[pct-l] PCT Bear Canister Loan Program - Request for Donations

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

Hi Mendorider,

I hate carrying the can, too. But learned the hard way. Bears are amazing and smart animals.

A few years ago we were headed into try Clarence King. My friend, J, was anti-bear can. He had mountaineered all through the Sierra, ,but had not been out since the late '80s. His plan was to sink his food in a lake in a dry sack.

We decided on an late start from Onion Valley and camped at Little Pothole Lake. My gf and I had our food in a Garcia. My friend decided to counter-balance. His setup was perfect, it could have been used in a textbook.

To mke a long story short, the bear got his food. We saw the tracks the bear left. He had walked right by our Garcia and didn't even stop to knock it over. He totally ignored it. No opsaks, it was smelly, but the bear knew he wasn't going to get in and left it alone.

Good luck on your ride!

Gary

---- Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote: 
> Gary,

I live in Agua Dulce. Donna Saufley has loaned me three Garcia Bear Canisters 
for my ride this summer. I am riding SOBO from Sierra City to Horseshoe Meadows 
and will carry the Bear Canisters, on my horse, the entire distance. Two are for 
processed horse feed (12 pounds in each) and one for my food. I realize that 
they are not required everywhere. It is simply easier for me to use just one 
packing system. I will also use OP Saks in places where bears are a problem so 
bears won't smell food inside the Canisters - and therefore will not be 
attracted to my camp area. I used OpSaks in other parts of the PCT where bears 
were a problem. Bears never visited my camps.

MendoRider




________________________________
From: "gwschenk at socal.rr.com" <gwschenk at socal.rr.com>
To: Gerry Zamora <gerry0625 at gmail.com>
Cc: PCT <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Sat, January 22, 2011 9:26:20 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] PCT Bear Canister Loan Program - Request for Donations

---- Gerry Zamora <gerry0625 at gmail.com> wrote: 
> What about bear bagging?  Or is this not accepted?

No, not in the bear can REQUIRED areas. Bear bagging does NOT work in the 
national parks of California. The bears figured out bear
back in the '90s.

These regulations are not in place to protect your food from the bears. The 
rules are in place
to protect the bears from your food.

Once a bear learns humans equate to easy food, that bear has a death sentence 
over its head. They no longer try to relocate
human food habituated bears. They shoot them.

Please give our bears a break when you visit California and carry a bear can 
where it is needed.

Gary
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