Tahoe-Yosemite trail gearlist

TAKE the d@mn bear spray. I needed it in Yosemite and was glad to have it!

Eric, what do you mean you needed it in Yosemite? Did you have to use it on a bear?

I think it’s important to note that there has never been a recorded black bear fatality in California.

I saw one reference saying you needed a bear canister in Desolation Wilderness.  Glad to hear Ursacks are approved now.  Is the Yosemite prohibition specifically against tying it to TREES?  Versus boulders, signs, bear cables, etc?

“and I will be doing it without resupply,”

This jumps out at me (because this is PBL) – the route crosses paved roads at (or near) Echo Summit, Carson Pass, Ebbetts Pass and Sonora Pass.  9 days of food and fuel = 18 pounds.  Half of that is 9 pounds.  One resupply lets you drop 9 pounds from the first 90-ish miles of the trip.  810 pound-miles is a LOT!  Whatever shape you’re in, and however good or bad the route-finding goes, carrying 9 pounds less makes it a lot more likely you can maintain your 20 miles a day.  Also, a resupply cache lets you restock mosquito repellent, sunscreen, toilet paper, batteries (or not, if you don’t need anymore) and to leave some heavy luxury foods to scarf at the trailhead.

-1 on the bear spray.  Sure, the black bears will take any food you let them take.  OTOH, they won’t take any food you don’t let them take.  After being a wuss as a teenager on my first Sierra backpacking trip, I decided to always confront them.  That gets easier and easier with experience.

Times black bears have eaten my dinner: 1
Times I’ve run them off: 4

Time I’ve eaten the black bear as my dinner on the trail (literally): 3

“Within Yosemite National Park, it is prohibited to possess or use pepper spray (including bear spray and other irritant gas devices), pellet guns, BB guns, bows and arrows, crossbows, blowguns, spearguns, hand-thrown spears, slingshots, explosive devices, or any other implements designed to discharge missiles.” https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/weapons.htm