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[pct-l] BEAR CANNISTERS



Bear Boxes along the PCT, northbound, start at Rock Creek Crossing and are also
found at Lower and Upper Crabtree, Wallace Creek, Tyndall Frog ponds, Tyndall
Creek crossing, Center Basin junction, 2-3 locations in Vidette Meadow, Charlotte
Lake, 2-3 at Rae Lakes, and Woods Creek Crossing.  None north of Woods Creek.
Short term hikers who start out from Roadend are required to have bear cans, as
the bear boxes on PCT are informally reserved for long distance hikers.  These
boxes will get you through the Bubbs Creek drainage mandatory zone, anyway.  If
you are hiking as far north as Donohue, there is another mandatory bear can zone
in Inyo NF between (approximately) Silver Pass and Donohue Pass.  That area has
no bear boxes, and a $5000 fine for non-compliance.   Cans are recommended in
Yosemite and required for camping over 9500 (or some such number) feet.  No bear
boxes there either.  Glen Aulin provides some bear protection in the backpacker
camp. Yosemite is not replacing cables/poles and the like when they get damaged,
as they really want everyone to use cans.  The only backcountry place in Yosemite
where I have ever seen bear boxes is in Little Yosemite Valley, the biggest hiker
ghetto you will ever see.  Yosemite is really the place where cans are most
needed as it has the most aggressive/persistent bears.  It is not easy to get any
sleep in Yosemite backcountry camps, what with all the whistles, yelling, pots
banging, and air horns going off at all hours of the night.  Stealth camping
(with cans) is much more pleasant, if only to get away from all the racket.  I
swear that every frequently used backcountry campsite in Yosemite has its own
assigned resident bear, who visits all the sites and bear bag trees each night,
hoping to get lucky. Since hanging foods in trees in Yosemite really doesn't
work, the bears usually do get lucky, perpetuating the problem.  People have
suggested that VVR start renting cans that could then be mailed back once you get
through Yosemite.  I wonder if they are going to do that?
I have no intent or desire to start a flame war on the subject of bear cans, this
is all  just my personal experience and lame attempt to be helpful.
llamalady

Dj3363@aol.com wrote:

> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> i am joining some friends at kennedy meadows n/bound in early june. are there
> enough camp sites with bear boxes to get around having to carry a bear
> cannister? also what is the best way to get to kennedy meadows? i can get to
> bakersfield easy enough, but what is my best bet after that...?...thanks
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