[pct-l] Yosemite Bear Storage requirements

[wjj2001@yahoo.com (Bill Jeffrey)]

Yosemite bear regs from
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm
I'm posting this in full as it has a couple
interesting points:
- Food includes related items and toiletries.
- Store water bottles out of sight.
- Bear cans required above 9600 feet AND at High
Sierra Camps which are mostly lower in elevation, if
bear boxes are full. Most of these camps have good
hanging trees, but they are very popular with tourists
and bears.
- Yosemite still conditionally allows the Ursack
Ultra, although they are not allowed in SeKi and Inyo.

I might mentioned that 20 years ago I spent 2 nights
at Charlotte Lake in Kings Canyon. Counterbalancing
was rare then, you usually just pulled the food up and
tied the other end to a tree. The first night the food
was on the ground outside my tent and I saw no bears.
The 2nd night the ranger said to put it in the tree
because the bear was going to get it. I did, and the
bear did. I thought I had a very good counterbalance,
but the bear spent an hour enjoying all my food.
Fortunately, Independence was only an 8 mile hike
away.

AsABat

-----------------------------

Federal law requires proper storage of food throughout
Yosemite National Park.   This includes all food
related items and toiletries.  Anything with an odor
will be attractive to bears.

In The Wilderness

Guidelines:

  Always store garbage, cosmetics, toothpaste, soap,
or anything with any odor with food. 

  Remember to pack out all trash when you move on to
your next campsite. Never burn or bury trash of any
kind.

  Store items properly at all times except when
preparing what is needed for your meal.  

  Leave empty pack on the ground with all pockets and
flaps open. 

  Store water bottles out of sight with cooking
gear. 
 
Bear-Resistant Food Canisters  (Most Effective)

The National Park Service strongly advises all
backpackers to carry and use bear-resistant food
storage canisters. Use of bear canisters is required
above 9,600 feet and at High Sierra Camps (if a bear
box is not used). Bears are routinely obtaining
properly hung food.

Bear resistant food storage canisters are currently
the only effective portable means of food storage in
Yosemite’s wilderness.
 
  
These  portable containers are the most effective way
for backpackers to store food in wilderness.  Each
plastic canister weighs less than 3 pounds, fits in a
full-sized backpack, and is capable of holding up to 3
to 5 days worth of food for one person. Canisters are
available for rent for $3.00 a trip at permit stations
and many stores within Yosemite. Canisters can be
returned at any rental location.  

Rental/Purchase Locations (year-round): Curry Village
Mountain Shop, Yosemite Village Sports Shop, Crane
Flat Grocery, and the Wawona Store. Canisters are also
available for sale at Yosemite Association's online
bookstore (proceeds from sale of canisters goes to
supporting the rental program). 

Rental/Purchase Locations (seasonal): Yosemite Valley
Wilderness Center, Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Permit
Station, Big Oak Flat Wilderness Permit/Information
Station, Wawona Wilderness Permit/Information Station,
Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station (rentals only),.Tuolumne
Meadows Sport Shop, and the Tuolumne Meadows Store. 

In 2001, additional food storage containers were
approved for use in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings
Canyon National Parks and Inyo National Forest. Two
levels of approval apply to each type of container.
Conditional approval is given to containers that have
passed an inspection and zoo tests. Full approval is
given to containers that have been given conditional
approval and that have been used by visitors or park
staff for a summer without any problems. Either type
of approval may be rescinded if unforseen problems
occur in the field.

Canisters:

Full Approval

Backpacker Model 812-C (Garcia)

Conditional Approval

Bearikade / Kodiak-Kan (Wild Ideas) 
BearCan BK-01 (Geo Enterprises)

Ursack Ultra (Ursack) [Note: In zoo tests, bears could
not get into the Ursack Ultra, but the contents were
completely mashed and the bag was coated with bear
saliva. Also, the bag must be tied to a tree or rock
so a bear does not carry it off. After the bears were
done with the bag at the zoo, it took 40 minutes to
untie the bag because the knot had been pulled on so
hard. Only the Ursack Ultra is allowed. It differs
from the original bag in many ways: it has UV coating,
it has protection on the rope for the tree, and it is
a double bag with a flap over the closure.] [The
Ursack Ultra is no longer approved for use in Sequoia
and Kings Canyon National Parks or Inyo National
Forest.]

Panniers:

Full Approval
DeCarteret Aluminum Stock Panniers (DeCarteret)

Conditional Approval
Berner Bear Box (Westfab Inc.)

*Steel Salvage Drums with a Security Lid may be used
until Panniers are purchased. 
[Model K1035, 8 gallon head - Dozier - and - Model
9M-9117, 8 gallon head - Lab Safety Supply Co.]

Bear Boxes  (Limited availability)

Bear boxes are only available at a limited number of
designated wilderness campsites next to the High
Sierra Camps and in Little Yosemite Valley. 
Wilderness users are encouraged to carry canisters
even when hiking in areas where stationary bear boxes
are available. Bear boxes may be unavailable or full
in these high use destinations. Canisters increase
your freedom in selecting campsites away from
developed or highly used areas. Note - In an effort to
limit human intrusions into wilderness as designated
in the 1964 congressional Wilderness Act, bear boxes
may be phased out of these locations in the future.  

The Counter Balance Method  (Least Effective)

Although the counter-balance method of food storage is
not illegal (except at High Sierra Camps and above
9,600 feet, where bear boxes or bear canisters must be
used), it is not recommended due to its lack of
effectiveness and the damage that is caused to trees
by persistant bears. If you choose to store your food
using this technique, consider it only a delaying
tactic. Be prepared to actively defend your food and
repeatedly scare bears out of your camp through the
night. Without this negative reinforcement, bears will
figure out a way to get your counter-balanced food -
some bears will go so far as to literally chew the
branch off the tree to get at food bags. Help Keep
Yosemite’s Bears Wild - Use a Bear-Resistant Canister!


Bears are routinely obtaining properly hung food! 



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