[pct-l] Bear encounter before Kennedy Meadows

[James Vesely]

This was a discussion on the effectiveness of OPSak’s not Ursack’s you got your sacks crossed :-) .  

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From: AsABat [mailto:AsABat at 4Jeffrey.net] 
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 10:45 AM
To: James Vesely; Edward Anderson
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear encounter before Kennedy Meadows

 

It was NOT a standard Ursack. It was an Ursack Minor, NOT designed for bears but only for mice. It couldn't be expected to keep a bear out like a regular Ursack, but they didn't anticipate a bear. 



AsABat
PCT Water Reports Socal http://pct.4jeffrey.net 
Send water updates to water at 4jeffrey.net



James Vesely <JVesely at edmsupply.com> wrote:

Results may vary.  



Copied from the blog,  https://mexicotocanada.com/2012/06/09/day-46-51-farewell-desert-hello-bear/



“That photo of the Ursack is nuts!! I have one that I’ve used once, and now I’m convinced that it will be the last time I rely on it too. Bear cans are really the only way to be sure, too bad they are so heavy! Though, after Tahoe you enter the land of the hunted bear, and apparently that makes them more avoidant of people….?



On a related note: those “odor-proof bags”? NOT. My first night out of KM, with a brand new OPSak for my “overflow” food, we camped on the hill above the bridge over the Kern - halfway through the night I heard rustling near my food, and after a few curious visits, I pulled it in my tent. Sure enough, the mouse had chewed right through it. I stress that it was brand new, so I really doubt there was a plethora of food odors on the outside of the bag. You might as well get 50′ of line now and carry it with you to Canada. 



I never had a bear encounter, but the mice were mightier forces: the last night before Canada, we set up camp in a snow storm, and because we were hitting town the next day and because I was terribly cold, I set my food bag in my vestibule instead of hanging it on a critter line; a mouse chewed through my tent on the opposite side trying to get at it. Just glad I shooed him off before I ended up with a mouse running circles over me! 



I guess you guys have a crazy story to tell in your old age, eh? As if the PCT isn’t one enough…. Glad that nothing more than your food supply was compromised, and great that you were close-ish to a town! Keep up the good work, keep up the good times! Liz.”



 



 



________________________________







From: Edward Anderson [mailto:mendoridered at yahoo.com] 

Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:50 AM

To: James Vesely

Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net; Brick Robbins

Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear encounter before Kennedy Meadows



 



Hi James,



 



I have read your opinion regarding the likely effectiveness of OPSaks in keeping food safe from "animals".  What I stated was not based on subjective opinion - it is based on what I have learned from real, on trail, experience and, as I said, extensive testing. My laboratory is my barn. Since I live in the hills above Agua Dulce, we have lots 



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