[pct-l] Bear Canister Q

[George Wysup]

Stephen and all,
    I've done a lot of hiking in Sierra and I constantly battle with the bears, especially in the Nat'l Parks.
The bears prefer that you try the stealth technique. I recommend you bite the bullet and spend the $200+ to buy the large Bear-i-kade. It's much lighter than a Garcia and works better than the Bear Vault, it holds all the food you could possibly want to carry, and it makes a convenient stool to sit on. If you go stealthy, you are just plain lucky if you don't get raided. If a bear gets your food you can get fined by a ranger for feeding the bears.
    Another thing, the bears are everywhere, not just in the Sierra. You have no doubt seen bear poop from Mexico to Canada. It's just that they aren't so well trained outside the NPs. But they can still get your food if you do a sloppy job of hanging.
    By the way, here are some of the things I have learned about the CA black (trash) bears.
These bears are nothing like grizzlies, so are generally not a safety concern - unless you get really stupid and get between mama and cubs. They will not try to take your food from you if in your possession. But if you get careless and they get at your pack, then they figure you don't really want it and it's theirs. And it is. These bears think nothing of going to 12,000' if they know campers will be there. They can be very resourceful in getting at your food. Any method of hanging is not apt to work. Bears tend to come around dinner time (they can smell your cooking for miles) and, if they think they might get a meal, they will hang around all night.
    I have found that, even with their marvelous sense of smell, bears can't smell freeze dried food that is in the factory package. That really doesn't help much. One favorite trick, for enjoyment, is to hang an old stuff sack or plastic bag full of leaves or trash on a tree limb. Watch them go for it.
    One more thing, off this subject: A good reason to carry trekking poles is that these make you appear more of a threat to mountain lions - as if the poles are little rifles or some kind of dangerous weapon. They also help to keep dogs away; not a PCT concern, I hope.
    My first contribution. I'm just a lurker. I hike 5 mile pieces of PCT just to get to peaks. At 72, I'm not likely to thru hike, but I have nothing but admiration for those of you who do it. Interesting to read about all this ultralight stuff - tarps and what not. Hiked JMT many years ago with average 60# pack. Not fun.

George (no moniker)