Bearikade in Denali?

[Jennifer Mitol]

Has anyone taken a Bearikade into Denali before? It’s not on their list of approved canisters, but I found a pretty old thread where I’d talked to the park and was told it was OK.

 

[Elliott Wolin]

A number of years ago they required you to use their own canisters, which they rented for free.

[Brad Rogers]

I used a Bearikade in Gates of the Arctic NP and in Wrangell St Elias NP with no issues.  They were listed as approved canisters in Gates, but not at Wrangell….at least until I really started digging and they said canisters by Wild Ideas are approved.

Every NP creates their own list so it is best to call and if get an approval see if you can get it in writing or at least the name of the ranger that tells you it is ok.

[Ben H.]

Bearikade had a pretty epic failure when attempting to get approval for grizzly bears.  (hmmm… I can’t seem to find to post by Greg Mihalik that documented the failure).

[Brad Rogers]

Wild Ideas claims that failure was a prototype with a different carbon fiber tube and not the production model though that may not be true.  I personally find it odd they have never attempted to get IGBC approval (at least they claim).

 

Because every park sets their own approved canisters, just because there are grizzlies doesn’t mean they aren’t approved (Both Gates and Wrangell have plenty) or just because the don’t have grizzlies mean that they are approved (Rocky Mtn NP).

[M B]

Igbc really doesn’t mean much.

Except that it withstood one hour of bear play.

Canisters that passed igbc have been literally eaten open by black bears.

 

Not to mention the ur sack being torn open by blackbear.   Seems that when I GBC tested it they didn’t tie it to anything….oops. the intended form of deployment.

 

I always understood bearicade to be grandfathered under a previous testing protocol for yosemite, etc.

Not sure what that is though.

 

Bears are smart you give any bear long enough with any container in the 2 lb range and they’re going to get in it. I imagine the grizzly can probably get in faster in most cases.

 

 

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[Brad Rogers]

The previous testing was by the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group (SIBBG) that used to test canisters but was disbanded in ~2008 when UrSack sued for not getting approval (supposedly after passing the Bear test).

The IGBC approval is somewhat important as most NP’s just point to the IGBC list (as its easy to do).   Other NP’s used to go by the SIBBG list, but that group is now dissolved so I am not sure of any group going by that list.

The Bearikade is SIBBG approved but not IGBC approved.

[Ben H.]

Wild Ideas claims that failure was a prototype with a different carbon fiber tube and not the production model though that may not be true.  I personally find it odd they have never attempted to get IGBC approval (at least they claim).

 

Because every park sets their own approved canisters, just because there are grizzlies doesn’t mean they aren’t approved (Both Gates and Wrangell have plenty) or just because the don’t have grizzlies mean that they are approved (Rocky Mtn NP).

Agreed, what is clear is that Bearikade has never demonstrated it is resistant to grizzly bears.  No matter what the park rules are, that should be at least considered by anyone going to a park with grizzlies.

 

[M B]

I recall at least one bearricade that failed to a brown bear. (Grizzly). Aluminum end plate actually had a hole through it. Canister was demolished.

But as I’ve said, many containers of other brands that pass IGBC have failed to black bears. From removing the top to eating through it too breaking it open.

So what’s the test really worth? It obviously doesn’t mean it will stand up to a bear.  It’s simply separates real losers from occasional losers…….maybe.  There’s not necessarily any consistency or reproducibility in the bear testing .  Perhaps one container gets a more rigorous test than others. Who’s to say.

 

The Sierra interagency test was once dropping a hundred pound weight from a height of 1 foot onto it I think.

 

[Brad Rogers]

There is a reason they are called “Bear Resistant” and not “Bear Proof”.

There have been failures of almost every type of Bear can in the field.  I’m sure there have been failures of IBGC coolers and waste containers too – nothing’s perfect.

[M B]

Well, nothing’s perfect in the 2 to 2.5 lb range for sure

That certainly doesn’t mean that we can’t make a bear canister that won’t fail.  Just that these weights and testing Protocols are inadequate in reality. I’m quite certain a better bear canister can be manufactured. People would just scream loudly at carrying it. In effect some failure rate is tacitly accepted.

 

 

[Ben H.]

More serious question was Greg’s post showing IGBC testing of the Bearikade removed from BPL?  Due to threat of legal action?

[Jennifer Mitol]

just heard back from Denali NP, but Ranger Wendy wasn’t terribly helpful:

”
<div class=”gmail_default”>Thanks for your interest in Denali National Park and Preserve. The list on the website is the list of approved canisters. We provide you with a free Bear Resistant Food Container (BRFC) once you pay your entry fee here at Denali National Park at the Backcountry Information Center (BIC) which is located in the Denali Visitor Center – open 8 am – 5 pm daily.</div>
<div class=”gmail_default”></div>
<div class=”gmail_default”>All the best!,</div>
<div class=”gmail_default”>Ranger Wendy”</div>
<div></div>
<div>I guess I’ll be picking up an ursack finally……..seems odd I can bring one of those but not the bearikade…..</div>

[Brad Rogers]

I’m not if the Bearikade is or isn’t approved in Denali (appears it isn’t) but the UrSack is for sure.   I’m not sure what you are supposed to do with the UrSack above tree line though.

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