Bear Canisters: ONE PER PERSON!

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mr.kurt
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Bear Canisters: ONE PER PERSON!

Post by mr.kurt »

Hey all. I just spoke with a ranger at the Mammoth Lakes Ranger Station. It seems that as of today, one bear canister is required per person, per trip, regardless of how short that trip may be. Apparently there has been a huge number of bear incidents this year, and a huge number of irresponsible people.

I don't know anymore than this, including specifics on locations. Does anyone have confirmation of this or know anything else?

-Kurt
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markskor
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Post by markskor »

This does not seem fair/ (right)....an overnighter with the wife would then require 2 cans?
...or if one adult with two kids...3 cans?

I seriously doubt this "one can per person" rumor...too vague...
usually, the rules make sense.
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cgundersen
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Post by cgundersen »

Well, if this is true, it will certainly affect planning. My wife and I have the Bearikade cans that are great because each one holds ~5 days worth of food. But, they are pretty heavy and obviously on shorter trips we only take one can.

At the same time, if folks are being hugely irresponsible, I can see the authorities imposing rules that may be a bit draconian....
cgundersen
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TehipiteTom
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Post by TehipiteTom »

This is why I avoid heavily impacted areas like Mammoth. There's a whole lot of high country that's just as pretty and isn't inundated with hikers (and, as a result, habituated bears).
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caddis
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Post by caddis »

Tell that ranger he needs to shoot a couple bears in the campground right behind his desk.
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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

Last year on my trip out of Mammoth, the only bear I saw was at the trailhead by the campground. Those folks there aren't up to speed, last year I had to tell the backcountry ranger how my TKO was supposed to be deployed while I was at Purple Lake. I gave her my email addy but never heard a word from her as she thought I wasn't being truthful on how my bag worked I think. She had her doubts, but I gave her the facts and sounded convincing I guess as she didn't ticket me.

My trip around the Rae Lakes Loop was the most people I have ever camped by. Nice at times talking with folks but the camp areas were heavily impacted I thought. The last night was the only night no one else was around and I was only a couple miles from the TH at that point. On to something else next year.
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caddis
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Post by caddis »

Spen last week with the family at the Shady Rest campground and we had two different bears roaming the campground in the middle of the day. One was walking straight into my camp while we were eating dinner. I don't know what was more irritating, the bears, or the camper that was hollering at me to bang pots and pans because it frightens the bears away.
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mountaineer
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Post by mountaineer »

I have never taken a bear cannister and never will. What a crock. I have been going into the wilderness since 1969 and have never had a bear get my food. Now, because of some knuckleheads, they are telling me I have to take some heavy can into the backcountry? I don't think so.
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Strider
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Post by Strider »

mountaineer wrote:I have never taken a bear cannister and never will. What a crock. I have been going into the wilderness since 1969 and have never had a bear get my food. Now, because of some knuckleheads, they are telling me I have to take some heavy can into the backcountry? I don't think so.
Non-violent civil disobience? We'll make a liberal out of you, yet!
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mountaineer
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Post by mountaineer »

Strider wrote:
mountaineer wrote:I have never taken a bear cannister and never will. What a crock. I have been going into the wilderness since 1969 and have never had a bear get my food. Now, because of some knuckleheads, they are telling me I have to take some heavy can into the backcountry? I don't think so.
Non-violent civil disobience? We'll make a liberal out of you, yet!
LOL! Not hardly. :)
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