several places on their way to knoxville, tennessee. one of the druggies actually died when he jumped out of the plane near knoxville and his parachute didn’t open correctly and he had a high velocity impact with terra forma. the dead bear was found several months later, and the duffel bags was connected to the guy who jumped and died in knoxville. the area where it was found is on direct line from miami to knoxville. it was all the talk locally for several weeks and a mystery until the drugs were linked to the failed parachutist. just goes to show you, bears like more than snickers bars and honey. be carefull what you take in the woods with you. 
(I swear this is an absolutely true story)
Big Dee
I know the story of the drug trafficers and the duffel bags to be true, but I’d never heard of the bumped-off bear. Too wacky,indeed!
retugo