[pct-l] Bear Spray

[Julia Haskin]

Interesting. I’ve been doing research on a backcountry trip in Glacier NP this summer, and I could have sworn that I saw their website recommend carrying bear spray. So I went back and looked, and sure enough: "Carry Bear Spray. Bear spray is an inexpensive way to deter bear attacks and has been shown to be the most effective deterrent. Be sure you know how to use it and that you are carrying it in an accessible place. Check the Ranger-led Activity Guide <http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/inforequest/inforequest3.cfm> for summer demonstrations.” (http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/bears.htm <http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/bears.htm>)

So I did a further search on the National Park Service website as a whole, and both Yellowstone and Grand Teton also have pages recommending carrying bear spray. And I didn’t see any page (in the first page of search results) that said anything about bear spray being prohibited.

::shrug:: Bottom line is, I don’t think it’s actually prohibited in national parks. (Let’s hear it for conflicting information!) Whether or not you need it in the parks you head through on the PCT, or whether you need it at all, is another matter. :-)


From: David Austin <davidaustin777 at gmail.com <mailto:davidaustin777 at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Spray
Date: February 19, 2016 at 10:15:40 PM PST
To: "pct-l at backcountry.net <mailto:pct-l at backcountry.net>" <pct-l at backcountry.net <mailto:pct-l at backcountry.net>>

I went to a REI Mt. Whitney class last night. Someone asked about bringing
bear spray. The instructor said that bear spray was illegal in national
parks. I searched to confirm.

> From this site: http://sierrawild.gov/bears/faq <http://sierrawild.gov/bears/faq>

*Should I carry bear spray?*
Bear spray is commonly recommended in grizzly country, but most visitors
don’t carry it in the Sierra - *its possession in national parks is
prohibited*.