Lightweight Backpacking News: Digest No. 21

[Stephanie Jordan]

Companion forum thread to:

Lightweight Backpacking News: Digest No. 21

[Justin Miller]

Maybe someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but the Ursack is not an accepted bear container for parts of the Sierra High Route where regulations require.

That said, I love my Ursack and have never been to CA but the SHR is on my 'list'.

If it is in fact against regulations, it seems a little irresponsible for a publication to 'condone' breaking safety regulations.

[Greg Mihalik]

Are you referring to the single entry in the Gear List?

[HkNewman]

Still interesting hike and nice TR from a magazine usually more interested in recent tech and science (though I'm seeing some camping articles dispersed in there)

[Greg Mihalik]

Justin,
The only place on the SHR a canister is required is through Yosemite.

I queried Chris about their food containers and got this reply:

"Gil and Olivia each used a BV500. I used the most updated version of the Ursack."

They spent two nights in YNP before a resupply at TM. It would be no problem to have food for two days and a night properly stored in two BVs.

Next time do some fact-checking before getting your sanctimonious undies in a bunch.

[Justin Miller]

As I requested in the start of my post, thanks for the correction.

The question was presented due the fact that prior descriptions I have read (Skurka and Alan Dixon's account on this site) have both indicated the use of the more restrictive policy that Yosemite uses. This is also the same policy used for specific areas within Inyo NF and SEKI.

For the Gizmodo readers of the world, they jump to that gear list and see they can just get by with an Ursack w/o any side mention that a different canister was used for specific areas due to regulations.

Again, thank you for adjusting my "sanctimonious undies". Hopefully they weren't too dirty for you. I'm also pleased to know my Ursack is more widely usable in the Sierra than I had previously thought.

[Monty Montana]

Justin…this past winter Change.Org circulated a petition asking that Yosemite allow Ursack use because it had been approved by the IGBC in 2014. Head Ranger Charles Cuvelier requested one for testing and an Allwhite version was sent by the Ursack company. Supposedly that's still in the works. I, too, have one, and can't see myself ever using a canister, so I hope it goes through!

Greg…Justin asked a simple, civil question. Whenever someone asks a simple, civil question all that is required is a simple, civil answer. NO need to be a bully.

Happy trails!

[Greg Mihalik]

Monty –
"Greg…Justin asked a simple, civil question. Whenever someone asks a simple, civil question all that is required is a simple, civil answer. NO need to be a
bully."

Ummmm, no – he didn't ask a question. He stated an assumption, asserting it's truth.

Nonetheless, I didn't call him names or shout –

1) don't make blanket assumptions
2) don't call BPL irresponsible based on your wrong assumptions
3) skip the fake humility and the "correct me if I'm wrong", that doesn't absolve anyone of anything.
4) "Give me your lunch money, or else."

– which might be "bullying". But "do some fact-checking"? Hardly.

[Justin Miller]

I'm unsure if (some of) those were the direct takeaways from my initial post, but for a few corrections:

I never inferred that BPL was condoning anything improper. That is why I titled my post Gizmodo, where the article was published. Unless their Indefinitely Wild has some sort of affiliation to BPL. My take is that their audience would dip more into the general mainstream realm compared to BPL.

Secondly, I was genuinely curious of the proper bear storage usage as two prior, and quite thorough, reports for this same trip acutely covered the issue with food storage regulations. One going to the point of stating an Ursack is not allowed at some locales.

The closing question of irresponsibility was in regards to said publication (Gizmodo/Indefinitely Wild) not highlighting the key factor of food storage reuglations. I would guess even the loathed Backpacker mag would add that at some point. It would also seem to add an extra bit of intrigue to their "Hardest Hike in American" theme: "…so difficult that you are even forced to use heavy arse containers due to overly habitualized bears…" etc.

[Justin Baker]

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