Rocky Mountain National Park: bear cannisters now required?

Can't tell what would happen if you got caught. But I can tell you that when I was there last summer, twice I ran into rangers who asked me if I had a canister. I didn't ask what would happen if I didn't have one.

Yep, about 2009 they started requiring bear canisters, with the exception of those that were doing climbing trips above timberline. The problem seemed to be that a couple of black bears figured out the free food opportunity at the several camp sites along the Thunder Lake Trail. Careless campers/clever bears.

But the story is more complicated than that. You see, many of the pre-2009 camp sites had ammo boxes chained to trees, which is where we would store our food at night. Then, the Park people decided to remove them. They told me that the chains could damage the trees, and that people tended to leave their garbage in them. I asked why they didn't erect pole setups for bear-bag hanging. Again, the reply was that the cross poles could damage the support trees, and that poles were unnatural. The guy also said that bear poles didn't really work, citing the Yosemite experience. I reminded him that poles were highly successful in Glacier and Yellowstone, and he stared blankly at me. I've become a sort of pest to the backcountry office, I think. When the head ranger sees me coming, he usually hides in his office, letting the volunteers politely handle my questions.

RMNP is run pretty goofy. They have about 30 black bears, which they're quite proud of. The thing is, at any given moment there might only be 15-20 actually inside the Park boundary, since there is a good amount of forested wilderness (ie-bear habitat) adjacent to the Park.

My take on RMNP is that they have chosen to spend a lot of money/effort on studying the ecosystem and resources, and also to cater to the day hikers. But they are proving to me that they really would rather not deal with backpackers.

And, yeah, I hate bear canisters too. It's OK though, as there are plenty of other good places around here to hike and camp.

"The problem seemed to be that a couple of black bears figured out the free food opportunity at the several camp sites along the Thunder Lake Trail."

I know how the feds can solve that problem. Put a tax on the free food.

Don't complain about bear canisters. There is probably some guy in Colorado who can make one out of titanium wire.

–B.G.–

"I don't mean to be a rule-breaker, but what are the consequences of not using a bear cannister? Will one be fined by the state? National Park service? Evicted for good?"

I can't say for RMNP. In California, a national park like Yosemite is pretty firm about them. If they catch you obviously overnight backpacking and without one in the areas where they are required, they will likely escort you out to the nearest road, thereby ending your trip.

The federal court can ban somebody from the park if guilty of a repeated offense, or a more serious offense like public nudity. They generally do not ban you on the first offense unless it is fairly serious one. They would rather just demand a stiff fine. Either way will get the point across.

If you have perfect trees, then I understand how proper bear-bagging will be effective. I led group backpacking trips in Yosemite for twenty years without ever any loss of food to a bear. However, what if you don't have perfect trees? In many places near timberline, the tree height is short and the limbs don't stick out very far. A friend of mine in Yosemite had a photo of a black bear walking over Red Peak Pass, if you can imagine that, way above timberline.

–B.G.–

"I may end up avoiding RMNP altogether to avoid this hassle."

Good choice.

Maybe once we get to the point where ubiquitous bear canister requirements make us start talking about The Big 4 in our baseweights, we'll see some innovative products and improved testing and evaluation procedures among the managing agencies.

Heck, yeah… a titanium rod exoskeleton to surround your food. Maybe hook it up to a solar powered electricity generator (UL of course) to zap him. And the final option, for a slight additional charge, would be an elaborate titanium punji stick trap setup, the sharp tips liberally coated with curare. When the scheming bear is zapped, it would lose its balance and fall onto the punji sticks. That fed bear would quickly become a dead bear, and we will have saved the NPS from expending precious resources to do that job. The Park Service would probably give the inventor a lifetime Park pass. But I already have one, and so do you, Bob, because we're old geezers.

But really, our best choice would be to learn the bear's language, and then simply talk him out of eating our food. Knowledge and technique weigh nothing. In the meantime, I will choose to not hike in RMNP. Just Say No…to bear canisters. That's what Greg would do.

I think it is a different substance that goes on the points of punji sticks.

–B.G.–

..I don't mean to be a rule-breaker, but what are the consequences of not using a bear cannister? Will one be fined by the state? National Park service?

My buddies who have run afoul of Grand Canyon regulations have gotten a ticket though it could be contested in front of a federal magistrate. That said, it's just not the feds. The same buddy got a ticket for unknowingly trespassing hiking back to his car — in the middle of seemingly nowhere in the desert Southwest that just happened to be owned by a Fortune 500 company. Sheriff came and wrote a ticket payable to the county. He would have contested but it cost more in gas and time off from work

BG, the pygmies of NE Zaire (now Congo) tipped their arrows with curare. I just wish that I had bought that bow and arrow setup they wanted to sell me after our 3-day trip into the Ituri Forest. I could have had a lifetime supply of curare, which would come in handy right now to neutralize that young Nazi German shepherd next door that barks incessantly (and who has taught his Chihuahua buddy to do the same).

Here I go again with that thread drift thing that I tend to do. I'll stop now, folks.

RMNP is beautiful in parts, but you it is indeed a hassle to get a permit/carry a canister when there so much for free with less red tape as a private hiker (organized and 'official' groups are another story!)

Comanche Wilderness borders the north side of the park and you can easily hike in and out of the park legally to make a loop as long you camp outside the boundaries.

The Comanche Wilderness borders the Mummy Range which, IMO, is my favorite part of RMNP.

Should I consider the Indian Peaks instead? Or maybe the NeverSummer to the west? I've never been to the Comanche wilderness, I'll have to check it out.

It's too bad, because I love RMNP, and we were going to try to make it a family car-camp then short backpack. But now I'm not sure if it is worth to reserve and pay for the car-camp and then backpack elsewhere.

In RMNP, you don't pay for the permit until you pick it up. So go ahead and reserve something, and you can decide later if you don't want to use that campsite.

If you want to family car camp and backpack, consider the Rawah Wilderness and surrounding areas in the Colorado portion of the Medicine Bows.
http://www.summitpost.org/medicine-bow-mountains/616371

Lots of family camp sites, both established and on USFS roads, and some great backpacking.

Lots less people than RMNP, too.

Many lakes, above tree line ridge walking and so on. Just north of the park as well. Ft. Collins, CO is the nearby major town.

I would just like to add onto Paul's recommendation for the Rahwah's. I've been spending some wonderful time up there. I've seen moose every trip for the last 5 years. I've encountered herds of deer and elk. The views are wonderful. Fishing is well above average. And on several trails–almost have the place to myself.