[pct-l] Bear Canister

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Gord,

Wild black bears are timid and not very aggressive.  Their 10,000-year
exposure to humans’ weapons has weeded the curious and aggressive
tendencies out of the gene-pool.  Along the PCT – except in the large Natl.
Parks in the Sierra – bears are regularly hunted, and they are continually
reminded to keep their distance.  Due to camper carelessness and Natl. Park
practices many of the Sierra bears have learned that humans aren’t allowed
to hurt them so they go on welfare and forage in campsites with impunity --
right up to the point that they are shot.

There’s no reason a person can’t or shouldn’t carry a bear ‘can the entire
distance, provided they are willing to abide the weight.  I use a ‘can only
where I have to, and having hiked the mountain west since the late-50s I’ve
never lost a morsel to bears, and only the tiniest amount to mice and their
cousins.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/

On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 10:25 AM, Gord Freeborn <gfreeborn at dccnet.com>wrote:

> Just wondering - if there are bears most of the way through the entire
> hike,
> which there are,(Oregon, Washington and into B.C.) then why would one not
> want to protect themselves and their food supply from Smokey and carry a
> canister for the trip?  Also I have read many pieces on losing food or
> having tent or gear chewed by critters trying to get at peoples food - Is
> the canister really that heavy and unpleasant to accommodate in the
> backpack?
>
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