[pct-l] Bears and SBH food protection

[kmurray at pol.net]

Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes said:

"I only bought a small bear can thinking that would work, but my food
doesn't fit. I've been using an ursack since day one just in case any
squirrels or other rodents came along. I've been trying to put
wrappers and food I can afford to lose or that isn't as smelly in the
ursack and the rest in the bear can. It's the best I can do. I
haven't seen a bear or signs of a bear in the Sierras yet, except for
way back near Tehachapi. I have only gotten as far as Bishop Pass,
though.

I'm planning to return to the trail this weekend, start at Mammoth
and take a nice detour on the JMT to Yosemite Valley. My hope is that
the popular camp sites will have bear boxes and I can use those in
this trouble area.

I'm not trying to skirt the law. I just made a mistake in the size of
my can. A big one would have been better since they weigh the same,
but I didn't think I could fit a big one in my pack so I got the
small one.

Anyway, after all that time spent hauling tons of water through
Southern California, a bear can weighs nothing.

Diane"

Diane, I'm sorry, but your lack of planning doesn't excuse you from the
regulations, and from good practices.

You bought the wrong can.  Ok, so buy the right can.  It doesn't fit in
your pack?  Then buy an appropriate pack. If you don't do these things,
you ARE trying to skirt the law, which requires all the stuff in an
approved bear can, and which you know, but knowingly are not doing.
Inconvenience does not excuse you from regulations or good practices.

What is more troubling than this action from most people, is that you are
making a point of representing your organization, Santa Barbara Hikes.  Is
this representative of how they do things?  I think that leaders of the
hiking community have an obligation to do things to a very high level.

Wilson's Eastside Sports carries everything that you need, and is a
fantastic store, to boot, right there in Bishop. Most convenient.  They
might even give you credit for your inadequate can.

Hope your hike goes well, and the bears leave you alone.  I'm sure my
friend in Yos, whose job it is to kill the bears that become accustomed to
human food, hopes so even more than I.