View Full Version : Bear canister requirements
RadioFreq
12-22-2016, 17:38
I was just reading the 2012 Sticky re: bear canisters required in the Blood Mtn. area. I never carried one when I did Springer to
Duncannon in 2009, but now I'm planning on doing Duncannon to Katahdin this summer and am wondering if there are any
stretches of the northern half of the AT that require the canisters.
None other than the relatively short section around Blood Mountain.
Most folks just plan to walk through the Blood Mountain area and not camp there so that they do not need to bother with a canister.
Doctortom
01-09-2017, 22:57
None I know of, however have you ever considered an Ursack. High tech fabric that a bear can't eat through, light weight, and takes up a heck of a lot less space than a bear canister. They are now approved in most NPs. Couple it with a flavor seal bag sold separately and you are almost bear proof.
The bear canister requirement (if it's even still in effect) was for a five mile stretch of trail just south of Blood Mtn. Easiest way to "abide" by the requirement is to simply not camp in that stretch.
Uncle Joe
01-10-2017, 00:43
A new U.S. Forest Service rule requires approved bear-resistant storage containers for overnight camping on a 5-mile stretch of the A.T. in the Chattahoochee National Forest between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap, between March 1 and June 1 each year. This stretch is located between points 26.7 and 31.7 miles north of the southern terminus of the A.T. at Springer Moutain, Georgia, and includes Woods Hole Shelter, Slaughter Creek Campsite, and Blood Mountain Shelter.
swisscross
01-10-2017, 11:03
Never understood the bear can requirement for this area.
Are these bears not capable of roaming more than five miles.
MuddyWaters
01-10-2017, 11:25
Never understood the bear can requirement for this area.
Are these bears not capable of roaming more than five miles.
Well, at point a few yrs ago, in this area, during bubble, bears had stolen 78 food bags. Mountain crossings kept tally.
People sleeping with food lost 0
It seems to have solved the problem, although a few were subsequently lost on other side hwy.
When bears get that aggressive, it only matter of time till someone gets hurt. Including bear
Cannister rule went into effect after that season
swisscross
01-10-2017, 13:11
Well, at point a few yrs ago, in this area, during bubble, bears had stolen 78 food bags. Mountain crossings kept tally.
People sleeping with food lost 0
It seems to have solved the problem, although a few were subsequently lost on other side hwy.
When bears get that aggressive, it only matter of time till someone gets hurt. Including bear
Cannister rule went into effect after that season
Thanks MW.
WOW. That is a bunch of free food for the bears.
Great that it worked (mostly).
Just seems that if we solved the problem in that area the bears would roam to find another near by location for easy picking.
Wonder if the canister requirement will be extended to more of the trail in the future?
I don't want to carry a bear can. Bears are neato and I would have to have them put down when a simple canister would help.