Here is some information that I received over the last couple of years. We made an attempt last August but didn't make it to the summit due to snow. We were told however by a ranger on the trail at Outpost Camp that bear cannisters were required but told him of our conversation in May of 2023. He didn't write us up because a few others had checked and Ursack's were acceptable but not recommended.
5/17/24
Hi,
Bear canisters are recommended or required all year. Ursack allowed on Inyo and Sierra National Forests because we don't have legal authority to list allowed food storage containers. Any type of container is allowed if it is designed to keep bears from gaining access. Recommend metal liner. Ursack not allowed in Yosemite National Park and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park where bear cans are required. National Parks require all scented items and used toilet paper in bear cans. Use shared food storage box if available because many bears have learned to obtain counter-balanced food. Determined bear may chew through 5-inch diameter branch, jump down onto sack, pull up sack, shake tree until bag drops low enough to reach, and walk off with sack. Bear can't open properly tied Ursack, but food inside will be crushed and covered with bear spit. Made of Kevlar for bullet proof vests. Twist tops have been pried off by bears. Canisters may be disallowed at any time due to failures in the field. If bear eats your food, your trip is over. Be good to bears. They deserve respect, not garbage. Bear's sense of smell is 40 times better than a dog's, which is 10 times better than a human's. Nuisance black bear (Ursus americanus) may have to be killed. Strongly recommended and approved bear cans by Yosemite and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park are Garcia Backpacker 812-C (good stool and washing machine), Counter Assault Bear Keg, Bare Boxer contender 101 and champ 202, Wild Ideas Bearikade weekender MKII and expedition MKII, Bear Vault 110b, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, Lighter 1 Little Sami and Big Daddy, UDAP no-fed bear, Wise Backpack. Please see
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/learning/safety-ethics/?cid=fsbdev3_003846.Thanks,
Stan
Stan Kot
Visitor Information Assistant
Forest Service
Inyo National Forest, Supervisor's Office
p: 760-873-2400
351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200
Bishop, CA 93514
www.fs.usda.gov/inyo5/8/24
I just called and talked to a ranger at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center just south of Lone Pine asking about the use of the Ursack in the Whitney Zone. She indicated that Ursacks are approved but not recommended just as the ranger at the White Mountain Visitor Center did last year. Apologies but I don't know the "geography" very well in the area. Have to do some homework on the Whitney Zone, Inyo, and Sequoia. She did state that Ursacks are not approved in the Sequoia area and that the summit of Whitney is in Sequoia. Usrsacks are approved at Trail Camp which is in the Whitney Zone. No one would take an Ursack to the top anyway so it seems that Ursacks are practically speaking approved in the Whitney Zone. We will use odor proof Opsacks in the Ursack.
5/25/23
Yesterday (5/25/23) I talked to a ranger at the White Mountain Station. Phone number 760-873-2500. She said that the Ursack Major XL was approved for the Whitney Zone but not recommended. The reason for the non recommendation was that most of the Whitney Trail is above the treeline. The Ursack then cannot be hung from a tree and therefore marmots and other rodents as well as birds could get in through the opening which is closed by a knotted cord. It appears to me that using the double or triple overhand knot does a good job of closing the opening to the smaller critters. We are planning to use the Ursack as it saves ~ 2 lbs and is much easier to pack. We will also use Opsacks in the Ursack to hopefully eliminate odors and as someone mentioned place the Ursack away from our tent with rocks on top of it.