Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Wheres the Bear can??

Where do you put the can when you sleep?? In your tent, just outside, or a distance away from your tent?? Also, do most of you put it in your backpack or strap it to the outside when you hike? Do you guys use more than one for your whole group or does all your food fit in one?? Thanks in advance

Do not put it in your tent unless you want the bear to come inside to inspect it. Do not put it just outside unless you want the bear to be all over your tent while he concentrates on playing with the can. Put it away from your tent.

I carry it in my pack because I don't pack that much other stuff.

I can pack a week's worth of food for one person in a Garcia or large Bear Vault can. A single can works for 2 people for 3-4 days. I have heard the same thing from quite a few other people. That means repackaging food to eliminate the excessive store packaging.

Definitely keep the can away from you. Preferably 100+ feet away. It helps to lodge them between boulders/logs and put a rock on top so the bears don't bat them around. Sometimes you'll have to look for them after the critters move them. Don't forget to put your trash and toiletries in there as well. Bears won't know that the candy wrapper you have in your pocket isn't empty until it's too late (for you). Toothpaste and deoderant smell yummy too.

I can get 2 person-weeks of food in a cannister, but it takes a bit of effort at packing time and at consumption (grapenuts 3x a day takes effort to swollow down).

-lance

When sleeping, I put my bear can no closer than I want a bear to come near my tent, usually 50 - 100 feet away. I try to find a place to wedge it in some rocks and/or pile some big rocks around it. Otherwise, the bear may play soccer with it for awhile before deciding he/she can't get it open.

I put the can inside my pack when hiking and generally fit an entire group's food for a few days inside.

Also do not cook or eat near your tent. Your bound to spill or drop some food and you don't want those spilled scraps lying around your tent.

It is also a good idea to include toothpaste, deodorant and other scented hygene products to be stashed away with your food.

Although you may not be able to fit the non-food scented stuff in the BC, put them next to it and hidden by the BC if possible, 'cuz some bears may give up as soon as they see the BC.

Anyone see any bears at Trail Camp or Outpost Camp during the crowded-trail summer months? TC seems too high and maybe the dayhikers might scare them away from OC at night some of the time?

Yeah, park that canister far far away. Just remember where you put it. Also remember to put your trash in a plastic bag & in your canister. A buddy & I were gone for a week and one canister was perfect. I went with 3 buddies for only 3 days and we had to use 2 canisters cuz they wanted to pig out.

Don't park it next to a creek, river, or lake or you may need to swim for it in the morning. Tilden Lake is cold at 7am.

Don't place it next to a cliff, or other high place. Ever seen a seagull try to crack open a clam by dropping it on a boulder?

Also, paint it day-glow orange. Helps to find it after it's been batted around a bit. Are bears colour-blind?

This is very useful info, as being from the UK, none of it has ever applied to me before. I just wonder about a senario where its pouring with rain and you have to sit out several hundred feet from your tent and cook/eat etc....seems like it would be less hastle to go to bed hungry!

I have another question, lets say you add flavoured electrolyte tablets to your hydration bladder in you pack, which you stash in the vestibule overnight....are bears likely to smell that too? Presumably the water would probably be scented if you add something to it?

How far does one need to go with this?

The sugar in most sports drinks might attract bears, they love sweets. If it is just a vitamin or electrolyte tablet without sugar, should be ok.

RupertGB, for what it's worth, I never put anything but water in my hydration bladder because I don't want to introduce anything that will contribute to bacteria growth. Camelbak says their bladders are chemically protected from saliva that is backwashed into the system but sugar is a whole different animal. My solution is to bring a Nalgene or other similar bottle for electrolyte powder. I'll use it at trail camp and leave it there while I summit. As for the bears, I won't even take a pack of gum into my tent much less flavored water. That being said, I've never seen a bear or even bear scat at Trail Camp. I suppose it's a greater possibility at Outpost.

Check out this page of the Inyo National Forest web site. It'll have suggestions and regulations for food storage:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/bear.shtml

I'm planning to dayhike Whitney. If I'm planning to go as light as possible, and leave my toothpaste and antiperspirant behind (at the Portal w/ car), do I need to leave these items in a bear canister/locker? I had only thought about not leaving food/trash in my car.

Jeff S - it applies to what you leave in your car as well and probably more so at the Portal because the bears have be so accustomed to all of the food around there.