[pct-l] ursack issues and update

[herbstroh at charter.net]

I had a permit/bear can check encounter last year coming in from Horseshoe
Meadows. It was a Friday near a major trailhead, but still, they are out
checking.

An acquaitence of mine lost his ursack-protected food in Yosemite to bears.
They had it tied to a tree, and the bear(s) worked on it for over an hour,
finally destroying whatever they used to fasten it. Being experienced
hoodulums, they then went to work on knot for the bag and eventually got
in. No amount of pan-banging could distract them from the mission.

I hate carrying cans, but its the best way to protect food from loss and
may save some bears from being put down.

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Jack Young auctionjack at sbcglobal.net
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 14:50:33 -0700
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] ursack issues and update



Does anyone know if it is the policy of park rangers to ask hikers to show
their bear canister?  Or if a persistent ranger would do such a thing?  Has
anyone ever been busted with an URSACK in an area where it was not
approved.and if so what happened.  I am thinking about not taking the sleeve
for my URSACK on this summer's journey and trying to assess the risk. We
used the URSACK last summer in areas where it was not approved (High Sierra
Trail) and didn't have any trouble.I did have the sleeve then but it's still
not approved.  (I want to be careful here not to criticize our hard working
and underpaid park rangers.  They have my highest respect.it's the regs I
have issues with.)

I thought I read somewhere that it is possible even with current regs to
hike the JMT using the URSACK (a superior product IMHO) AND campsite bear
boxes. Trying to figure that out.  Any thoughts on that one?

>From the ursack  website: March 5, 2009 
There has been some movement in Ursack's lawsuit against federal officials.
The parties and their lawyers met in San Francisco on February 27, 2009.
Some progress was made, but at this time there is no determination if Ursack
will be approved for use in Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and King's
Canyon National Parks, or Inyo National Forest in 2009. All parties are
continuing to work toward a prompt resolution. Updates will be posted here
as appropriate.

BTW, I still have never seen a bear in the sierra backcountry.  Only in
Yosemite near people.


Thanks,

JY

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