[pct-l] bear canisters Complex problem... please help

Tue Mar 20 12:59:01 CDT 2007

Monte,
  The situation is not complex. You need a canister. 

  You cannot get to Donahue Pass from VVR without one (legally). They are very serious and for good reason. There have been several, very dangerous, bear attacks on tents in this area. If they catch you they will bust you. 

  Trust me on this. I know. Four years ago I sent a letter to INYO demanding that they enforce the regulations against thruhikers. I will remind them again as some thruhikers haven't seemed to get the message.

  You might get a break from a Ranger between Woods Creek and VVR. That area is not a heavy use area for weekenders and is in the National Park. You also might get a break in Yosemite if you make it over the Pass and, use the bear boxes at Tuolumne, then make 15 miles or so North the next hiking day.

montypct <montypct at gmail.com> wrote:
  I meant to send this to the list on a recent topic:
Forwarded late but I need help here.
----- Original Message ----- 

> Bear Canister Requirements:
>
> I think there's something wrong with my Topo or maybe the John Muir 
> Wilderness, the Ansel Adams Wilderness and/or the Sierra National Forest 
> from Kings Canyon to Donahue Pass are the within Inyo??? My Topo does not 
> show any of that as Inyo??????????????? Something is screwy here.
>
> Does anyone have that same problem or is my Topo right and Inyo is a few 
> miles to the northwest, at closest, to the PCT???
>
> Regulations per each area's site.
>
> Sierra National Forest- Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness "Bear Hang" 
> Requirements
>
> Which stretches from Kings Canyon to Donahue Pass.
>
> " 'Proper food storage is required to avoid having bears and wildlife eat
> your food. Use bear canisters, bear resistant panniers, or the 'bear hang'
> method to properly store your food and refuse. "
> http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/recreation/wilderness/wildregs.shtml
>
>
> And Yosemite per their site:
> Don't camp close too Donahue Pass (above 9600 feet).
> Canisters required within seven miles of the road at Tuolumne Meadows.
> There's bear boxes near the store in the campground and North at Glen 
> Aulen.
>
> There are no requirements 7 miles north of 120. 
> http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm
>
> "This requirement does not apply to food that's being transported or 
> eaten.":
>
> And also per the Yosemite's site:
>
> Requirements for the 13 miles from Donahue pass to Tuolumne Meadows (120) 
> then north 7 miles per Yosemite's shaded map
>
> http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/wilderness/bfoodstoragem.htm
>

> Seven miles north of Tuolumne there are no requirements.

> Another confusing question:
>
> How many miles do you travel OFF the Pacific Crest Trail before dropping 
> into the Dusy Basin. Is it normal for thru hikers to go there?
>
> Next??
>
> If all the above is correct, what wilderness areas requiring canisters do 
> not have a legal substitute of a bear box within a few miles, and how many 
> miles from legality is that?
>
> Another:
>
> Who has had a government employee lie (or see things different from actual 
> regulations) to them about these requirements?
> (I have)

>
> I'm for the use of canisters here but I think something more important is 
> missing.
>
> Warner Springs Monty
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> The answer depends on which portion of the JMT you're asking about, but
>> in general a canister will be required to travel the JMT without putting
>> in some long days. There are no exceptions or special considerations
>> for thru-hikers in terms of food storage requirements in the Sierra
>> parks and wilderness areas.
>>
>> Canisters are reqired for virtually all of the JMT within Yosemite:
>>
>> http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/wilderness/bfoodstoragem.htm
>>
>> There are food lockers at Little Yosemite Valley, Sunrise High Sierra
>> Camp, and Tuolumne Meadows.
>>
>> However, canisters are also required along the JMT within Inyo National
>> Forest, which is from Donohue Pass to roughly 1 mile north of Silver
>> Pass (this includes the portion of Sierra NF that is administered by
>> Inyo and presumably follows the same reguations), except for the Agnew
>> Meadow/Reds Meadow area that's not in the Ansel Adams Wilderness:
>>
>> http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/bear.shtml
>>
>> A strong hiker could make it from Tuolumne to Reds Meadow in a day,
>> "racing" through one of the most scenic stretches of the JMT.
>>
>> Sierra NF does not appear to require canisters anywhere, so the next
>> canister-required areas (heading south) are in Kings Canyon-Sequoia:
>>
>> http://www.nps.gov/archive/seki/snrm/wildlife/food_storage.htm
>>
>> Specifically, canisters are required in the Rae Lakes and Dusy Basin
>> areas, even for thru-hikers:
>>
>> "These regulations apply to all groups. Through hikers along the
>> Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail with a valid wilderness
>> permit must use portable, park approved, bear-proof food storage
>> containers or camp at sites with food storage lockers and use the
>> lockers. Hanging food (e.g. counterbalancing) in restricted areas is
>> prohibited until snow prevents access to food storage lockers."
>>
>> Canisters are also required in the Mt. Whitney Zone east of Trail Crest,
>> should one be able to get an overnight permit for this area:
>>
>> http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/bearmaps/Whitney_bear_canis
>> ter_map_revised.jpg
>>
>> Finally, the list of approved canisters:
>>
>> http://www.sierrawildbear.gov/foodstorage/approvedcontainers.htm
>>
>> Note that some Bearvaults (the older, lighter ones, of course...) are
>> not approved for the Rae Lakes area. The Ursack Hybrid is no longer
>> conditionally approved due to several failures in '06.
>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Len Roughgarden" 
>>> To: 

>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 3:23 PM
>>> Subject: [pct-l] bear canisters
>>>
>>>
>>> Last year I did the John Muir Trail and was required to use
>>> Bear Canisters.
>>> I heard theat thru hikers weren't required to use them. Is thatat so?
>>
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> 

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