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[pct-l] Bear Cans in Yosemite
There is a bear box at woods creek crossing, so you don't need a bear can
there. There are bear lockers at Tuolumne Meadows.
Suge
On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Steve Courtway wrote:
> I mean if you don't camp between somewhere south of vidette meadows and
> north of wood's creek crossing. Does the rae lakes loop include vidette
> meadows and wood's creek crossing ? YOU BET IT DOES !
>
> heh.
>
> s.c.
>
>
> > it's only 11 miles from donahue to tuolomne meadows, so if you can make 23
> > miles from donahue past Tuolomne, or camp at Tulomne meadows, it seems you
> > won't legally need a bear can summer '04 if you don't camp btwx glenn pass
> > and Woods Creek crossing either. Pretty clear hahaha.
> >
> > s.c.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Christopher Willett" <chwillet@indiana.edu>
> > To: "Steve Courtway" <scourtway@bpa-arch.com>
> > Cc: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 10:44 AM
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bear Cans in Yosemite
> >
> >
> > > This is what makes the process so frustrating for people. Rules are
> > > not uniform and seem to change depending on who you talk to.
> > > I was never able to get the story straight and still don't know
> > > it completely. Here, however, are some comments on the rules for
> > > SEKI and Yosemite. Pay attention to the fact that these places
> > > are not Inyo or the Ansel Adams.
> > >
> > > Take a look at the SEKI website and peek around a bit until you come
> > > across:
> > >
> > > http://www.nps.gov/seki/bear_bc.htm
> > >
> > > There you are presented with three ways to properly store your food:
> > >
> > > Quote:
> > >
> > > Plan ahead to store food in one of these three ways, listed in order of
> > > effectiveness:
> > >
> > > 1. Rent or buy National Park Service-tested bear-resistant portable
> > > food canisters (available at markets and most park visitor centers).
> > > Canisters are by far the preferred method of food storage throughout the
> > > backcountry. They are required on the Rae Lakes Loop and in Dusy Basin
> > > (both in Kings Canyon National Park) from the Friday of Memorial Day in
> > > May through October 31.
> > >
> > > 2. When available, camp at an area with a metal storage box. Keep in
> > > mind that you must share these food boxes with other hikers; locks are
> not
> > > permitted on them. Carry rope for hanging food in case the box is full
> or
> > > you don't camp where you intended.
> > >
> > > 3. Carefully hang food by the counter-balance method. Only use this
> > > option if the others are not available, and practice it before your
> trip!
> > >
> > > Un-quote
> > >
> > > Note option 3. No restrictions or other qualifiers. Note the last line
> > > in option 2. Note that Rae Lakes is on the PCT.
> > >
> > > I'm sure a search of the website further would produce documents saying
> > > something different.
> > >
> > > Alright, lets check out what Yosemite has to say. At
> > >
> > > http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm
> > >
> > > we see that
> > >
> > > Quote:
> > >
> > > Use of "bear canisters" is required in these locations:
> > >
> > > * Little Yosemite Valley-Half Dome-Moraine Dome area
> > > * Rancheria Falls area
> > > * High Sierra Camps
> > > * Above 9,600 feet
> > > * Beginning in summer 2004, bear canisters are likely to become
> > > required within approximately 15 miles of trailheads. If/when this
> > > regulation takes effect, a map showing areas in the park where canisters
> > > are required will be added to this web page.
> > >
> > > Unquote. Note that you drop below the 9600 ft level rapidly after coming
> > > over Donahue Pass into the park. When you leave Tuolumne, you break the
> > > 9600 ft level a few times. So, to be completely legal, you'd have to
> > > avoid camping in these areas. Note that the PCT goes by at least one
> > > of the High Sierra Camps right after leaving Tuolumne.
> > >
> > > The document continues with:
> > >
> > > Quote:
> > >
> > > Although the counter-balance method of food storage is permitted in some
> > > areas of the park, it is strongly discouraged due to its lack of
> > > effectiveness and the damage that is caused to trees by persistant
> bears.
> > > If you choose to store your food using this technique, consider it only
> a
> > > delaying tactic. Be prepared to actively defend your food and repeatedly
> > > scare bears out of your camp through the night. Without this negative
> > > reinforcement, bears will figure out a way to get your counter-balanced
> > > food - some bears will go so far as to literally chew the branch off the
> > > tree to get at food bags. Help Keep Yosemite's Bears Wild - Use a
> > > Bear-Resistant Canister!
> > >
> > > Each year, bears outinely obtain properly hung food!
> > >
> > > Unquote.
> > >
> > > So, the official park websites for both places discourage the use of
> > > hanging food, but do not declare it to be illegal except in certain
> > > circumstances noted above. Of course, I'm sure someone will find
> > > other documents contradicting these ones.
> > >
> > > Suge
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Steve Courtway wrote:
> > >
> > > > just as it's illegal to be riding bicycles on the Pacific Crest Trail,
> > it is
> > > > also illegal to hike in Yosemite National Park and Kings Canyon
> National
> > > > Park without properly storing your food. Hanging and stealth camping
> > don't
> > > > count. heh.
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
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> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------
> > > Christopher Willett
> > > Department of Mathematics
> > > Indiana University
> > > 831 East Third Street
> > > Bloomington, IN. 47405-7106
> > > (812)-855-1448
> > > chwillet@indiana.edu
> > > mypage.iu.edu/~chwillet
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
----------------------
Christopher Willett
Department of Mathematics
Indiana University
831 East Third Street
Bloomington, IN. 47405-7106
(812)-855-1448
chwillet@indiana.edu
mypage.iu.edu/~chwillet