[pct-l] Mountain Boogie Man Strikes Whitney-NOT

[kmurray at pol.net (kmurray@pol.net)]

Reinhold Metzger said:
"3.  Leave all your heavy items, extra food, bear cannister, etc. in the
bear box at the Crabtree ranger station on the way to Guitar Lake"


I cannot say how serious that advice was, but this is the sort of
irresponsible practice that gives PCT'ers a bad name.

The FOOD lockers are NOT the backcountry equivalent of lockers at the
Greyhound Bus Station.  DUH.

This is an area that sees a lot of traffic.  Throwing your stuff in there
takes up the space that another person would use to protect their food,
the purpose of the locker!  I don't even know what to say about putting a
bear can in the boxes.  I've seen bear boxes filled with bear cans.
Those who do that, could you get a clue?

I know a number of people who consider "stuff" left in the bear lockers to
be legitimate booty.  For all intent and purposes, it IS abandoned stuff. 
Backcountry user response may include taking it, throwing it out
conveniently close to the box, throwing it out inconventiently in the
woods, or the Ranger may confiscate all of it (violating the intended use
of the Box), and even write a ticket for littering.

I don't neccessarily endorse any of these actions, but one should
understand, if one undertakes to use the Boxes this way, this is what may
happen.