Here's the latest news in the back and forth battle to allow Ursack use in NP wilderness. Inyo NF jurisdiction has different regulations, but similar approach. As discussed above, I agree the marmots are much more of a risk to your food on the trail than bears. These sacks are bullet proof and effective for bear paws and bear teeth, but the company admits rodents can chew through them with their smaller sharper teeth. So you risk ruining the expensive sack and losing food to these evil geniuses. Not sure how you could hang one at Trail Camp in a way that would keep marmots off. Outpost Camp has trees so an Ursack could work there - if its allowed. Carrying a 2 or 2-1/2 lb canister for an overnighter is contrary to ultralight philosophy, but the alternatives aren't very good for this location.
February 20, 2012, [From Ursack.com]
Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon (SEKI) responded to our December letter (below). Those Parks have, until further notice, turned over the testing of Ursack to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). If the IGBC certifies Ursack as "bear resistant," it will be allowed in Yosemite and SEKI. However, IGBC has no authority to formally approve containers such as Ursack. Such approval will be periodically reviewed.
Ursack has contacted the IGBC, which informed us that the testing protocol for fabric containers is not finalized and therefore IGBC is not yet ready to accept Ursack for testing. Ursack is, of course, eager to get testing underway. We cannot predict when that will happen.
There is some reason for optimism. Part of the IGBC test for hard sided containers has for years involved giving containers to grizzlies at the Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Ursack informally provided a S29 AllWhite Hybrid (i.e. with aluminum liner) to the Grizzly Discovery Center in September 2011, and it survived a two hour bout with a grizzly. We assume that, generally smaller, black bears are less able to compromise bear resistant containers.
For now,we hope that the IGBC can promptly come up with a fair test for Ursack, and arrange for testing well before this summer.
