If you are only day hiking, you can disregard this information. Put in a good solid bear box at every shelter. Usually i am stupid tired by the time i camp , and the time a canister saves is significant- also, i whole heartedly agree about stewardship. Saw this when I checked to see other comments. Just take the can out of your backpack and put it about 100 feet away from your site, thats it. As mentioned, each park area decides what bear canisters are permitted. National Forests in NC Propose Required Bear Canisters for Overnight Campers on Appalachian Trail and in Panthertown. Consider, though, that it needs to be properly secured to substantial objects so the bear can’t just carry it off, and that anything inside will be pretty much pulverized when a bear starts working on it. Option 3: “I’ll hang my food.” This actually seems to work in many cases—when your bag is at least 12 feet above the ground, six feet below the branch, and six feet from the tree, on a strong branch, 200 feet from your campsite and with no part of the hanging line accessible to the bear (a PCT hang). The most successful model is the Garcia model. The most successful model is the Garcia model. Now, land managers are considering more specific measures (including mandatory canister use) to protect the trail’s natural resources—and hikers. The AT is mostly free for visitors; should clubs and agencies continue to purchase, install, and maintain campsite infrastructure, especially when facing a growing level of use? Can you minimally modify your gear choices in favor of protecting natural resources? Very informative post and I appreciated reading the comments. Thread Tools. The use of bear-resistant canisters is required for overnight users in the High Peaks Wilderness between April 1st and November 30th. A big part of the problem is the whole “designated campsite” issue. Thanks for your comment (and commitment) Kelley. This is an issue that I’ve seen coming for a while. Two examples are the Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail. Great article and thanks!! No hanging rope. If you are just passing through, no canister needed. It’s not ATC who pays for Trail infrastructure, it’s volunteer clubs and the Feds. Eminently defeatable. I am currently planning my own backpacking trip as soon as the world get past COVID and fully intend on bringing a canister. URSACK! So by keeping food secure we are protecting the bear; but also other animals, ourselves, and hikers who will likely be visiting the same location after we’ve moved on. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a 501c3 organization. Where are bear canisters required on the Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail? Simply choose a selection from each of the list boxes below, then click on the submit button. 10. Tested and written by Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trail … Granted, a bear canister is required for camping in Georgia between Jerard Gap and Neel Gap, but this short stretch can easily be done in one day by even the most fresh-footed new thru hiker. Kyle ‘Titan’ Williams, an ultralight backpacker, trail runner and AT and PTC through hiker, weighed in on the issue of bear canisters. The Appalachian Trail twists and turns for 2,190 miles through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. Have been trying for some time to find a waterproof ,I say again waterproof canister. The idea of bear canisters being used while overnighting along the Appalachian Trail is a hard sell. Where they’re required, these canisters must be on the list of allowed canisters published by that land management agency. Hey! I don’t understand, every time I ask a question about bears or mention it on any forum or on the trail all I get is “they are not a problem”. Bear canisters are required in parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Inyo, Sierra and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests, and in all of Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic National Parks. I agree that bear boxes or poles or anything of that sort is not natural looking but I would appreciate and use those sites more often than the ones that have nothing. All of these point to healthy ecosystems that support a wide variety of wildlife. BearVault® is sold at many locations along the trail. The bear puts a pin in its mental map, and will return for more easy calories—maybe next week when another hopeful hiker throws the food storage dice. The bear was able to eat a bag of trail mix before it was scared away. Manufacturers warn against leaving a canister at the top of a hill or near water—most recommend wedging them in rocks, brush, or downed trees. I’m not a fan of hard plastic bear canisters unless absolutely needed … Yosemite, Shining Rock Wilderness, .. We are in bear territory when we hike many portions of the AT. It’s heralded as indestructible. The trail and its surrounding natural resources are inextricably intertwined and together comprise the primary resource we value as visitors. In New York’s Adirondacks, bear-resistant canisters are required in the Eastern High Peaks Zone. And now they are using his name, after defaming it, to promote themselves. Google around and you’ll see the evidence. You could be in more danger left alone with your uncle than on a hike were you might be alone with another person a handful of times. Hmmm….maybe I’ll just stick with the canister. This registration does not replace required permits for Great Smoky Mountains (GRSM), Shenandoah (SHEN) National Parks, or Baxter State Park; The ATC and the US Forest Service strongly recommend use of approved bear canisters for personal food storage along the entire A.T.; Learn more about proper food storage and which method works best; Report any bear encounters. Nick ‘Alpine Monkey’ Bernaiche, AT thru hiker, plans to look into using one for future adventures like the PCT. If animals come in contact with a hiker’s food, the “wild” in wilderness is compromised. Surely no one likes a wet food bag in the morning or hanging up a bear bag in the rain. ... (NC), Shenandoah (VA), etc. It’s not that surprising—bears are intelligent, resourceful beings, and have unlimited opportunities to experiment. Is it a chair? Last year, i opened myself up to potential ridicule and bought a bearvault 500. Either way, the short term outcome for a hiker is not good, neither is the long-term outlook for the bear that successfully acquires a snack. In New York’s Adirondacks, bear-resistant canisters are required in the Eastern High Peaks Zone. When they find a productive food source—say a carcass, skunk cabbage, berries, or nuts—they stick around to consume as much as possible. Bear canisters are not required. I’m on the west coast, so I use a bear canister (where it’s required). One might think that somewhere in that 30-pound difference is room for a few pounds to protect the trail’s resources. Since hiking on the A.T. is essentially free and generally unregulated (there are no quotas or even a competency/knowledge requirement–thank goodness), preserving the Trail experience relies on hikers of all levels of skill to be good stewards of the Trail by protecting its resources. Too bad canisters can’t be rented in Georgia & returned in Damascus. Water. Until then, this transition on the AT is going to require some patience. Are you a good steward? Another important reason to use a bear canister while camping is that many National Parks require campers to use bear canisters, such as Grand Teton National Park, the John Muir Trail, Yosemite National Park, Denali National Park and more.If you’re camping out in Grizzly territory or any area where bears and humans might come into … Resident PCT bears are legendarily good at getting human food. I found myself using even one even when required. Once they do get a bag of food, it can be ripped to shreds in no time. All food, toiletries, and garbage must be stored in bear-resistant canisters. The ATC continues to  “strongly recommend” that overnight visitors on the AT use approved bear canisters. After a few backpacking trips it becomes apparent that the quality of the product as well as how easy it is to use that there is no current better alternative. Both canisters are top notch, but the Weekender does provide some weight savings. The Appalachian Trail Recommends Bear Canisters. The bear is getting tangled in your tent and trying to get away from the screaming, thrashing thing inside—but can’t. The ATC does not promote one product over the other, but in Metheny’s experience the BV500 is a good choice. Skurka recently did an article that touched on canister usage in Yosemite. So either they are or they are not but all hikers out there tell me they are not and not to worry about them. Thanks for your support! Also, I believe carrying a caninster leaves a smaller footprint because you are not disturbing the fauna with a caninster like you are with a hang. You would not want to place it in such a manner that the bear could jump on it like a diving board. Why does this article not talk about the ursack? Is it cumbersome and inconvenient? Some sections of the Appalachian Trail in the Southeast, particularly in Georgia and the Smokies, also have a history of problems. “There are various methods out there from a rope hang to bear boxes. Please comment with answers. Anyway, my thoughts as a hiker (T-30!). I avoid the shelters, so the bear boxes wouldn’t help me. We are temporary visitors to the trail and its surrounding resources. No hanging or ropes required, that being said we have also NEVER had an instance of a bear breaking into these Garcia models. Think about this: a “normal” pack weight for successful AT thru-hikers in 1970 was in the neighborhood of 50 pounds. The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club manages, ... Bear Canisters. Alterations to the trail’s natural resources should be limited and carefully considered. I will hang and use an odor-proof bag inside my hang bag. It’s not required currently except for 5 miles of the trail. As much as I hate to carry it, I do enjoy the ease of using it. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. Water is scarce along the first 25 miles of the Highline Trail. “We will have analyzed systems for keeping hiker food away from wildlife,” Metheny said. At peak visitation times, or when one or more organized group stays at a site, food storage capacity can quickly be overwhelmed. This registration does not replace required permits for Great Smoky Mountains (GRSM), Shenandoah (SHEN) National Parks, or Baxter State Park; The ATC and the US Forest Service strongly recommend use of approved bear canisters for personal food storage along the entire A.T. *** Only foot traffic is allowed on the Appalachian Trail. This would go a long way toward solving the problem. You might even be successful in scaring a bear off a couple of times. Maybe it’s all of those things, but it is definitely called a bear canister. No stumbling around the woods with your headlamp looking for a properly constructed tree. The best ultralight bear canisters and a complete guide to backpacking in Grizzly and Black Bear territories. The Appalachian Trail in Georgia, March 2016 –The bear canister debate can get intense. Note that in some states, there are many more visitor-created (so-called stealth) overnight sites than designated ones—none of those have any food protection devices. There are other documented reports of bears entering tents looking for food at other AT sites. I thought they recommend *against* wedging because a bear is more likely to be able to get good purchase and leverage to breach a wedged object. I don’t enjoy it, but do I appreciate the peace of mind that it affords. we recommend the black drum Garcia model. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. Hanging a bear bag takes up a lot of time. Canister Call! Add your comments. Hi Bo, And it has become so popular that 3 million people a year step foot on it, in some form or another. That’s just not how it works. I'm a 15- year volunteer for the A.T. in Mass and a regular section hiker. Are bear canisters/bear spray necessary? Has anyone used the notches on the side to help secure it to the outside of their pack? The number of black bears has increased steadily in recent years. Disgraceful. My base weight went from 14 lbs to 17 lbs with the canister. woods hole and blood mountain shelters are in this area. Another factor not considered at first glance is the transfer of cost from the park and trail manager programs to the visitor. I really want to use a bear canister, but spent 30 minutes at REI trying to open one and strained and hurt my thumbs. So, at least one of several things has to change, either a massive amount of education, probably connected to limitations about who can attempt the trail, or we all start carrying bear cannisters and possibly bear spray. The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club manages, ... Bear Canisters. Ursack major bullet proof spectra fabric 8 oz I think it is. for bear activity in states that have active bear hunting seasons. Even though your personal experience would vary, depending on the intersection of your hiking schedule and a bear’s ongoing search for food, the idea is to reduce the overall opportunity for bears to access human food. There are a number of benefits to carrying a bear-resistant canister. If hikers could do this for a small fee, they might be more likely to use them. After Leidy Peak (around mile 25), you won’t have to worry about water again for the remainder of the trip. Unless some unusual circumstance would preclude my fitting the canister in my pack load (talking about volume consumed in the pack – not weight), then I would use the bear canister every time. Then, after Earl died a very small apology, near the back of their newsletter. All food, toiletries and garbage must be stored in bear resistant canisters. “We also have to factor in visitor compliance. After seeing how new hikers didn’t have a clue when hanging bags, I am all for canisters. So let’s take a look at what options we have when we bring food with us on our trip. The small canister (BV450) weighs 2 pounds, 1 ounce, before adding 4 … 9. My intent is not to rip the scab off that wound or relitigate the question here. “We understand that this will require a transitional period and education. It habituates bears to human presence, and the food we bring. There are IGBC-approved soft-sided bags on the market. For trips where you are mostly stealth camping, the Ursack is a good choice though in my opinion. 292 thru/section hikers in ATC’s 2019 hiker survey reported that an animal got their food. Not a good outcome. About 30% of these responded that rodents were the culprit, and just under 10% reported that bears did it. You’ve talked me into it (for my bucket-list thru hikes in the undetermined future). I don’t think we can kill our way out of it either, which is true for any thing. Many think so. It is both bear and rodent proof. Here are some thoughts on why it makes sense to use a bear canister on the trail. The idea of bear canisters being used while overnighting along the Appalachian Trail is a hard sell. Ursack, all the way. It’s easy to name all the cons. I have 2. I own and use the BV450. More shelters need bear boxes, much like the ones I’ve seen throughout the MA section and elsewhere. I think we have plenty of bears and we shouldnt be affraid to cull out the annoying ones. I can get about a week’s worth of food, toiletries, etc in the bear vault and since i generally do warm weather hiking, it fits easily into my 50 liter pack. My thinking: moving a bear from the territory it carved out of the wilderness to eat and live is an environmental impact. By recent count, about 40% of designated (that is, manager created and maintained) AT overnight sites have some device to provide storage for hiker food. You think you hear a noise outside your tent. *They clamed Earl was NOT the first thru hiker. It decides it’s cornered and tries to defend itself. So, I went ahead and bought the BV450 and worked around it. These devices have initial costs, and continuing maintenance (often performed by volunteers) is necessary—particularly the task of keeping bear boxes free of trash and abandoned food. With the ATC strongly recommending the use of bear canisters between Springer Mountain and Damascus, we wanted to examine the most important question on this topic: Why? The ones that have low hanging branches. Lots of food and trash that’s easy pickings. Thread: Bear Canisters to be Required on Parts of the AT. We are foremost looking for solutions that equally protect the resource, in this case wildlife, and the visitor.”. A lot of people like to troll this subject. I agree with the one comment about making it collapsible. There are several other long-distance trails for which a bear canister is recommend or required. I'm an Appalachian Trail thru hiker from class 2014! Q: I camp in the northeast and call New Jersey home.On a recent trip, we were hanging the bear bag while the ranger was visiting. The hiker was bitten on the leg and was evacuated (fortunately, the injuries to the hiker were not serious). Simply a footpath without a natural landscape negates the entirety of what the trail is. Also who cares if there is a bear box at an established camp site? CC BY 2.0 Daveynin No need to look for a hang or hope you’ll get lucky. Permits to hike and camp, and ranger notifications are not required in Georgia nor North Carolina south of GSMNP. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Food storage devices can increase the use of a site beyond its intended capacity, as hikers opt for sites with protection devices over those without. I’ve seen ranger photos of BV500 canisters crushed by bears … they aren’t impenetrable. The failure rate of the above methods means that bears aren’t being protected. Sierra land managers are unified in their desire to protect black bears from the ill effects of obtaining human food, but specific regulations vary between different parks and forests. But just how dangerous is hiking the Appalachian Trail, and what are those potential dangers? So be sure yours is locked up even though you’re around not too far from it. Saves time. I have to ask “Why are they encouraging bear canisters?” It can’t be to protect the Bears, so what is in it for them. Many hikers do well adopting Leave No Trace principles to their activities. IGBC-certified containers are one of the methods available to meet food storage regulations on National Forest Lands in grizzly bear habitat. Not fair to those who can hang food properly. Carrying a bear canister is a viable option for me. In some places, land managers can be left only with the options of closing the campsite, or killing the bear. They are cumbersome and heavy and take up a lot of room in your pack. Does our respect for the natural world ring true when we add more infrastructure to it? Bear canisters required for camping between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap A new U.S. Forest Service rule requires approved bear-resistant storage containers for overnight camping on a 5-mile stretch of the A.T. in the Chattahoochee National Forest between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap, between March 1 and June 1. The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club manages, ... Bear Canisters. Hello, I work at the Adirondack Mountain Club. Several campsites in the mid-Atlantic have been closed, and a bear that frequently visited an AT campsite was euthanized in  2019. Just my opinion though. The Appalachian Trail lead me on to a new life path and gave me the skills to navigate through it. I was pretty confident in how my food was hung but in the morning my line, carabiner, and toggle were all still hanging and my food was gone. However, I find it odd, that on this site as well as a couple of others that I follow, that I have yet to see a single person who posts their gear list show that bear vault laid out on the bed or on the list. When bears are successful with one, they will keep trying for others. Knew a woman with an ursack, had food ,stove, trash in it, had the “smell-proof” liner too. Part of her job was to relocate bears that acquire a taste for high calorie hiker-food. I think it’s important that bear canisters become more widespread and become a regular part of the backpacking community, especially on the AT where there are more and more hikers each year. Officials in the park searched for the bear but were not able to locate it. I use an elastic cargo net that is made for use on a motorcycle and it secures it tightly in seconds. The Seven Principles are a means of adopting an ethic of stewardship that is focused on ways to limit impacts to the natural environment caused by our presence. If people don’t protect their food properly it will make the bears unable to fend for themselves and become too accustomed to getting food from people. Here is the “White Mtn Hang.” After a long day, you secure a site, stare at all those trees which are inches from each other. People’s ignorance, laziness, or lack of give-a-shit will end up making it more difficult for the rest of us. I am very thankful for the opportunity to contribute to Appalachian Trials. You yell and slap the ground. It’s similar to other A.T. use issues–the sheer quantity of Trail visitors means that the aggregate effect is large, even though an individual’s actions might seem minor. Here’s a rough spreadsheet for comparing different canisters: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K9PANU_FJ9LyM0142kPaN_qht3AbhW4Hc5cOg4nJ-KM/edit?usp=sharing. Traveling on the Appalachian Trail can be one of the most rewarding experiences for hikers. He found almost all of the reported incidents were from human error (eg not securing the lid). While camping in the Sierra, proper bear-proof food storage is highly recommended, and in some places required by law. I hate extra weight, but I’m fully on board with using a canister where it is needed. IGBC Certified Bear-Resistant Products IGBC Online. How awesome would that be? In some places like Yosemite, hanging food is actually illegal. Ignoring the advice of the ATC just seems very problematic to me. Our Tax ID number: 526046689. Hello, I work at the Adirondack Mountain Club. I was fortunate to receive a Wild Ideas Weekender and use that now, loaning out my Garcia to friends who go with me. It also doubles as a decent camp chair.Canisters are not immune from human error, however. You can find out about what we've been up to on the Trail here: massatprojects.blogspot.com. Forest Service Reminds Appalachian Trail Hikers of Requirement to Use Bear-Resistant Storage Canisters. Opens up new locations for camp. The Case for Bear Canisters on the Appalachian Trail. We can be smarter about it and I think bear canisters are a smarter way to do it. (She said it doesn’t take much for that to happen and from the bears point of view it beats berries and grubs) Her point was all too often the relocation doesn’t or won’t work and the Bear has to be killed. The one time I actually saw a bear on a canister, she just batted it around and stood on it a few times–then moved on. This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. Option 1: “I hope that no bears are around tonight.” This might work for you, even for multiple nights. Manager-supplied food protection has notable limitations and ongoing costs, and is only available in limited locations. Maybe a hiker did not consider when selecting a campsite whether there would be an adequate tree to hang a bear bag. Properly closed, and located according to the canister manufacturer’s directions, you can set it and forget it. Interestingly, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is now recommending use of bear canisters instead of bear bagging along the AT, because yes, some bears along the trail have learned to associate ropes in trees with food.

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