[pct-l] question about bear cannisters - where to stash them at camp?

[Marcia Powers" <gottawalk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Marcia Powers)]

We have always used a canister on the JMT. My favorite place to stash is in
any rocky dip...easy to find in the Sierras. We also put it 25-50' away from
our tent. We sleep soundly and once Ken went to fetch it for breakfast and
carried it in asking why I stood it on end with the lid end up because
condensation could leak in. I had, of course, put it on it's side with a
couple of small rocks to hold it. When he handed it to me I asked what all
the slime was! It looked like drool smeared all over, but the food was safe.

The REI employee that sold the can to me said that they heard a bear in the
night and their can has teeth marks gnawed on the rim! That's the canister
that I want!

I really like canisters because the also keep food safe from small rodents.

Marcia
----- Original Message -----
From: <Mcgee.John@epamail.epa.gov>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 9:56 AM
Subject: [pct-l] question about bear cannisters - where to stash them at
camp?


Hello y'all:

I will be hiking the about half the JMT later this summer - from Lake
Florence up to YNP - and then some more in the Park there.

Have read that bear cannisters are required in YNP. A,so, that the bears
along the JMT/PCT, especially in the National Parks, are persistent. OK,
so I'll take along and use the Garcia bear can.

What I read says to leave the bear can closeby your camp, on the ground,
not hung. My question is: does this work in practice?  It seems to me
that leaving a bear can laying around on the ground would invite the
bears to steal the cans. What do y'all who've 'been there and done that'
have to say about stashing the bear can at camp?

Thanks in advance for your time to reply, I appreciate the first-hand
advice,

John

P.S. I have backpackied in the Great Smoky Mountain NP for over 20 years
- another place notorious for lots of bears, and persistent ones at
that.  It has been my experience to: 1)eat supper a few miles from camp
and 2)NEVER leave ANYTHING loose on the ground around camp - bears will
run off with the stuff and THEN figure out if it's of any value to them.

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