The black bears of Yosemite and the High Sierra have gained quite the reputation of being notorious food thieves. Especially to careless campers and backpackers. This has prompted the numerous ranger districts within the areas to implement strict food storage requirements. Backpackers are required to use hard-sided food canisters at all times in the backcountry. I'll be using two such bear canisters on my JMT hike this summer – the large BearVault 500 and the half-size BearVault 450. Both feature a screw-top lid with locking latch mechanism, and impact-resistant polycarbonate construction proven to be both black and brown bear resistant. The 500 can has a 700 cubic inch capacity, and claims to hold enough food for two hikers for a week; the 450 model has a 440 cubic inch capacity. I'll be starting JMT with the larger 500 can, and during the first half of the trip will be carrying at most 6 days worth of food and toiletries, counting for resupply stops. Pretty easy for a solo hiker. The big test will be the final resupply at Muir Trail Ranch, about half-way along the trail. From there, the only way to resupply would be to hire a very expensive packer to cache in a supply, or take a multi-day hike in to cache a supply yourself. I'm opting for a little extra weight for a few days. At the last resupply, I'll be mailing myself the smaller can, pre-loaded with food and extras, because try as I might, I just don't think I can cram 14 days worth of food into the one (though I'll probably try, just to test it).
Speaking of JMT food, I've been testing all sorts of backpacking food options, settling in on what my month-long menu will consist of. I'll be reviewing some of my choices soon...
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