[pct-l] Yellow-Yellow

[Mary Kwart]

It seems the bear got into the Bear Vault type canister because it figured out how to unscrew the top. It's paws must be big enough to depress the opening mechanism and unscrew the lid. Bear canisters that require only a coin, key or knife blade to open would not have that weakness. I use an old Garcia type that I use a knifeblade or coin to turn some locking screws on the top of the canister. It has no lid to unscrew. The bears claws and paws can't get any purchase on it to get inside. Although I will never rule out that bears may learn to use tools to open these canisters someday--it has been a matter of jokes, but bears are extremely intelligent. They would have to have amazing dexterity and the equivalent of our opposable thumbs to be successful to get into one of the Garcia type canisters.

A bear has pawed my canister in Yosemite during several backpack trips, but never has gotten inside. Once the bears know they can't get into the canisters they see them and don't even try. Yellow-Yellow will undoubtedly pass on her success to other bears and the technique will spread. When the Sierras get a "Yellow-Yellow" type bear, the same will happen there. Bears will pick on the bear vaults and leave the other canisters alone.

--Fireweed