Climbing in Yosemite is a little different than other climbing areas. We share this place with 4 million other visitors each year, countless wildlife, and an estimated 350-550 black bears throughout the park.
Over the years, climbers and non-climbers have had incidents regarding proper food storage that ultimately lead to the euthanization of bears and other habituated wildlife. They also end up with smashed cars, destroyed haul bags, and lost food.
Here are some tips to keep wildlife and your personal property secure during everything from bouldering to big walls:
Proper Food Storage Starts at your Car:
All park visitors are required to place their food and other scented items in bear lockers overnight when your vehicle is unattended. If you are leaving food in your car during the day, make sure that is it out of sight. Bears will break into your car if you leave food in it overnight. In the past bears have broken into climber’s cars during daylight hours. Take 15 minutes to put your food in a bear locker and you could save yourself $$$$$ in car repairs, food replacement, dealing with impounded cars and bear scat covered gear (not to mention threatening the life of a then-habituated bear).
Plan Your Climbing Day with Food Storage in mind:
If you leave food in your pack at the base of a climb, wildlife will destroy your pack and eat your food. The best way to avoid leaving food at the base of the crag is to bring your food on the wall with you. Make a sandwich in the morning as opposed to bringing the jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, and the rest of kitchen with you. Don’t want to meal plan in the morning? Get a bear can from the Wilderness Center and leave as much food as you want in it while you’re on your multipitch.
Bigwalls and Humpin’ Loads:
Leaving food in your bags at the base of bigwalls, even for an hour while you run back to the car, is a dangerous maneuver. Bears love haulbags like climbers love burritos, and they know that the base of popular walls are the best taqueria around. Haul food and scented items to the top of the first pitch. At the base of Half Dome (or other Wilderness bivies), bear cans are required. This may seem like an inconvenience but contemplate the alternative: you hike to the base in the evening, you’re exhausted and you have to climb and haul everything up the first pitch while clustering the anchor for everyone else. The other option is you’re next two days of food are eaten when you poorly hang it from that tree at the base and you miss your chance to climb the Regular Route this season. Get a bear can and all your food is safe and accessible while you hang at the base.
Some of these tips seem like extra work, but you’ll find that they actually make your time in the park less stressful and allow you to focus more on your climbing. You’re also being a model steward and keeping climber impacts at a minimum for everyone.
There’s nothing like hearing real incidents to drive home the reality of how improper food storage can royaly screw your trip. Got a past food incident? Share it below in the comments.