Food and Bear Cannisters

imported
#1

Hello. Im doing a 21 day through hike late August. Im wondering how do you get enough food for 10 or so days into a bear cannister. At REI I manged to fit 9 pro packs into a bv500. I could aslso fit the same amount of 2 srving freeze dried packs in to the canister if I leveld the pack out, but nothing more. My plan is to rent a bearikade expedition who is only 200 more cubi inches which would only fit toothpaste and a little more food. So basically it seems you can only fit 9 meal packets not a cannister or one meal a day for nine days. It seems impossible to have three meals a day for 9 daysplus toiletries. sI plan on going all freeze dried with some jerky, power bars etc. Im going solo heading south. Also, I read you dont have to keep the food in the cannister while you hikeIn practic edo most of you do this? for any inplut. mtncanyon

mtncanyon

#3

It will be tough to get 10 days of food contained in a Berikade but not impossible. For sure you need to carefully plan your menu and repackage everything. For some good basic information go here www.pcta.org/planning/before_trip/health/canistercare.doc Technically in the Inyo jurisdiction all food, toiletries and refuse have to be in an approved storage container at all times. The Yosemite regs say in a container or within arms reach (this does not apply when your sleeping!) The regs can get very confusing. Have you thought about planning your resupplies to prevent having to carry that much food? Just a thought. More info here:
http://sierrawild.gov/bears/food-storage-map

Still Lookin

#4

I’d reconsider using freeze dried prepackaged meals altogether. You’ll get more calories in the limited space of a canister if you put in more simple sugars, nuts, and dried fruit.

Someone demonstrated once that you could get 6 weeks of calories in a bearikade by filling it with nothing but macademia nut butter. That’s extreme, but you get the idea.

markv

#5

thx so much for the quick replies. Im most concerned about the stretch from Muir Trail Ranch to Whitney. For now im planning to resupply at VVR. I dont have any way to have food drops south of that point. I know I will have to repackage but wonder how much extra room you would have after repackaging the freeze drieds. Maybe I should forgo many of the prepackaged meals for the last 10 days or so and concentrate on the high calorie foods as you reccomend.
I dont need much. I just trekked 23 days in nepal eating mostly rice and potatoes. I do like a hot meal though and I get hungry hiking. I appreciate all the advice and hope maybe to see some of you on the trail this August!!

mtncanyon

#6

I can get 16 days of solo food into a Bearicade Expedition by repackaging everything into plastic bags and carefully putting them into the canister with the goal of maximum fill vice planned sequenced removal. Means I have to repack each day for the first few days but not a big deal. I hike with the snacks/lunch stuff in a separate stuff sack but put it into the container at night. Sometimes reality intrudes - if it won’t fit, I’ll pack the noodles and other less smelly stuff in double freeze bags and carry outside the canister. I store them inside the pack in the tent, covered by dirty socks/t-shirts. Haven’t had a problem in 23+ years.

booger

#7

Experience helps a lot to be more efficient with food. I suspect booger has had a lot of experience if he can get 16 days into his canister. On my first JMT hike I barely managed to get 5 days of food into a BV500. Last year I got it all in a BV450. I used to think I needed 2lbs. of food a day. Now I go with 1.5lbs. I no longer use MH freeze dried products simply because I’ve found other, tastier and much cheaper options. I also found that the MH meals were to much for one sitting so if your going that route consider 2 two person meals and repackage to make 3 individual meals. If you repackage in plastic bags put a pin hole near the opening so that no air is trapped when you pack your canister. You don’t need heavy freezer bags to rehydrate you meals or to repackage in. I found that regular sandwich bags work besides weighing a lot less. There are lots of tricks. There are viable resupply options at Onion Valley after VVR/MTR. You can mail a resupply to Independence, have a package left for pickup at the Pack Station at the Onion Valley trail head, have a resupply packed in to you at Charlotte Lake, or leave a resupply in the trail head bear boxes at Onion Valley (labeled for when you will pick it up). The best option is to find a good friend to bring in a resupply over Kearsarge pass. If you have a friend like that keep them!

Still Lookin

#8

Thx so much for replies. For the repackaging do you think it is a bad idea to have the cannsiter loaded and ready to go before I leave for my trip? Would handling at airport possibly damage bags inside cansiter? I ask because I plan on arriving late Friday night in LA, catching a bus to Amtrak in Bakersville arriving at Yosemite Valley Saturday 1100am. I plan to start hike Sunday and will be camping out night before. Not much time to do a repacking the day before unless I have to. It will be great to actually get going on this hike!!

mtncanyon

#9

I used the Expedition on both of my JMT hikes and both times I was able to pack 10 to 12 days of food at MTR. I used bulk freeze dried food and mixed my own concoctions as per freezer bag cooking. I found that by putting 4 servings of freeze dried food per freezer bag saved a lot of packing space.
I would not suggest carrying too much food out of Happy Isles, its a long hot climb to Sunrise then you can easily resupply at Tuolumne, Mammoth or both. That makes packing a few days of food into the Expedition a very simple job.
Many hikers left the trail at Kearsage to resupply but I very much preferred to carry 10 days worth out of MTR.
Have fun, its an incredible trail.

RichardD

#10

Like the others have said, you can pack 9-10 days of food into
a canister. I’ve packed 9 days into a BV500 and still had room for personal hygiene items. You must repackage everything to make it fit and use the 1.5 lbs of food per day rule. Select high-density, high-calorie food items to make up your menu and you shouldn’t have any problems fitting everything in.

Whiplash

#11

Take heed of Richard’s suggestion. Happy Isle to Tuolumne is all uphill! Are your travel plans set? If you could arrive in Reno before 1, you could catch the Eastern Transit Authority bus, !:30 to Lee Vining. Spend the night there, catch YARTS in the morning. Leave your food drop at the Tuolumne Store and continue on the YARTS bus which will get you to the Valley by 11.
Start your hike on Saturday up the mist trail, branching off the AT. Nevada Falls is well worth it! Camp at the junction of the trail to Merced Lake. You will not have to carry much food on your first couple of days.
The Hikers Box at MTR is a great source of food. I left there full and exchanged out a couple of my food choices for lighter options. I hiked a few miles beyond there for dinner, so I had even less food to carry to Whitney. I had 8 days worth in the B. Expedition and had food left over!
Going home via LAX is a good option from Lone Pine. I left LP and caught a red eye back to Boston via LAX. Nepal and JMT…wow!

rambler

#12

If you’re stopping through Tuolumne, another option is leaving your resupply in the long row of bear lockers in front of the Wilderness Permit office. I asked them if it was ok and they said that’s what they’re for, but to leave a note on your food saying when you’re coming for it, so they don’t throw it out by mistake.

markv