[pct-l] Bear Canisters
Ken Powers
ken at gottawalk.com
Fri Feb 27 18:02:59 CST 2009
I agree with everything you said except that the Glen Aulin bear box is not
accessible to PCT hikers. I thought that also until we stopped there in 2007
and stayed at Glen Aulin. The backpackers camp behind the "lodge" had
several bear boxes and we made use of one even though we were carrying a
bear canister. It was just easier. And a nice place to camp, even though
there were many other campers there.
Ken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Bankhead" <wandering_bob at comcast.net>
To: <boss9871 at aol.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Canisters
Just because a canister is not required does NOT mean it is not needed or
advised.
http://www.sierrawildbear.gov/foodstorage/map040108.pdf
This is the current map of canister-required areas but it is dated March
2008. Supposedly Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs and the Inyo NF were going to
expand their requirements to encompass everything in their control, just
like yosemite NP did last year. I'd wait until at least April 1 to see what
happens.
It is impossible to camp bear box to bear box throughout the entire
canister-required area; the distances are too great in spots. Suck it up and
plan on carrying the darn things. How far depends on how willing you are to
modify your hiking plan.
Option 1:
Rent a canister at (or ship yours to) Kennedy Meadows
Option 2:
Re-supply at Horseshoe Meadow or in Lone Pine (and then back to the trail at
HSM). Pick up your canister here at the start of the "canister-required"
zone. You can avoid carrying the canister from Kennedy Meadows to here.
Incidentally, there are lots of bear boxes at the HSM campground.
Option 3:
Camp every night at one of the bear boxes between Horseshoe Meadows and
Bubbs Creek. Make the hike to Onion Valley in one day and re-suppply there
or in Independence. Get your canister here. From here on, it's not possible
to reach a bear box each night - just too many miles and very few boxes.
Where to get rid of the @#$% thing?
It's 54 miles from Tuolumne Meadows to the northern boundary of Yosemite NP,
and the only bear box past TM is at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp (and so not
accessible to PCT hikers). Your first opportunity to ship it home or
possibly turn in a rental is 11 miles west of Sonora Pass at Kennedy Meadow
Resort (aka Kennedy Meadow North). Otherwise, you'll have to carry it all
the way to Echo Lake Resort by South Lake Tahoe.
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