Are bear cannisters mandatory or suggested in SJ Wilderness?

[Rob]

For trail camping in San Jacinto Wilderness, are bear cannisters mandatory? Suggested?

[GDannyboy]

For trail camping in San Jacinto Wilderness, are bear cannisters mandatory? Suggested?

Nope. They are not. However, they are mandatory on nearby Mt. Gorgonio.

Honestly, I don't think that there are any bears in the Mt San Jacinto National Forest Park area.

Sidenote: Last time I was up at Mt. Gorgonio, I awoke from my tent with HUGE cougar tracks outside my tent door and head area windows. I saw dear and bighorn sheep while there too. Gorgonio/Big Bear/Lake Arrowhead all have bears.

[Hikin_Jim]

Bear cannisters are not mandatory anywhere in Southern California including the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Wildernesses, although the USFS does recommend them in the SGW.

I seem to recall that there are bears in the San Jacintos.

somewhere around 1997, a population south of I-10 became established in the San Jacinto and perhaps the Santa Rosa Mountains.

(from http://tchester.org/sd/lists/bears.html)

I'm not aware of any cannister recommendations in the San Jacintos. I usually just carry an Ursack. I've never had a bear try to get my food, so I can't vouch for the effectiveness of the Ursack, but it seems like a reasonable compromise in low bear-threat areas. Canisters are heavy, hard to pack, cumbersome, and very limiting as to the quantity of food you can carry. Don't like 'em a bit.

HJ

[GDannyboy]

Bear cannisters are not mandatory anywhere in Southern California including the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Wildernesses, although the USFS does recommend them in the SGW.

I seem to recall that there are bears in the San Jacintos.

somewhere around 1997, a population south of I-10 became established in the San Jacinto and perhaps the Santa Rosa Mountains.

(from http://tchester.org/sd/lists/bears.html)

I do stand corrected. Thanks HJ. The SGWA 'advocates (rather strongly) the use of bear-proof canisters to store food.' http://www.sgwa.org/bearbag.htm

And I'm glad to hear that there are bears in the MSJ areas.

[Hikin_Jim]

Thanks for taking that well. I just looked at my post, and I could have phrased that more politely. Tired last night.

[Jman]

I was on SJ this week and I was amazed at little wild life I saw. I know I was probbly a little noisy while hiking but the most I saw was some squirels and chipmunks. No deer, no coyote, not even any evidence of them. I've seen and heard more animals at the park I work at way down here in the valley.

[Pilgrim]

There are plenty of Deer in SJ. They have learned to stay away from the more popular trail areas. I've had the best luck seeing them while camped near Law's Camp in the federal wilderness area and camped on the northern edge of Tamarack Valley in the state park.

I've seen a picture of a bear stealing some food at Saddle Junction from some illegally camped PCT thru-hikers in May 2006 (they didn't hang it since they thought wrongly there are no bears in SJ). I also heard them interviewed about it in a PCT documentary shot that year ("Even More Walking"). I must admit to being surprised by it since I also wrongly thought there are no Bears in SJ.

But unlike the Sierras where I've always seen bears, I've never seen a bear anywhere in our local mountains so I must admit to, in the past, having used poorer food storage methods out of laziness (ie. hanging food more for rodent protection then bear protection). From reports over the years, I know they exist, but it never seemed real to me. But with the drought causing problems over in San Gorgonio, I have to admit to being more careful this year.