What method has most people used to tackle the bear canister? My current plan is to buy a bv500 from bearvault.com and have them ship it to KM then ship it home when I'm done with it. I would prefer to rent one but I can't get any info on doing so. Is there a program for renting a canister at KM? Thanks

on postholer:

Bear canisters are required along a substantial portion of the PCT in the Sierra. Hiking without a canister may result in a hefty fine. For the latest information on canister requirement locations see www.sierrawildbear.gov, for a map showing these areas.

Many food storage boxes can be found in bear sensitive areas as well. While you must carry a canister, others have opted to hike from one storage box to the next, storing their food in a box during the night. While not carrying a canister, it is effective. Here is a map showing food storage boxes in the Sierra, on and off the PCT:

http://postholer.com/gmap/gmap.php?trail_id=1&lat=36.985003&lon=-118.520508&zoom=7&markertype=13

Lastly for the civil disobedient, some folks will sleep with their food and defend it should the occassion arise. This is not recommended of course.

A free canister loaner program is in place managed by Jim Payne and the Saufleys. This allows northbound thru-hikers to pick up a cansiter in Agua Dulce, then mail it back when you are done. Further info can be found in the PCT FAQ:

http://postholer.com/faq.php#canLoaner

Considerable information regarding bear cansiters compiled by Jim Payne can be found in the PCT FAQ:

http://postholer.com/faq.php#Canister

The bottom line is to keep food away from bears for their sake. Do what you must to ensure this doesn't happen.

-postholer

Berikade has a rental program with special rates for PCT/JMT. I believe the JMT rate is flat $50 (not verified). Go here:

https://www.wild-ideas.net/rent.html

Edited by amrowinc on 01/27/2011 16:56:55 MST.

>Lastly for the civil disobedient, some folks will sleep with their food and defend it should the occassion arise. This is not recommended of course.

This is really, really, really not a good idea.

>While you must carry a canister, others have opted to hike from one storage box to the next, storing their food in a box during the night. While not carrying a canister, it is effective.

This can be done in theory, but in practice it is a crappy idea for almost everyone. It requires an itinerary that is perfectly planned and that will fall apart at the least provocation. It assumes that you want to hike the trail like a heat-seeking missile. It assumes that nothing will ever go wrong.

You live in Idaho and you're an avid Backpacker? I'd recommending going with buying and owning your own canister!

I don't mean to hijack a thread or anything but does anyone know of any online interactive map sites such as the one Greg posted for PCT? I know of the Five Million Steps map of the 3 major trails; are there others on more specific trails or locations. For Example, an interactive online trail map of the Adirondacks or Yosemite?


Thanks

There are tons of scattered ones. But the larger online map collections are at backpacker.com/hikes and everytrail.com

Here in Idaho, we don't have the bear issues that many places have. In over 30 years of backpacking here in Idaho, all the bears I've seen run as fast as they can when they see humans. Mmmmm, maybe because we shoot them for a portion of the year? Hard to say, but we don't hang food, we don't hide food, and we don't use cannisters. Good cooking protocol and common sense has worked fine. Our wild bears are just that.

Donna Saufley in Agua Dulce was in charge of the bear loaner program in 2009. You can borrow one there on your way through. You can fill it with food at the grocery store in Agua Dulce and mail it from there to KM.
The caveat is they usually reserve the loaners for hikers that can demonstrate a "need". I don't know what that means.
Bearikade rents canisters: it is $6 the first 3 days and $3 per day after(shipping days not charged for)
https://www.wild-ideas.net/rent.html
So for your Sierra crossing from KM to Sonora Pass(Bridgeport) thats gonna be 14 minimum if you are a rockstar. Thats $47 bucks.
Personally i would just buy one or use the loaner program at Agua Dulce.
Bear Vault has a deal where you buy a discounted BV500 and they ship it to KM for you. You would want to send a resupply of food there to fill the can as the store there is small and picked over by hikers usually.
Post a message on the email forum PCT-l about the loaner program as you might want to reserve it in advance.

PS I wanted to add. I don't recommend sending your Bear canister home from tuoulumne meadows if your'e NoBo. Some of the most man habituated bears in the Sierra exist from Glen Aulin through Northern Yosemite wilderness(Dorothy Lake Pass).
I carried mine all the way to Echo Lake since that is the next on-trail PO after Tuolumne Meadows.
Remember the point of the Bear resistant canister is to protect the Bears from your food. A fed bear is a dead bear.

Edited by Ice-axe on 02/10/2011 10:28:03 MST.

USFS and NPS both rent canisters very cheaply but they're Garcias, which I can't recommend (heavy, odd-shaped and hard to pack/unload). I looked into renting a Bearkade and decided to buy one instead--total rent and shipping costs convinced me owning one made more sense. Ten years later it's proven true, but I'm in California where it gets frequent use.

You could buy one, carry it, send it home, sell it on gear swap and get much of your money back. Having a Bearvault shipped to KM is not a bad idea either, and they make it easy for you.

http://www.bearvault.com/bearvault_pct.php

Cheers,

Rick

"You could buy one, carry it, send it home, sell it on gear swap and get much of your money back."

I think a used bear canister should have more value if it shows tooth and claw scratches. That would be like a badge of honor.

--B.G.--

I think a used bear canister should have more value if it shows tooth and claw scratches. That would be like a badge of honor

I agree! It'd be a little like having Aron Ralson's fake Leatherman. A "badge of horror" if you will ;-0

Cheers,

Rick