[pct-l] RE: Food storage/Bear Boxes

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

Sky-

I agree that most thruhikers intentionally break the law concerning proper
food storage. The obvious solution is to effectively ban thruhiking on the
PCT. The relatively trivial way to accomplish this is to require all hikers
to get a wilderness permit from all zones that they enter before entering.
That would make it practically impossible to hike the trail.

The scum would adjourn to the AT and CDT leaving the PCT to responsible
hikers that care about the long term effect of human food on the wildlife.
It would also free our trail towns post offices and all-you-can-eat joints
from the smelly vermin.

How could one admisistratively justify such an action? Well fortunately
their is an email list of thruhikers that documents the habits of
thruhikers. Posts like: "99% of the thru-hikers I know only use mandatory
techniques when there's a bear box, bear pole, cable etc.  The rest of the
time they store their food in their tent" --from Sly, a past thruhiker,
provide all the justification/documentation necessary.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: Slyatpct@aol.com [mailto:Slyatpct@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 7:04 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] RE: Food storage/Bear Boxes


--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
In a message dated 11/6/2002 8:43:42 PM Eastern Standard Time,
kborski@yahoo.com writes:


> Consider your "proper food storage" a good
> deed where you can directly contribute to protecting
> the future of wild bears.
>

That's great advice Karen, but 99% of the thru-hikers I know only use
mandatory techniques when there's a bear box, bear pole, cable etc.  The
rest
of the time they store their food in their tent and except for one occasion
have never had a problem with bears or encounter.  {Disclaimer, please don't
follow my advice, this includes griz country}  On the otherhand, reccomended
advice or rules have you hanging food or using a bear cannister, attracting
bears, if not losing your food outright.

It's my traveled opinion, you're better off if you're willing to protect
your
food, keeping it close, and that bears know this.  Why else are most of the
bears' raids on unattended food in popular places and not in the wild?

Sly
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