[pct-l] PCT Community Bear Canister Loan Program - 2016

[enyapjr at comcast.net]

Attention: 2016 nobo PCT thru-hikers... 

Announcing the tenth year of the PCT Community Bear Canister Loan Program. 
(FYI: As of 2015, the canisters are now stored and distributed at Grumpy Bear’s Retreat in the Kennedy Meadows area) 


Are you coming from outside the USA or from an area of the country in which you won't have ANY use whatsoever for a 

bear canister after your PCT thru-hike? ...or are you on a very tight budget having limited finances? ...or are you hiking to 

raise funds for a worthwhile cause? 

If so, you may be able to borrow a bear canister for your PCT thru-hike for 'free' - except for USPS Priority mailing cost to 

return the canister to the loan program. 

The bear canister loan program is NOT necessarily done on a 'first come - first served basis', but rather on a show of 

'some' need, however small, in the borrower selection process... 

The loan program is run solely on the HONOR SYSTEM - so please be honest, open, and thorough supplying the 

requested information below when submitting your loan request (requests remain confidential)... 

Sorry, but the loan program is not set up to serve sobo thrus nor JMT hikers - we do NOT ship the canisters to thrus on the 

trail, canisters must be picked up and signed out in person... Long distance PCT section hikers (500+ miles) might also 

be considered, but primary focus is on thru-hikers... 


If you think you might qualify for a bear canister loan for your 2016 nobo PCT thru-hike, please contact me off-list via email - explain your reason or need to borrow a bear canister for your hike, plus, in order to save time, please also provide an 

active (during & after your hike) email address if other than the address used for your loan request, your anticipated PCT 

start date (& location if not Campo), your intended PCT destination (if not Canada), your 'anticipated' date of arrival at 

Kennedy Meadows (PCT mile ~702; a conservative best guess is okay), and also your Sierra food ‘plan’ of either 

a) going straight through the Sierra or b) resupplying part way through (commonly out over Kearsarge Pass). 

Each selected individual borrower must agree to an informal 'contract' via email reply before a canister is reserved in your 

name and the loan is 'finalized'. 




Please do not delay until the last moment to request a canister; we would like to arrange and finalize all canister loans by 

mid March, if possible. 


Thank you. 

Happy trails!!! 
Jim "PITA" Payne 
(email: enyapjr at comcast dot net; subject: PCT Bear Can Loan)