Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Bear Canisters VS Ursack & Ranger Rules for 2007

The rental cost at both the WPS and the INF are minimal. Don't sweat the cost.

WPS has sold the Garcia canister very inexpensively in the past, better than you can get one locally.

I'm considering purchase of an ursack - Can you elaborate on the place you store it to keep marmots out? Thanks.

Ken

I've found over the years that the best way to keep animals-bears, marmot's and squirrels-from getting to my canister is to set the canister up against a large rock and then basically make a house around it. I generally use the heaviest rock slabs that I can pick up by myself (or larger ones if I'm with a partner) and stack them horizontally on top of each other for each of the three sides (two walls and the roof)and then use a number of rock slabs that I stack horizontally on top of each other for the "door". If you make the "house" tight enough not even the smallest squirrels can get in. And at night, because it is a bit more complex for the bears to figure the "house" out, it gives me enough time to wake up, come to my senses and scare them off before they get my cannister.

I personally don't worry about marmots when using Ursack. But ravens and other birds that are known to peck holes (albeit tiny) in the sacks. I usually just leave my Ursack in a slot beneath a rock or in-between cracks. This not only keeps the food out of the sun, but it seems that large birds like ravens don't like to find themselves in confined spaces and will leave the sack alone. So far so good; hasn't lost any food or damaged my Ursack as yet.

Re placement of Ursack:

During the nite, perhaps 20-30 feet away. I don't secure in any fashion. during the day, if I'm leaving the location of my food, I'd put it in a vestibule, if you have one, or put some rocks on top or even inside....if you are talking about Trail Camp, it's going to be very light by then, and I'd have concerns about a raven or a marmut dragging it off.

Reminder: you want to protect the Ursack from the sun, which is very damaging to the materials.

SS, Muddeer, and Ken:

Thanks for the ideas and replies.

Ken: On the Ursack website, I did not see any reference to UV/Sun damage precautions - where did you find this information?

KenP, I use an earlier version than the one currently sold, and they specifically warned against sunlight. Perhaps the new model does not require this care?

I like the Bearikade bear canisters but I would prefer not to get involved with the potential problems associated with the rent through the mail system process. Is there anyone in the Lone Pine/Independence area that rents out one of these units?