Cooler storage away from bears
Posted by Odd-Boysenberry-2655@reddit | overlanding | View on Reddit | 4 comments
Im going camping tonight in my car up at the lake and the campsite im going to has really small bear cabinet type things in each site which works for the non perishable food but I don’t have anywhere to put the not very well sealed cooler to keep away from bears.
lucky_ducker@reddit
Most places' bear safety protocols approve of leaving food in a locked, hard sided vehicle (no ragtop Jeeps, no windows down, etc.).
Some radio controlled key fobs do not require you to press a button to unlock doors - just a hand on the door handle will unlock if the fob is present. If that's the case make sure the fob is far enough away to not activate, or wrap it in foil (or get a proper Faraday pouch). Lots of bears have figured out car doors.
I often sleep in my Outback that has such a fob, and all of my food (including a 12V fridge) is just a couple of feet away from me. If it's too warm to sleep in the car without the windows down, I lock the car and sleep in the tent.
If I have other options, I will generally not stay in a campground that has bear boxes. Their presence means that there have been dangerous encounters with bears there, possibly grizzlies.
IT_vet@reddit
Check with the agency that manages the campsite. Some places say everything *must* go in the bear locker, other places will allow you to keep a cooler in a vehicle as long as it’s out of sight.
Bears are smart and know that coolers = food. Yosemite bears will break into a car because they recognize the shape of your cooler under the blanket you threw on top of it.
Other places it’s fine.
jr_73@reddit
PCT Hang with a really heavy duty branch and rope! /s
Think_Addendum7138@reddit
I live in black bear only territory where bears aren’t known to be too exploratory so I just put my cooler in my front seat and lock my car doors.
Places like Lake Tahoe this would not be advised because there’s tons of record of bears breaking into cars