That said, I didnt use one for years and actaully just got my own. Dont get all worked up, I used one over the last 10 years, but either a loner from my bro or I rented one. I also did several trips without them (West Side TH's) and never had a problem. You might have already guessed I fall into Mr. Donehoo's line of thought. I carry one, but never had a bear get my food and have been backpacking since the mid 70'S. Ive had em in camp, but only ever had one get anything (our trash bag) and that was 100% my fault. I forgot it by the cooking area. Funny thing was, it left my counter balanced food bags alone. I will admit to avoiding spots folks told me there were alot of bears (1000 Island Lake, Little Yosemite (Yosemite at all for that matter), Buubs Creek, etc), and I dont think that we often hiked with our dogs hurt much either, but there were bears out there.
But Fish, your comment was the one that caught my eye and made me reply.
fishmonger wrote:Not sure if you have been in the Sierras in the 80s, but I can tell you that every night at ANY campsite between Whitney and Yosemite was a bear party. Sleep was a rare event, as you spent half the night chasing bears off your poorly hung food. All they did back then was patrol camp sites, smell for humans, because in more cases than not, it was a guaranteed easy meal.frediver wrote:
Really man???? That statement is just not true as I backpacked often between Whitney and Yosemite in the 80's and 90's and I never expeienced that (Bear Creek Draniage, Mono Creek drainage and the northern KCNP, McGee Creek, Hilton Lakes, etc). Using a bear container is the right thing to do, but stop with the "back when I was a kid, the bears were thick as the mosquitoes" tales.