[pct-l] Bear Cannister requirements

[wjj2001@yahoo.com (Bill Jeffrey)]

AFAIK, if the food is on you and you are awake the
food does not have to be in a can. For example, my
daily ration of energy bars and gorp go in my pockets
each morning, then back in the can at night. My dinner
for the first night on the trail may not be in the
bear can since it will be eaten before I go to sleep.
If I'm day hiking, I'll be out of the area before I go
to sleep.

However, don't take the food out of the can if you
aren't immediately actually using it. If you take the
food out of your bear can and then go down to the
river for water, you might be cited if you leave the
food available for the bear. Bears have been known to
wait for someone to drop and leave a pack at popular
campgrounds.

I don't know how they define food, but they imply it
includes anything with an odor, including toothpaste,
soap, etc. I would suspect molasses would be included.
Maybe someone has the actual federal code.

> Are Rangers stopping hikers and searching packs
> or requiring a canister be produced? 

On a 4 day trip north of Yosemite last month I met two
rangers. They both asked how I was storing my food. I
told them I had the Garcia, and mentioned it increased
my pack weight more than 10%. They never asked to see
it, maybe because I "acted" credible.

I carry the &Y%$*& canister because I like to sleep at
night. This works well, not because the bear can't get
it, but because I'm more tired from carrying the &#&^
thing.

Heading to Section G tomorrow - Trail Pass area. If
the ranger station is open I'll see if they have a
copy of the regs I can take home. Maybe someone here
knows where to find the formal fed regs on line.

AsABat


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