Bear Canisters in GNP - permits

[10-K]

Do I understand correctly you can hike out of GNP on the CDT without a bear canister ....but.... there are areas without bear lockers where a canister is required ....so.... having one makes it easier to get a permit that'll ease your way through the park with a minimum of campsite selection issues?

I'd rather not carry one but for the sake of convenience would if it made it easier to move through the park.

Also...

Is it just stupid *not* to have a bear canister in grizzly country, in which case I'd rather not apply for a Darwin award and would gladly carry it.

[bearcreek]

The campsites in Glacier have constructed hanging wires and / or metal lockers. No cannister is ordinarily required. The exception is in times of deep snow which makes the hang wires too low to work. If you plan on backcountry camping anywhere in Rocky Mountain National Park you are required to use a cannister. That is the only place on the CDT where they are required. You can rent them at a sporting goods in Grand Lake, or hike the short route and get through the park without camping.

[map man]

I can't answer your GNP question. I will say that when I hiked in the Wind River Range in Wyoming a few years ago I used a bear canister -- I was mostly above tree line and definitely in grizzly country. When you leave the Winds is also when a SOBO CDT hiker leaves grizzly country, I understand. Before then, GNP, "The Bob," Yellowstone, the Absorkas, the Winds -- grizzlies in all of those places, I am told.

[Marta]

As Bearcreek said, no canister required inside the NP. You need a food bag and at least 25' of rope. Most campsites have a horizontal pole 12-15' above the ground that you have to throw a rope over and tie off to a tree or vertical pole.

Once you pass into the Wilderness areas south of GNP, though, you will be in country at least as bear-infested as the Park, but without the snazzy campsites.

[Marta]

PS--There are three times as many black bears as grizzlies in the Park. The only person I know who has been badly injured by a bear was attacked by a black bear.

That said, in the middle of the summer food is more plentiful and, I think, bears are less irritable. The above-mentioned attack occurred in late September. Perhaps not coincidentally, yesterday we had an encounter with a black bear who did not run at the sight of us. That's pretty unusual--usually they see me and take off lickity split. This one was not inclined to move off the trail, and the terrain was too steep for us to go around. Even when he moved off the trail, he didn't go far.

[Slo-go'en]

The only bear I saw in Glacier was a black bear (and cub). This was just before the trail came out to the road leading to Many Glacier lodge. The group of woman I was with (but hiking well ahead of me) thought they saw a Griz, but I'm pretty sure it was a moose. We had some trouble getting permits, but that was because we were a group of 5 which didn't fit their way of doing things. (campsites are set up as 4 locations which each hold 2 tents. Fitting three tents on a 2 tent site isn't easy).

A couple of tips:

Try not to camp right next to streams or rivers. The Bears use these as highways.
Hang your food well away from camp. Use odor proof bags.
Leave you clothes outside the tent at night in case any food odors are on them.
Don't use your pants legs to wipe your hands on. Have a bandana or dish cloth for that.

The summer I spent camping in and around Yellowstone, we didn't bother to cook and camp at different locations. It really wasn't practical because of the designated sites in the park, but we did try to cook well away from where we tented and didn't set up the tents until after eating.

[10-K]

Thanks for the great info...

I will likely forego the canister and hang/take recommended precautions with regard to cooking/camping/clothing.

[Mags]

re: RMNP

If you do decide to hike the designated CDT route in RMNP, but don't want a canister, consider day hiking the route. It is essentially a loop that can start and end on the Shadowcliff Hostel that is on the CDT. It is roughly 25 miles, but for an in-shape thru-hiker ,carrying only a day pack, VERY doable. Stay at the hostel, hike, come back that evening and stay another night.

Dogwood did something similar on his CDT hike.

[garbanz]

I never used a bear canister while doing a few overnight and day hikes in Glacier and Yellowstone but I did have parachute cord to hang a food bag. On the PCT the 6 Black Bears I saw were not in the canister required area and I was happy to get rid of that lead weight albatross when I hit Dorothy Lake at Yosemite's perimeter. That being said not cooking or eating right in camp and hanging everything from food to toothpaste and food smelly clothing and pack items in Griz and black bear country seems ever so wise. Snacks are used so often from hipbelt pockets Im sure any bloodhound bear could get wind of that.