This year it is possible to use an Ursack on the JMT if planned correctly. Has anyone had any RECENT use with the S29? It was redesigned in 2009 and I am thinking about using one. The two pound weight savings is a great deal. I have heard about them failing before, but it might be from possible user error. I would love to use one but obviously don’t want to lose my food and add to the bear problem. Ultralight hiking is a pain when having to use an almost three pound canister.
Chadrack
What land agencies have added the Ursack to their lists of approved containers? I know as of 3/10/10 Yosemite still didn’t approve of the Ursack. Is this where correct planning is necessary?
celt
Yosemite has not allowed it, but there are boxes at Sunrise high sierra camp and Tuolomne meadows. It is approved for the rest of the sierras minus three places. It’s a new thing this year since SIBBG has been shut down.
chadrack
It is a tough call - when I did the JMT in 2007 I went back-and-forth of whether to use the Ursack or not.
You are correct most issues with the Ursack was caused by user error and not cinching the knot correctly.
After much deliberation I decided to go with the Bearikade from Wild-Ideas. It ways 31oz and provides peace of mind that bears cannot get into it. It also provides a nice seat. While it is true that bears cannot get into a properly closed Ursack - they can trash the contents by jumping up-and-down on it and sinking their teeth into it and ruining the food from saliva (yeah a little gross). There is a metal insert you can additionally get for the Ursack to prevent this - however when I started adding up the weight of the Ursack, the odor back, the metal insert - the weight differences was about 8oz over the Bearikade and I decided just to opt for the known/approved solution.
Yes there are spots on the JMT that do not require bear cannisters - they do vary from year-to-year. You will find bear lockers in most spots after Muir ranch south.
I was stopped by a ranger in Evolution Valley and wanted to see my bear cannister. I started opening my pack and he saw the shiny lid of the Bearikade and that was good enough.
Note that I am no way associated with Wild Ideas - just a happy customer.
OregonBeerMan
Well then the only true issue is the Ray Lakes area for bear cans. With food storage lockers at Charlette & Kearsarge Lakes, and Bubbs creek available in that area. Anyone who wishes could drop that +2 pound bear can for 8ozs of Ursack. I know that this news has caused me to rethink my trip. Here’s to less weight :cheers !
JW
I used 2 ursacks on the CDT because a bear had fallen on me trying to get foodbag in my tent up at Charlotte Lake,JMT where the trees were too tiny to hang… very beary country had lockers & hang poles; other places I just tied it up to a tree & piled up some rocks in case I had to defend my food a few tens of meters away. (we threw rocks at the black bear that was on top of me which then left & didn’t come back; although your results may vary , especially in grizz land!!!
gingerbreadman
Not sure if I follow you 100%. You had a bear fall on you while you where in your tent? Were you camped at Charlotte Lake? If so why didnt you use the lockers?
And lastly, you must have some good folks hiking with you to help in that sitch.
JW
I woke up with something heavy on my legs in my solo tent & realized since the trees were dwarfy it must be a bear so I screamed high pitched like a girlygirl which made the bear to get up & go 30 yards away to the 10’ high tree & pace back & forth next to it whereupon our banging pots & pans didn’t scare it away so we threw rocks which did get it to go away… if it came back, it could have got our food hung in the 10’ high tree; but it did not come back & there were of course no bear lockers there as perhaps we had passed up an official camping trying to get as much mileage as we could; any way, I thank the Gourmet Gals for saving me; & they thank me for saving them as I would not continue across Bear Creek (ironic ain’t it) where the trail was, but went downriver a few yards & crossed next to a giant boulder where the gravel had collected below it & was only knee deep as opposed to waist deep+ where the trail lured us to cross!!! There’s 2 lessons for you!!!
Scout the fords & don’t sleep with your food in bear land!
gingerbreadman
Plannin to hike the JMT again this fall. I’ve hiked it 2 times in the past w/o all the hype and need for bear cannisters. Last hike was in 2000. So now it seems you need one for Yose and SEKI areas. My first night is at Cathedral Lake. Does anyone know if there are bear boxes there? Furthermore, does the JMT go thru areas of SEKI that require a bear can? If so, I’m gonna use the Ursak or whatever is the lightest out there…would appreciate an update w/current conditions.
David
So, does anyone know what the three places in the Sierra that have NOT approved the Ursack are?
Terrie