From selection to storage: A backpacker’s comprehensive guide to bear canisters
By Arietta Hallock
Unexpected wildlife encounters are a highlight of backpacking in the Adirondack Park. However, there is one encounter that campers notoriously dread- a black bear breaking into their food or garbage.
While black bears are not a threat to those they share the woods with, their interest in human food causes issues. When bears gain frequent access to human foods outside of their native diet, it can negatively impact their natural patterns of behavior.
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In response, many backpackers carry bear-resistant canisters to safely store their food, garbage, and scented toiletries.
Bear-resistant canisters, or “bear cans,” are solid containers that prevent black bears from breaking into human supplies. Unlike food bags hung by ropes in trees, the canisters’ smooth solid surface makes them especially difficult to crack open or carry away.
Here’s what you need to know about your options.
Required use
New York state’s Department of Environmental Conservation requires bear-resistant canisters on overnight trips in the Eastern Zone of the High Peaks Wilderness from April 1 to Nov. 30. The DEC encourages overnight campers to use them throughout the Adirondack Park.
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Choosing a bear canister
A bear canister must be “constructed of solid, non-pliable material manufactured for the specific purpose of resisting entry by bears” to suit requirements, according to the DEC. Though wildlife-resistant food sacks or bear hangs are an option where bear cans are not mandated, canisters are the most effective choice according to Daria Stacy, the Adirondack Mountain Club’s outdoor skills coordinator.
“The Adirondack bears especially are really smart bears,” Stacy said.
Backpackers can rent a Garcia Backpacker’s Cache for $8 to $16 from the Adirondack Mountain Club at the High Peaks Information Center or Cascade Welcome Center. They are also available for purchase online. Many models and sizes are on the market, but the DEC warns that black bears have “regularly defeated bear-resistant canisters made of clear plastic.”
According to Stacy, one model to avoid is the Bear Vault, which lacks the durability of other models.
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“A handful of years ago, one bear figured out how to open those, and because bears are very social creatures, they were able to teach their young how to do that,” Stacy said.
If you already own a clear plastic canister, the High Peaks Information Center has you covered for your next overnight trip.
“Leave it with us for free and we can exchange it for one of the harder plastic bear cans,” Stacy said.
How to properly pack a bear canister
The typical bear-resistant canister is 8 inches by 12 inches, according to the DEC. Whatever canister size you choose, proper packing will ensure that all food and scented items will fit. The Adirondack Mountain Club and DEC both recommend repackaging items from inflated bags or bulky boxes into air-tight reusable bags, and to keep toiletries to a minimum.
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Where to site a bear canister
Campers should store their canisters at least a hundred feet away from both their campsite and cooking area, in a dry and discreet location.
Some canisters come with a nylon carrying case for added convenience when backpacking. However, the DEC recommends removing any outside casing, straps, or attached backpacks during storage to prevent a bear from dragging the canister away.
While bear cans are especially important from April to November, Stacy says she carries one when camping, no matter the season.
“Bear cans are for more than just bears too. If I’m camping I’ll still bring a bear can because it is helpful for (keeping away) other animals. Even when bears are hibernating, raccoons, squirrels and all sorts of animals are trying to get your food all year round,” Stacy said.
Great article:
I’d like to add to the idea of preventing bears from obtaining food in the park.
The DEC has over 200 lean-to’s in the Adirondack mountains. Because of their permanence, they can and have, in many instance’s, become magnets for bears searching for food.
Because of this “attractive nuisance”, the state has a legal responsibility to better address the existing problems and an opportunity to prevent, God forbid, a tragedy.
A simple fix would be the production of 200, 4’x4’x3′ hinged aluminum diamond plate boxes, with a hasp for your own individual lock to be put on.
These boxes would be lag bolted from the inside of the box through to a log at the bottom of the back side of every lean-to.
This would be a permanent solution where lean-to’s and high traffic are concerned. And the state would be exonerated from potential due process.
Mr. Budnick has a good idea!
do you have a list of the bear canisters that hold up? I have a bearvault bv500 and after reading reviews, i want something more durable and reliable in that size about and one about the size of the bearvault bv450.