R01/R03 TR: High Sierra Trail - October 2024

[LuckySVT]

I agree that the Bearikade is a lot of money for 8 oz. less weight. Check if you can rent a Bearikade at the ranger station. I rented one to see how it worked and then decided I wanted one. It is a long-term investment. Just as important is how it fit inside your pack.

The same cost/benefit applies to all your backpack gear. Most people end up carrying out at least 8 oz of excess food so being more careful with food saves as much if not more and costs nothing. Backpackers who go light carry enough gear and food to be safe (survival) but not necessarily enough to be comfortable all the time. It is pretty individual. As you found out, an item like an extra pair of socks, weighing about 2 oz, is well worth it.

I do not think the HST was necessarily a bad choice. It has lost a bit of its luster given the last few years of fire damage. I mostly avoided doing it as a thru-hike because of the transportation difficulties. I have done all pieces of it, but not in one trip.

Getting a permit is a pain, you will get better at it with practice. Consider Yosemite, which uses a lottery system. Or Emigrant Wilderness which has no quota and you get the permit at a ranger station when you drive there. I am not that fond of post-permit season because it just gets dark too early. Pre-permit works better for me because I am willing and able to deal with snow in exchange for more daylight.

I also write trip reports with an honest description of the difficulties and have received plenty of paternalistic/critical replies. Putting up with some difficulties is part of the whole package of backpacking. Nothing wrong with choosing a challenge as long as you stay safe.

WaDa - I appreciate the perspective and it was my trip, we all have different opinions and I just wanted to share mine as no other HST blogger has ever lamented the amount of stark granite one must endure. Naive I was, but I know what the high Sierra is all about now!
Coming into this forum and having a dissenting opinion, the replies were expected. But I wanted to give back, as I benefited from reading others!

I've hiked EndofTheRoad in July - LOL, Never again! The mosquitos were another reason I chose to hike in October, along with my hatred of crowds, standing in line, and my inability to plan trips 6-months in advance. The days were definitely short with just ~11.5hrs of daylight, so missing out on the Solstice and the extra 3.5hrs of daylight were noticeable as you pointed out.

If you can manage a ride to the trailhead - you can grab the Eastern Sierra Transit Bus out of Lone Pine to Reno to reduce the transportation difficulties. Clean, comfortable, and decently priced.

[Gogd]

You are more resourceful than me, despite the clear walls it seemed I still found myself rummaging through the contents most of the time or just emptying it out to collect whatever I was fixing for a given meal.

You know the gamble you accept when not securing the lid as designed, but in any case I would not leave any food or canister unattended in my pack unless I was willing to have it shredded by a passing bear, or more likely, chewed on by a varmint.

Ed

[LuckySVT]

You are more resourceful than me, despite the clear walls it seemed I still found myself rummaging through the contents most of the time or just emptying it out to collect whatever I was fixing for a given meal.

You know the gamble you accept when not securing the lid as designed, but in any case I would not leave any food or canister unattended in my pack unless I was willing to have it shredded by a passing bear, or more likely, chewed on by a varmint.

I went stoveless so a bit easier as there was no meal prep.

BV Canisters are most definitely not air/water tight so every animal could smell my snacks. Having the lid "locked" would provide zero protection from a hungry bear or a pesky Marmot. The locking lid just prevents them from getting to the food, not from destroying my pack to only realize the BV is un-openable.

[Gogd]

BV Canisters are most definitely not air/water tight so every animal could smell my snacks. Having the lid "locked" would provide zero protection from a hungry bear or a pesky Marmot. The locking lid just prevents them from getting to the food, not from destroying my pack to only realize the BV is un-openable.

Yes, bears or varmints will shred your pack to find that food smell. Ergo what I was trying to state: it is not a good idea to store your canister in your un attended pack, regardless if it is locked or unlocked.

Ed

[narc1370]

I found the most aggravating aspect of the Bearvault design is fellow campers getting something from the canister, then screwing the lid back down until snug tight. At that point the threads of canister and lid bind against each other, sometimes requiring significant strength and technique to loosen the lid. One time the lid was really stuck, and I had to drizzle soapy water onto the threads to get them loose. The thing is it's not necessary to screw the lid down snug tight, just getting the pawl past the stop will lock the lid. You can watch for this event to occur, or listen for the distinct click sound of the pawl as it passes the stop. One thing that can be done to reduce the friction between lid and canister threads is lubricating the threads; I prefer spray-on silicone or paraffin wax.

Ed - appreciate the pros & cons of the Bearikade compared to the BV500.

One great thing about the BV is that its clear and you can find what you want without emptying the entire thing!

I also never locked my BV but on two nights that I went without a bearbox (Precipice & Guitar Lake) - when I placed it in my pack I screwed the lid on just a few turns so if I needed something I could just leave it in my pack and grab rather than disassemble my Tetris like packing.

I agree with the clear BV. That's the only thing I miss with my Bearikade. I've started keeping each day's food in an odor proof bag, so I'm not really going into the can until the end of the day and then the next morning to pull out the next day's rations. It seems to work for me.