[pct-l] Bear canisters

[Mary Kwart]

I have been backpacking since 1970 in the mountain West and the only
place I have had a bear check out my stuff was in the Sierras, in
Yosemite NP (I had my food in a bear canister--so it was safe). I
carry a bear canister only where it is required by law  because it is
a pain to pack it in my pack and the weight isn't justified. When I
camp in a popular spot (i.e.one days trip from a popular trailhead at
a lake) and I have seen a lot of bear scat on the trail or I have to
leave my food while day hiking I will hang my food with a lenght of
lightweight nylon cord up in a tree, at least 12 feet from the trunk
and 15 feet from the ground on the end of a branch that cannot be
scaled by a bear. I have never had my food stolen (knock on wood).
Rodents can be noisy and obnoxious at night but the only time I had
one chew through a tent was in Northern Calif on the PCT when I left
my tent up for a two days in the same spot to wait out a storm. I
don't know how it achieved the feat without me hearing it--it must
have been totally while I was asleep. The only other rodent damage I
have had was the strap chewed off a trekking pole for the salt, I
guess.

That said--a lot of my short distance backpacking friends carry bear
canisters all the time.They hike mostly in southern Oregon and
northern California. I think that once you are on the trail for awhile
and get used to how the animals along the trail relate to backpackers
there is a lot of anxiety that can be alleviated by carrying a bear
canister--but this psychological need evaporates eventually as you
come to see that animals have better things to do than focus all their
attention on you.

--Fireweed