High Sierra Topix

We have a permit to hike the HST in Aug. Should we plan to use food lockers along our route or carry bear canisters? Would be nice not carrying 2-3lb canister but that limits us to campsites with available locker space. Maybe that's not a problmm on HST. Oh, we're heading north on JMT and finishing at Onion Valley. I apologize if this has been asked. Did a quick search and saw a few comments.

Hi Robert H,

Welcome to HST! Definitely would recommend the bear canisters, they will give
you the freedom to set up camp where ever you want to, and allows you to stay
away from larger groups, especially along the JMT. It will allow you to freely visit
and stay in beautiful Wallace Lakes Basin, Wright Lakes Basin, Upper Kern Divide
or/and Center Basin!

I did it without and wished I'd had one. YMMV.

100% BRING A CANISTER!!!

First off, it allows you the freedom to camp at places where there aren't bear boxes/do side trips. Second, there are times where the bear boxes are already full of other people's gear/food when you get there, and then you are screwed.

Having the canister allows you so much more flexibility it's well worththe extra couple pounds. They also make a handy camp stool.

Also, the standard "stopping/camping" spots on the HST get a ton of people camping in them (sheeple mentality). That's fine if you want to hike into the wilderness to hang out with a big group of strangers, but if you actually want a real wilderness experience, try stopping a mile before or after the standard spots, or just hike a bit off trail every day to find a private camp spot. It's more than worth the extra effort.

I always bring a canister. You don't have to be huddled with others in one spot, waiting for the bears to come thru, or be concerned about marmots or mice looking for goodies. Good seat, good table, etc; In many areas, I believe marmots can be more of a threat to your food than bears.

Another option is to do both. If I really try I can fit 4 days food in my small bearvault 450. Camp the first couple nights by boxes, then whn you have eaten your way down to the stash in the canister you can get away from the designated camping areas.

But honestly if you are allready carrying a canister, might as well bring the big one. I have done it this way and I really wasn't super jazzed about camping by loud groups.

robert h wrote:We have a permit to hike the HST in Aug. Should we plan to use food lockers along our route or carry bear canisters? Would be nice not carrying 2-3lb canister but that limits us to campsites with available locker space. Maybe that's not a problmm on HST. Oh, we're heading north on JMT and finishing at Onion Valley. I apologize if this has been asked. Did a quick search and saw a few comments.

There is no one answer to your question. What you will choose depends on two things:
1) When in the summer you are going
2) How fast you plan on moving

Last year we went the week after Labor Day, when traffic decreases considerably. As a result, 3 of us (including myself) decided to ditch the canisters and used the lockers. The other 2 carried canisters, but ended up putting them in the lockers too. There was plenty of space for all.

Since you are going in August, you will see considerably more activity on the trail, so it's probably better to take the cans. This also frees you to camp (almost) anywhere, as others have pointed out. For us, we knew we wanted to stick to the trail, so exploration/rambling was not a factor.

Awesome website...thanks everyone for the input! Sounds like carrying a bear canister is the way to go.

We're planning 7 days/6 nights. I'd prefer adding another night for more opportunity to explore but 7/6 seems ok. I've been reading trip reports at various sites but if anyone has any side trips they recommend would love to hear about them. Maybe that would help convince our group to add another night. We day hiked Mt. Whitney last year so skipping that and heading north on JMT to finish at Onion Valley.

For side trips from the JMT, both Wallace/Wales lakes and Wright Lakes are highly recommended. There's a use trail to Wallace Lake that heads off from the JMT junction. Cross-country travel in Wright Lakes basin is easy. There are lots of trip reports about both areas with photos to give you a better idea.

For side trip areas you could hit:

-lake S. America/upper kern basin - very pretty and some great easy xc options. It's an easy add in without really changing your miles since you are skipping Whitney and exiting via onion valley - just head North at the intersection about 1/4 mile from Junction Meadow instead of heading east up out of the Kern valley.

-Bighorn Plateau and wright lakes... just google images of those areas... 'nuff said

-Mt Williamson and/or Mt Tyndal. Both are (relativly) easy climbs, particularily after you've already had 5 or 6 days to acclimate, and the views are quite simply sublime. Mt Williamson is staggeringly large..

Enjoy your trip!!