[pct-l] PCT Perpetual Bear Canister Loan Program - Attention: 2008 thru-hikers

[enyapjr at comcast.net]

Attention: 2008 thru-hikers - announcing the second season of the PCT Perpetual Bear Canister Loan Program...

2008 thrus - are you on a very tight budget, having limited finances, do you come from an area of the US and
won't have any use for a bear canister after your thru-hike, or are you coming from overseas to thru-hike the PCT?
You may be able to borrow a bear canister for your PCT thru-hike for 'free' (except return shipping)...  

In 2007, 13 bear canisters were available for loan ('free' except for return shipping) to nobo PCT thrus...  This
'program' started somewhat by accident - I had posted to pct-l offering my bear canister for free to a cash-strapped
2007 PCT thru...  I received many replies in very short order - so what to do?...  Plan B - I asked numerous vendors
to donate bear canisters and many did so - also received some private donations...

For 2008 there will a few more canisters added to the inventory...  There will also be a 'one-on-one' loan system in
which someone can loan their bear canister to a thru without donating it to the permanent inventory - the lender
would ship it when/where the thru requested, the thru borrowing it would return ship the bear canister directly to
the lender...

This program is currently NOT done on a 'first come - first served basis', but rather on a show of some need...  
For those that can afford to purchase a bear canister, BearVault now has an excellent buy program (formerly a
rental program) - a BV400 for $65 including shipping to Kennedy Meadows or Tuolumne Meadows or Echo Lake
(that's the lowest price on the internet when shipping is included, plus they send it to you right on the PCT) - see
<http://www.bearvault.com/bearvault_pct.php> for full info...  

If you think you might qualify for a 'free' bear canister loan for your 2008 PCT thru-hike, please contact me off-list via
email - and please explain your reason or need to borrow a bear canister for your PCT thru-hike...  Thank you.

Happy holidays and...  Happy trails!!!
Jim Payne