Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Bear Canisters??? Do We Really Need Bear Canisters???

DUG,
it's interesting the different approaches people have to packing. I like heavier things to be very secure. Don't like any flopping about, iffin you know what I mean. I strapped my tent and daypack to the outside of my pack.

It doesn't flop around when I tie it on. And, my snacks are in a handy spot. I'm by no means a bear can expert, I'm rarely in a situation where it's needed and only once did I bring it when it wasn't required - (Meysan Lakes).

One pack I use it fits best tied to the back, another it fits best on top. Usually it holds all my small hiking crap in the closet though. It works great as a sink, chair and washing machine though as others have said.................................DUG

Another use could be shaking your ice, margarita mix, limes and tequila!

LOL@Q
I did use my bear vault as my kitchen counter, I didn't think of using it as the bar too.

clearly the multiple uses of the bear can answers the question of "do we really need bear canisters?"

and the answer is "how could we possibly have survived without them in the past?"

Per the request of Mr. Steve...the link to the aforementioned forest service order concerning containers designed to prevent access by bears.

Joe,

That contradicts their own order. I've always found when in doubt follow the written rules. They may change it next year but that is next year. I was told by the staff at ESIVC in 2009 and 2010 the Ursack was legal. When I was told in '09 it was ok, I searched their website for the memo, which I found. If they want to change the rules in 2011, I will comply. Until then, I will use my Ursack when traveling exclusively in the INF.

I've products manufactured by Garcia, BV, Ursack and Wild Ideas. I do not particularly care for Garcia or BV products. I will use my Ursack wherever it is legal and my Bearikade where it is not.

I love this topic! This morning, Cindy at the Wilderness Permit office told me "they are having a bit of confusion over the verbiage"....LOL

Clearly, if I didn't stir up a hornet's nest, then I must have opened a can of worms. It's unbelievable how something so simple as a bear canister can generate so much conversation.

Thanks to one of you.....now I know the BV only weighs 2.5#, so it's really not heavy, but it sure is bulky. The first time I carried a BV was in 2005 at Mt. Whitney. Rented two of them from REI for an arm and a leg ($2.00 at the Portal store is decent). I had borrowed an internal frame backpack that really didn't fit me well and the BV took up nearly the entire pack and I was very uncomfortable. (personally, I prefer an external frame pack like I used when I was 20 yrs. old and which I own now).

I think it would be fantastic if the Bear Vault company redesigned the canisters as Tom Dietz suggested and I especially like Steve C.'s idea of how to fit everything into his pack and then inflating his mattress (LOL).

Better yet, rather than redesign the BV, it seems clear to me that there is clearly not enough food in the forest for the bears, marmots and mice so I suggest we all get together one weekend, and go to areas far from the trails and campsites and plant a lot of berry bushes so all the critters will have plenty of fresh, wholesome food and not Cheetoes & Snickers. What do you think about that idea?

You think. And they wonder why folks don't follow them down the road of confusion.

Things need to make sense or folks will not comply.

Rare workday for me - away from all internet access for about 7 hours while I prepped and conducted a training seminar. Imagine my surprise when I hit the Zone and saw 30-something new posts on this one subject. I felt like I had been away a week!

I can't recall this much traffic on a single thread in such a short time since . . . well, that thread which shall remain nameless and locked. But it got us through the winter!

For the record, I have no opinion as bear vaults are pretty rare in the South and never mandated (at least not that I'm aware of). Our bears are pretty much wussies. Smokies NP and environs house the only bears in the South to be taken seriously.

lynn-a-roo.....Are you serious? I mean taking the Cheetos away from the bears! What would they eat? I find Snickers to be a fantastic snack for the bears. Berries are a bit too organic for a bear.

Better yet, I think we should get together at Consultation Lake one day. Gary, me and some of the more adventurous hikers could round up some nice Black Bears and teach them how to fish......... they LOVE fish!

On the other hand, Gary tells me that Bears also love "STEAK & BEER"! Come on Gary.....tell us again.

Joe, you round up the bears, dude, and herd 'em up to 12,000 feet. I'll be waiting with bated breath - and a fully-charged camcorder. "Adventurous" for me is sleeping with no tent fly. Or backpacking with certain folks who hate 4:00 am wake-up calls . . .

I wonder if bears like large pancakes?

CaT

does a bear ....

Well...he's (she's) not quite "in the woods" yet...

Campground? A definite yes judging from the auto in the background.

Campground, yes. That's a big part of the problem. I'd say the guy by the car might even be holding a camera.

Bear follows version of Sutton's Law.

For those who may not know, "The law is named after the bank robber Willie Sutton, who reputedly replied to a reporter's inquiry as to why he robbed banks by saying "because that's where the money is."

The guy in the car is taking a pic of the dummy taking a pic of a bear taking a.................................DUG

Don't I seem like a wise sage or prophet now? Since I predicted this topic would create a Hornets nest. There are certain topics that I can now predict when they are innocently asked on a message board is going to cause a wide range of opinions and thus emotional responses. It is just the way it is.Certain topics are hot button issues.
I am glad that this one went from serious,to a misunderstanding, reconciliation,and finally to humor.

"Isn't that the way they say it goes.Well forget all that...."
Jim Croce

Hey Rod.....Screw you!!!!!


Just kidding :-)

Seriously though.....I didn't misunderstand (I always think people are talking about me)....I mean, DUG told me I was fat, to go on a diet, work out more and grow up. Hey, He's ABSOLUTELY right. I'm not going to argue with a Navy Guy!!!!

Wait, maybe he wasn't talking about me.

Geeeez, I always go so Carly Simon...."I'll bet you think this post is about you".

p.s. Hiking Baldy Saturday....up the Bowl and down the Backbone.

p.s. 2 : DUG's my neighbor (true)