Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Bearikade - Expedition has any one used one??

We're thinking about renting a couple of the larger Bearikades (Expedition model) for our JMT hike. Has anyone used this particular bear canister? If so, how well did it fit in you're pack? It is rather long - 14", but weights less then our Garcia's that only holds 6 day of food. Just wanting to compare thoughts, ideas and any suggestions. We have to carry about 12 days of food from JM trail Ranch to Portal and the Garcia will come up short for storage. What do other thru hikers do?? Thanks!

Bearikades are definately your lightest roomiest option. I carried a Bearvault(clear lexan) when I did the JMT last year. I was only able to fit 8 of my 10 days of food needed to go from Whitney to VVR in the canister. The Bearikade, while taking up more space, will definately hold more, though you will most likely have to counter balance for the first few days. Most people I know doing extended trips just use a good counter balance for the rest of their food.
What type of pack are you carrying(help determine if the canister will fit)?
Eric
PS The main reason I use a Bearvault is that it was given to me for free by the owner of the Co. If I were to buy one it would be the Bearikade.

No matter what "can" you use, Bearikade, Garcia, etc, there is just no way all the food is going to fit- no matter how well you pack it. If you want to eat well, this is a fact of life. You can shave all the weight off that is possible, but for a 10-12 day trip segment as you are doing, you just have to resolve yourself that, for the first few days anyway, you are going to have to either 1) sleep with some food, 2)hang it properly, 3) build a cairn, 4)use a bear box, or 5)carry two cans (Yea right!). Anybody who says different is just lying.
I advocate just doing the best that you can, and following the same advice that they use in the military- "Don't ask...don't tell."

I was thinking more in the lines of one of those non-approved by NFS bear resistant bags for the days we can't seem to make it all fit and just hang the food or misc stuff. We are only talking about a couple of days so hopefully we will not have a critter/bear problem. Thanks for the advise.

Just carry one cannister -- that satisfies the legal requirements. Just hang the rest properly, unless there is a bear box. Not sure how far north they are, but all along the southern part of the JMT, at many camping sites there is a bear box, so you wouldn't even need to hang your food OR use the cannister.

Do NOT sleep with your food. Bears are getting better at stealing it -- read my <a href="http://www.mt-whitney.info/viewtopic.php?t=92&highlight=rage"> Chasin Bears story</a>.

Several years ago, north of Glen Aulin on the PCT, we hung 40 lbs of food the first night out -- took all the stuff-sacks we had.

I beg to differ about the strict legal requirement issue. According to the offical Yosemite website: “You must store all your food in bear canisters (where applicable). Please note that these food storage regulations have the force and effect of federal law: Failure to store your food properly may result in impoundment of your food or car and/or a fine of up to $5,000.” http://www.nps.gov/yose/bears/
In most of Yosemite, as well as in some areas of SEKI, the practice of hanging food is now considered illegal. You may come across a ranger with an attitude, and he, if he feels like it, has the right to fine you $5000 if all food is not in the can. This is impossible but...That is the current law.

Mark - So what are you suggesting, your first post or your second?? They differ a great deal.

RT,

Have done a lot of research on bear can requirements and can say fairly accurately that the JMT has some sections where one is not required. That doesn't mean it is not recommended.

All areas of Yosemite are mandatory as well as most areas traversed on the JMT in the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness areas just south of Yosemite and the Mt Whitney zone. There are sections of Sequoia/Kings Canyon do not require bear cans. The following is quoted from the Sequoia/Kings Canyon website.

"SEKI-approved bear-resistant food storage containers with the capacity to store all food are required from the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend through October 31 at the following locations:

Rae Lakes Loop through Paradise Valley to Woods Creek crossing, through the Rae Lakes Basin and the 60 Lakes Basin into the Charlotte Lake area, and south along the Pacific Crest Trail to Forester Pass. Also included are the Bubbs Creek drainage and associated trails and cross-country areas from Kearsarge Lakes and Center Basin to Cedar Grove, and all other drainages feeding Bubbs Creek east of, and including East Creek. This also extends south to the Kings-Kern Divide.
Dusy Basin which includes all camp areas from Bishop Pass to the junction with the John Muir Trail in LeConte Canyon and all cross-country areas in Dusy Basin and Palisades Basin.

Parties traveling through the Rae Lakes area on trips not beginning or ending at Cedar Grove, Kearsarge Pass, Baxter Pass, or Sawmill Pass must either use SEKI-approved bear-resistant food storage containers or camp at sites with lockers."

The areas that do not require bear cans would then be the northern most entry of the parks at Piute Creek to Mather pass, approximately 33 miles and close to Muir Trail Ranch at the north. I have not been able to confirm it but I believe that the area around Silver pass, just north of Lake Edison isnot in a required zone as well.

The attached URL provides a lsiting of all bear storage lockers in Sequoia/Kings Canyon currently listed on their website.

http://www.nps.gov/seki/snrm/wildlife/wildlife_data/lockers.rtf

I will be traveling the JMT (north to south) in August and share the same dilemma. I pwn a Garcia and have been fortunate enough to get 6-7 days in one load. I will be starting in Youlumne Meadows and plan to re-supply at Red's Meadow and Muir Trail Ranch. I plan to carry 10 days of food supply from Muir Trail Ranch to Whitney Portal and as such will need to hang some for a few days. I plan to attach a small bell to my hanging bags to provide an alarm.

I know the law- and it now seems impossible to do a long trip through Yosemite and remain completely legal, especially in the first couple of days, but...Hanging has always been the safest and most reliable, but this is the easiest for the ranger to see, and puts me at the most ranger risk. All I can say is... "Don't ask ...and I won't tell." BTW, when the ranger does ask- which does happen all too often now, I carry the Bearikade Weekender (a little smaller version, but it fits better in my Shasta) and I still go out for 9 days regularly. A good attitude is essential too, plenty of "yes sirs!", and good Kharma helps.
Mark

...I have used the Bearikade and like it quite a lot. Also, last year, using a Bear Vault, I was able to fit (carefully) food for two for five days.

Bear containers can be a pain, but if it keeps a bear from being shot, it's worth it. We're going into THEIR turf.

Careful packing of the cannister can really get you a lot of extra food in there.

I have to recant some of my assertions in my earlier post on areas requiring bear cannisters. The JMT has less restrictive requirements than I thought based on earlier research.

The following URL has detailed mappings of areas along the JMT that require bear cannisters as well as campfire restrictions. The source is sierranevadawild.gov which claims to be "Your official government source for backcountry trip planning in Sierra Nevada National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands"

http://www.sierranevadawild.net/modules/john_muir_trail/jmt_overview.swf

If this is the real deal, then it is the most useful governement website I have ever seen. They do have a disclaimer but this appears to be supported by other information available.

Very cool map- Thanks!
As I read it, 8 out of their 20 JMT sections (mostly in the north-Yosemite and then the very south-Whitney) require mandatory carrying and use of the bear can for all "proper food storage". Does this mean hanging is illegal there- or permitted with a can? (Not too clear here.)
Also interesting to see the various locations of bear boxes along the trail.
This site is a valuable tool- worth adding this site to favorites for future use. Great job Lapse!

Have used two Garcias in the past, but last summer sprang for a couple of Bearikades. One Expedition and one Weekender. We fit seven days for two people into the Expedition and used the Weekender for the second day's food and incidentals like my wife's meds, blister kit, first aid kit, etc. All that stuff could be hung without violating the law. As I recall, the bear can requirements will not affect you until you reach the Whitney zone, so if you are hanging food the first day or two from Muir Trail Ranch, you should be legal by the time you reach that area.

I found the Bearikade to be much better than the Garcia for several reasons. The straight sides, the latches, the attached lid, the capacity and the lighter weight are all pluses. The one negative - the price. I thought the straight sides also helped in pack fit. You don't have that big bulge in the middle to contend with. I was carrying a large pack, about 4900 c.i. and my wife carries a 3000 c.i. Plenty of room for all the other summer gear, with the cans inside.

Memory L - You mentioned that you were re-supplying at Red Meadows. Do they accept packages or are you pre-hiding a cache? We were thinking about a re-supply there but I could not find out info as to whom to contact. I know we can pre-ship to Mammouth. We did not want to do that, too much out of our way. We are also stopping at VVR to rest a day and pick up a couple of days of food before our last pick up at MTRanch. Good luck on your adventure. We'll figure something out. I still think we will rent a couple of the bearikades, just need to decide on which size. Thanks everyone for the info...

All I have been able to determine on Red's Meadow is they will only accept packages if they are dropped off by the hiker. I plan to leave my truck at Mammoth Mountain Lodge (huge parking area frequently used by overnight hikers) for the duration of my JMT hike.

I will drop off my re-supply at Red's the day before my planned entry at Toulumne Meadows, spending the night in Mammoth. I will catch the Yarts bus from Mammoth to Toulomne Meadows at 7:00 AM the morning I start. It arrives at the Toulumne Meadows Wilderness Office at 9:00 AM.

I am planning to carry 3 days rations from Toulumne Meadows to Red's and 4 days from Red's to Muir Trail Ranch. I also will be stopping at VVR for a layover day but do not expect to re-supply there (no use since MTR is only two days from VVR..at my speed). I have my own Garcia and have found it adequate up to 6 -7 days of rations. Based on the information on the sierranevadawild.gov site, I will be within the law on food storage requirements my entire trip. By the time I get to the required cannister area at Pinchot pass, I will be down to a manageable volume for my Garcia and if not, I will be close to areas with bear lockers.

I do plan on hanging from MTR to Pinchot Pass.

To get back to Mammoth, I will catch the CREST bus from Lone Pine to Mammoth on my exit day. It leaves Lone Pine at 2:50 PM on Mondays, Wdenesdays and Fridays. Both buses are very cheap, $10 for Yarts and about $13 for CREST (both one way fares).

Memory L - Wow, we're impressed at you're planning. We are coming from AZ. Luckly we have someone dropping us off at Tuolumne, and if all goes well, we will see them 3 weeks later at Whitney Portal. If not, they are just going to be tooling around Lake Tahoe area in their RV so they can come get us within a day or two if we have to bail for some unfortunate reason. Hope you have a great adventure and the pesky mosquitoes lay low. Thanks for all the information. It is extremely helpful.

Good luck on the JMT both of you, it is an amazing journey that I wouldn't trade anything in the world for. All I have to say is allow some flex time(I didn't) to sit in one place an extra day if possible. Also beware of the South side of Donohue pass, Bear Creek, and Bubbs Creek those will be your mosquito hell holes.
Also the only issues I heard of with bears(while on the trail) were at lower elevations. Also the only bears I saw were below 10K. I camped many a night above 10K, and never had an issue with bears. You also get much more solitude bivying high up.
Eric J Lee

Check the Red's Meadow Packstation website - www.redsmeadow.com - there is clear info about the three ways to get packages to them. We shipped one via UPS last year and it worked perfectly. Be sure to try the free hot showers at the campground and inquire at the restaurant about the dinner special. Both real treats.

Thanks, I have looked at several Red's Meadows web pages and never came across specific instructions from them. I have heard they are not friendly to thru hikers but I have read both good and bad about every re-supply point along the JMT. Everyone's experiences are unique unto themselves.

I think I will still do the drop off given my other planning. Thanks again.

> never came across specific instructions

The <a href="http://www.redsmeadow.com/forms/PackagePickUp.pdf"> "Package Pick Up" </a> link is on the first page, left side, below the photos.

Looks like you just print the form, fill it out, and stick it inside the package.