bear canister

[kolbi2112]

Contrary to popular belief, there ARE bears in the San Jacinto wilderness. I never thought there were until I met a pest control guy in Idyllwild who has had to capture a few and relocate them. There are not many (5 that he knew of), but they are there.

That said, I don't think a bear can is necessary.

[Ellen]

Howdy All

Just used my Bearikade weekender bear cannister (holds enough for one person for 6 days) on San Gorgonio Saturday night. We slept at the summit. No bears, but hungry field squirrels.

The Bearikade takes up more room than my BearVaut or the Garcia and is more expensive but:
1) Absolutely easy to open On the JMT in 2009, there were times we wondered if WE could open the darn BearVault
2) Carries a ton of stuff. No room wasted.
3) Very light.

HJ's picture shows the Beerikade (oops Bearikade) bear cannister

www.wild-ideas.net

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[The Weasel]

First trip on San J, coming from the Tram in 3 weeks, 2 nights at Round Valley Campground. Even if bear cannisters aren't needed, are there trees to fly food from? What kind of mini-bears and other other varmints are there. I usually prefer to tarp rather than tent, but not if a campground has a lot of black/white "pussycats" to snuggle with, and I don't like to feed squirrels from my food bag. Last, are there many bugs at that elevation?

Thanks

The Weasel[/quote]

[phydeux]

I don't suggest hanging stuff from trees - squirrels are pretty good at climbing into trees and shimmying down cord to get to food bags. Easiest way to keep the smaller critters out of your food is to put it into a empty metal paint can. You can buy 1-gal empties at Home Despot, Lowes, or other paint retailers. Ligthweight and under $10 (far cheaper than a bear canister). Try to make the handle remvable or remove it entirely, as sometimes coyotes will be in the Round Valley/Tamarak Valley area, and they'll figure out how to carry it off unless you secure it really, really well.

[Sally]

Hi Weasel,

Several years ago my daughter and I pulled into Little Round Valley very late in the afternoon. Exhausted, we cooked up a kettle of couscous which we were unable to finish. Like idiots we left the kettle out on the ground and hit the sack. When we woke up the next morning the kettle of couscous was gone. Sad at losing my new kettle, we started our hike up to the peak. As we neared the meadow where the platform for the ranger's tent was, we saw something shining in the grass. It was my kettle, licked completely clean! We later ran into a ranger and he told us it was probably a raccoon. To this day I can envision the critter gleefully grasping the handle of my kettle and sprinting through the forest with our couscous!

So yes, there are critters that will get to your food if you don't secure it in some way.

[The Weasel]

Thanks to both of you above. Further questions:

1) What kind of varmints can I expect? Squirrels and raccoons are mentioned. Skunk? Possum? Chipmunks? Others?

2) Are there trees that can be used for flying food at LRV Camp? When I fly it, to minimize squirrels/munks, I knot a paint can lid or large tuna lid (clean) about 5' above the food, which makes most of them slide/fall off. Comments?

3) Is it hoping for too much that there are food vaults or bear poles (rope/pulley) there?

thanks

The Weasel

[asabat]

This talk about tying food in trees got me thinking. I can't find the rule now, but have had problems with rangers in other California state parks telling me I can't tie anything to a tree. Rules is rules I guess. But when he made me take down an American flag tied high in a tree on the 4th of July it still made me steamed.

Yet they want us to protect our food. How is tying a food bag (maybe 5 or 10 pounds) less detrimental to the treee than a 1-pound American flag?

[Norris]

If you hang anything from trees, be sure to use something sturdier than trash bags because ravens or other birds can peck holes in them.

[The Weasel]

I've always thought it best to use clear ziplocs when I hang food, so that the squirrels and such can choose what they prefer to eat.

Thw Weasel

[sparky]

Pest control guy was telling stories.....there are no bears on SJ.....at least I am doubting it. The mountain is way too small for there to be zero evidence of 5 bears.

I keep food in my tent overnight. Many times I have left food unattended and never lost anything. Countless drunken car camping fiascos with food left out all night......never a nibble!! In the sierra I am much more aware and careful. The only food I have lost in 20 [years of backpacking was a zip Loc with chips taken by a bird in Yosemite backpackers camp....right in front of a ranger....he wasn't happy, I felt like a douche.

There are, however, mischevious spirits and demons though...at best just lots of weird unexplainable things. Some wild tweaker tales might run amuck amungst hemet locals....I have experienced my fair share of madness on the mountain. One night we packed up and left one night car camping at yellow post sites off bee canyon. We were in our sleeping bags in our tents....night night. 30 minutes later we were hauling ass out of there to see the moon blood red, looking like it was falling into lake perris! I am sure you all know the Tahquitz legend.

What I am saying the mountain is more likely alive, than a host to bear. Maybe he displaced "ghost bears".

Earlier this year I was scouting out a site by a crowded caramba when suddenly this large white animal darted toward me from the corner of my vision. I first thought bear, scratched that theory because of the color, next thing the brain served up was wolf, as I now recognized its dog like features, but no humans. Then I saw and spoke with the human, and went from fight or flight to annoyed....I had pity for the animal owned by that complete douche.