Bear Can

[b_kloos88]

Do you still have to carry one if you have Helen on your intinerary?

[McNeill78]

Not aware of the requirement for bear canister in GNP at established BC sites. Do need a food sack and 25 feet of rope.

[b_kloos88]

When I was there 3-4 yrs ago, we were required to carry one at Helen...

[daveparker]

This would probably be a better question for the back country office in the park, things can change quickly, from day to day when it concerns bears, what might be a clear camp one day could have a strong bear presence the next day.

[b_kloos88]

When I was there, there was no bear wire...

[daveparker]

When I was there, there was no bear wire...

What is a "Bear Wire"?

[Selkie]

I think bear wire is the wire strung between two supports (trees), sometimes with clips or loops to hang food bags from, sometimes you're on your own to figure out how to hang the food pack from the wire.

As I recall, the Sperry Chalet CG has one, in addition to the bear "tree," a pole with arms at the top.

In any event, as you noted, the backcountry office likely knows what is provided at each site.

[daveparker]

Thanks, even after over 12 years of teaching about bear safety and bear spray I had never heard it referred to as a "bear wire"

[Ear Mountain]

The "horizontally mounted pole" is actually a sleeve through which a heavy wire is run. The wire is attached to trees. Hence the term Bear Wire. I've heard and used that term for years. Almost all forest campsites in Glacier have a "bear wire."

[Jen]

No wire at KIN or BOU. Just pipe.
I seem to recall MOJ being a wire? Maybe?


Kintla


Boulder pass

[mattB]

If I remember correctly Sperry backcountry campsites had a wire..

Also, a couple years ago they made us take a bear can when we were camping at Lake Ellen Wilson, they told us that the bear pole was broken, but when we got there it had been repaired..
Maybe it was a similar situation at Helen 3-4 years ago?

[orin]

Here is a link to a pic of a bear wire in Olympic National Park. http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/download ... 8&p=958074 There are pulleys attached to the middle of the horizontal wire. A loop of wire with hooks goes through each pulley. You attach one hook to your food bag and hoist it up and then clip a second hook to a ring at the base of the tree. It is very easy to use and very secure. Obviously it can be set up only where there are reasonably large trees.

[Ear Mountain]

... There are pulleys attached to the middle of the horizontal wire. A loop of wire with hooks goes through each pulley. You attach ...

I've seen no bear wires in Glacier like that one. In ?Glacier one must bring there own rope. The park service requires 25 feet minimum.

[Jen]

... There are pulleys attached to the middle of the horizontal wire. A loop of wire with hooks goes through each pulley. You attach ...

I've seen no bear wires in Glacier like that one. In ?Glacier one must bring there own rope. The park service requires 25 feet minimum.

Note to GLAC NPS: Pullys not necessary but would be appreciated

[joybird]

I camped at Helen on August 13th this year. There was an upright bear pole that looks like it originally had four fixed hooks up high on it, but now they are either broken off or so bent out of shape that only two were actually useable, and even so they were a bit squirrelly.

One of the fixed hooks was "hooky" enough that I could hang my drybag directly from it using the long-handled (and heavy!) metal pole that is stored on the ground next to the upright pole. This was do-able but difficult/awkward, especially since the hook on the long-handled pole seems to be less "hooked" than would be ideal.

The other hook didn't have quite enough hooked-ness left to it for that kind of direct hanging to work for the other folks that were camping at Helen that night. Plus, they had multiple bags to hang. In the end we solved the problem by making a 6" long rope "ring," clipping a small carabiner to it and then stringing a long rope through the carabiner like a pulley. The long-handled "lifting" pole was then used to hoist the little rope "ring" up onto the hook at the top of the upright pole and then they were able to tie their bags to the rope that was strung through the carabiner. It would have worked better to have a rigid loop (like a large carabiner) to go over the upright pole's fixed "hook", but no one at the campsite had a carabiner large enough for that.

I would suggest bringing a couple of large carabiners along with your rope instead of bothering with a heavy bear canister. (And then hope that the other party staying at Helen doesn't have several bags they want to hang...or just make sure you get there earlier than they do and so that you can set up your tent in the site that is farther from the food prep area! )

I had planned to contact the BC office to make sure they know about the problem with the hooks, but I forgot, so this is a good reminder for me. I'll speak to someone at their office tomorrow.