Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board BearVault BV450 Solo

Its been awhile since I have been on the board or even climbed Whitney but next summer I want to summit with my son. I do have a couple of questions though, is the BearVault BV450 Solo legal to use on the trail or do you still have to use the one they use to rent at the ranger station? Also, I want to be ready for the lottery in a few months but the only form I can find says not to use that one for the lottery, can someone point me in the right direction for the proper form to use for the lottery? Thanks in advance for your help.

If I click on the link on the Portal Store Home Page for permits it directs me to this permit application, but on the second page it states the following:

Mt Whitney Instructions: This form is not for use in the February Mt. Whitney Lottery.
Use this application for the following overnight trips to Mt Whitney: Trip that ENDS on the Mt. Whitney Trail, but begins on any other Inyo National Forest trail (such as Shepherd Pass, Kearsarge Pass, North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, etc). Apply as you would for “Other Trails” and use “Trail Crest” as exit trail. North Fork Lone Pine Creek access to the Mountaineer’s Route, East Face/ Buttress.
Use this form if you missed the lottery and are submitting application in April or later.
Mt. Whitney permits must be picked up at Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center.
Day hike permit cannot be used to begin or end an overnight trip. No consecutive day hikes. North Fork of Lone Pine Day Hike included in Mt .Whitney Day Use Quota.
Reservation fee is $15.00 per person if at any point during trip you enter the Mt.Whitney zone.
For available dates and when to apply for remaining space for the Main Mt Whitney trail, refer to the Inyo National Forest website or phone the Wilderness Reservation Office after April 1st.

BV450 is legal, and a good choice.

I don't think Inyo has the 2011 form uploaded, yet.

thanks for the advice, to me it seemed like the right size. When do they typically upload the new lottery form? Ok, I may be a little excited!

Make sure your BearVault has the tab on the lid (red sticker on top).

Another can to consider:
http://www.bareboxer.com/products.htm
http://www.detourgearzone.com/bare-boxer-contender-solo-canister.html

The little one is smaller & ligher than the BV. With careful packing, I can easily fit enough grub for 4 days/3 nights. Less bulk lets me carry a smaller pack for alpine stuff.

Those seem like a good option, they are legal on the Whitney trail? I can remember they use to be real strict on what type we used.

Kevin - Yep, the BareBoxer is 100% legal - Whitney, Inyo, Yosemite, everywhere else. They look like the Garcia, I think they have similar locks.

They are fairly small, bear in mind, but if you pack right, that's on your side. Should be fine for two nights for two guys if you carry your first night's dinner in your pack. Permissible, just keep an eye on your vittles under treeline, as far as bears are concerned, and marmots above.

Small enough that I carry mine in some places not required just for peace of mind. Never been raided by bears - knock on wood. Various mountain vermin have done their best to chew it up - street cred.

They're cheap, too, I got mine for under $30 from harborfreight.com, but they seem to be sold out. My second link lists them at $39, free shipping if you spend $50.