[pct-l] message for the forum

[Eric Lee]

Robyn wrote:
>
I plan on hiking the PCT/JMT in a few weeks and this will be the first time
I have used a bear canister for my food.  I am slightly confused as to where
you store it at night?  Do you just place it on the ground away from your
tent?
>

Yup.

>
What's to prevent a bear from messing with it and pushing it away so you end
up losing it or having to search for it?
>

Nothing.

It's probably a good idea to place it far away from cliffs, rivers, and
other problem areas.  Some people paint the can orange or something like
that to make it easier to find.  But the good news is that a bear shouldn't
be able to pick up and carry a can and it's probably not going to be
motivated to push/roll it very far.  It might sit there and fiddle with it
for quite a while but the bear's main goal is to open the can, not hide it
from you.  By the way, don't tie ropes or anything else around the can -
that will just give the bear a handle to grab and if it can get a good hold
on the can it could end up walking off with it.

Check out this video for an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sn7oayAaf4k
If bears had opposable thumbs they'd probably rule the world.  :-)

Eric