PCT Bear Canister Requirements
Everything you need to know about a thru hikers' favorite piece of gear
Bear cans… the weight weenies and ounce counters worst nightmare. Big, bulky, and a overall a royal pain in the butt. Bottom line – they kinda suck. But regulations are put in place for good reason. The saying goes, “a fed bear is a dead bear”. Keeping your food and trash properly stored keeps bears alive, and really, a few pounds isn’t the end of the world. So, where are they required? What size do I need? What needs to be inside? How in the world do I get the lid off this thing when my fingers are frozen solid?! I’m so glad you asked; you’ve come to the right place.
Where are they Required?
Washington
North Cascade’s and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest: Regulations here are a bit murky. This would impact the 280 miles between Stehekin and White Pass. As of April 2023, the Forest Service and National Park Service states all food items must be stored in “a bear resistant manner”. This includes,
- Bear cans such as the Bear Vault or Bear Keg
- Bear bags such as Ursack Major
- Proper bear hangs (defined as 10ft in the air and 4 feet from the base of a tree)
- Bear boxes found in established campgrounds.
Realistically the last two options are not viable for thru hikers on a daily basis. It’s rare to find a perfect tree for a proper hang in Washington, and bear boxes are almost never present in backcountry sites. That leaves the bear can or the bag, pick your poison.
Find additional information at Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest – Alerts & Closures & Food Storage Requirements – North Cascades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Oregon
No regulations for food storage are in place. Ironic because southern Oregon was where I personally saw the most black bears.
California
Lassen National Park: If you plan to camp within park boundaries a hard sided bear canister is required. The stretch of trail through the park is only around 20 miles so it makes more sense to just hike through in a day and not worry about picking one up.
Tahoe – Kings/Canyon Sequoia National Park: Unfortunately, you don’t have a choice here. Hard sided bear canisters are required from the Tahoe Basin (as of January 2024) all the way through Yosemite and Kings Canyon/Sequioa National Parks. In trail terms this means you should plan to pick up a bear canister around Truckee, CA and carry it all the way through the Sierra to Kennedy Meadows South, approximately 440 miles. There are technically areas between Tahoe and Yosemite that they aren’t required, but avoid the logistical nightmare and don’t try send it forward. You might as well get comfortable with it, it’ll become your new favorite seat over the next few hundred miles.
Additional information found here: Lake Tahoe Basin Mgt Unit – News & Events
What Size should I get?
When looking at how heavy bear cans are, you might be tempted to get a smaller size to save some weight. Do yourself a favor and don’t, just get the biggest size you can. I bought a BV450 before I started the hike thinking it would be large enough, what I failed to take into account was how hungry I would become. I had to pick up a BV500 on trail instead and still had trouble fitting a 6-day resupply in it. Bigger is better here. Here are a few of the most popular options.
What needs to fit inside?
Black bears are really just giant racoons with the nose of a bloodhound. That said, everything with a scent needs to go inside the bear can. All food, garbage, toothpaste hand sanitizer, soap, deodorant, sunscreen, bug repellant, etc. If you can smell it, so can they.
how to store it overnight?
First, not in your tent. Bear canisters aren’t designed to keep smells from leaking out but rather to keep the bears from busting in. It has previously been recommended to put it as far away from your camp as possible, but things have changed. If left to their own devices long enough, black bears have proven capable of opening bear cans, knocking them off cliffs, and rolling them into rivers. Currently, the standard recommendation is to place bear cans 100ft from your tent and within eyesight. If a bear comes investigating during the night, it will be close enough to scare away before it can make off with a tasty treat.
Tip for the heavy sleeper – Put some rocks and/or your cooking pot on the top of the can to make noise when knocked off if something decides to poke around. A DIY bear alarm.
HELp! my fingers are forzen and i can't get in!
If you’ve ever hiked with a BearVault when the weather gets chilly, you know exactly what I’m referring to. Suddenly the tables have turned, and you become the irritated bear that can’t get the ridiculous thing open! The tiny little nubs that have to be pushed in and slid around to pop the lid become incredibly hard to operate with frozen fingers. But, so long as you have a credit card handy there is a better way! Simply slide the card against the nub, hold it in place, and then twist the lid around. Breakfast and your fingers are saved.
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© 2024 Ashley Teifke