[pct-l] bear bagging

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Melanie,



Ursack was originally believed to have passed the real-bear test, but
subsequently it failed in field use.  The later addition of a metal “stove
pipe” liner was also deemed unsuccessful by testing.  I have two of them –
one with the removable liner, and one without the liner that I scrounged out
of a hiker barrel somewhere – and I use one or the other occasionally.



I like them.  A determined bear could probably eventually rip the bag apart,
but I tether it close enough to my bed that I can hear the resulting
commotion and get up to give him a good scolding and send him on his way.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Sat, Jan 1, 2011 at 7:00 PM, Melanie Clarke <melaniekclarke at gmail.com>wrote:

> Dear PCT, or Chuck,
>
> Why is the Ursack illegal?  I loved the Ursack.
>
> Melanie
>
> On Sat, Jan 1, 2011 at 6:24 PM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>wrote:
>
>> Good evening, Mike,
>>
>>
>>
>> It is very rare to see any PCT hiker bag/hang food – anywhere.  Doing so
>> is
>> not allowed as a substitute for using an approved bear ‘can in designated
>> areas.  The last time I bagged/hung food was on an Ontario canoe trip many
>> years ago.  Usually I ditch the ‘can at Echo Summit south of Lake Tahoe,
>> but
>> once I did carry a non-approved Ursack for a while north of there because
>> there were some curious bears in that general area.  Even then I didn't
>> hoist it up; I just tethered it at ground level to a small tree.
>>
>>
>>
>> On the remainder of the PCT north there are lots of bears but they keep
>> their heads down and a hiker will be lucky to see one.
>>
>>
>>
>> Steel-Eye
>>
>> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>>
>> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>>
>> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 1, 2011 at 5:16 PM, Michael Pinkus <mikepinkus at hotmail.com
>> >wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > Hi All,
>> > So, bear cannisters are required on some parts of the trail, I'm
>> assuming
>> > that you bear bag it on the rest of the trail? I only ask this as I've
>> never
>> > read anything about it anywhere. We bear bag everywhere here in Canada
>> > unless you are camping when they're hibernating.
>> >
>> > anyone?
>> >
>> > cheers,
>> > Mike
>> >
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