[pct-l] Bearikade Was NOT Opened by Sierra Bear

[wandering_bob at comcast.net (Bob Bankhead)]

I just received this email from Wild Ideas regarding the reported failures of several BearVaults and two Bearikade canisters in the Sierras between of Forrester Pass and Vidette Meadows. There is apparently some misinformation out there. The email also had 2 attachments showing the scratched up Bearikade and the warning sign posted below Forrester Pass by the Tyndall Ranger. Unfortunately, this forum does not accommodate attachments. 

Wandering Bob

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One of our British Bearikade renters filed this report and we think it is related to the erroneous information posted on the Sierra Eastside 8/23.  Two Bearikades were indeed worked on very hard by the large problem bear, but that bear was not successful.  Be sure to lock all three Dzus fasteners and then sleep tight.


"So... the story of the scratches -

We camped one night very high above the tree line and just below the
North side of Forester Pass. We had heard that a rather aggressive bear
had swiped one guy across the face somewhere in that vicinity and so
were very careful to put the cans some 150' from our tents. During the
night the bear padded past the tents, overturned one of the rucksacks,
and then headed up to the cans. He / she ignored the Bear Vault (a good
job because he has learnt to open this type by turning them on one side
and then sitting forcefully on the can to pop the lid off!) but gave
both of the Bearikades his undivided attention for 50 minutes. He then
went away to return for a repeat 1/2 hour session some 20 minutes later.
I lay in my tent listening to him chew and maul the can until one was
just 30 feet from the tent (there's a moral here: Never leave the cans
'uphill' of your campsite! Doh! We were very impressed with the standard
of manufacture of your cans, especially as even after all that attention
the cans suffered nothing but scratches, and will be eager to give to
anyone who'll listen our strongest recommendation."