Bear Canister in Shining Rock Wilderness

For our anniversary Cari planned a backpacking trip for her and I to take.  Last weekend we headed up to one of my all time favorite places to hike.  We arrived near the Blue Ridge Pkwy with our bags packed and ready to go.   The weather was beautiful and we took the last available parking spot when we arrived.

After getting our packs on and adjusted we started to the trail where we were quickly met with a sign...

We didn't have a bear canister.  We had our food in plastic bags that were advertised to block scents from bears.  The plan was to hang our food in a tree after dinner.  As we looked at the sign we discussed if we wanted to proceed or turn back.  We were both looking forward to this trip (more so for me) and we started up the trail.

Within five minutes we stopped and talked about it again.  Certainly there have been problems with bears if these rules are being implemented.  We decided we didn't want to be part of the problem so we returned to the car, loaded up our packs, and put together a small daypack.   With this smaller bag of food and water we headed up the trail for a hike without camping.  Although disappointed on missing out on the camping we were still excited to have the day together.

We made our way up the Art Loeb trail with Shining Rock as our goal.  The weather remained clear and we were presented with amazing views for our hike along the ridge.

We stopped for a short lunch break on Tennent Mountain.

About one o'clock we arrived at the border of the Shining Rock Wilderness.  I have previously been in the wilderness one other time  and I was excited to show Cari the white rocks that give the mountain its name.

It took another hour of hiking to reach the white rocks scattered on the ground.  It's a unique view to see these white boulders appear when you haven't seen anything else like it around.

We were checking out our map and planning our hike back to the car when a hiker with a dog approached us.  He asked if we needed any directions and stopped to talk to us about the various trails in the wilderness area.  He also warned us of bears in the area that have become very active.

We decided to take the old logging road of Ivestor Gap Trail back to the car.  The old logging road would remain pretty level and should be quicker than ascending and descending all the hills again.  We were both getting pretty tired and were glad we weren't carrying our twenty pound packs with us.
When we reached the edge of the wilderness area I reviewed the posting about bear canisters.   This was not a suggestion.  This was a regulation that could get you fined (and possibly jail time).

Some hikers had also written on the board several specific sightings.

This helped confirm that we had made the right choice of not camping until obtaining a bear canister.
We continued on Ivestor Gap Trail until we made it back to the car nearly eleven miles after we had left it.  There were also two park rangers in the parking lot talking to hikers and campers.  I imagined they were talking about bear canisters but we didn't stick around to find out.

We were sun burned, hungry, and sore.  But it was a great day together in the wilderness.
Here are a few more views from our amazing adventure:

UPDATE:   
The morning after our trip we made a trip over to REI and found bear canisters to be about $70.  This is not a cheap requirement to fulfill but a necessary one.  After reading online it looks like more and more of our national forests and wilderness areas are requiring bear canisters for food.  At this time it is the most reliable way to keep your food out of the mouths of wild animals.

Her is a quote from the USDA Forest Service website for North Carolina:

U.S. Forest Service Reminds Visitors, Bear Canisters are Required for Backcountr
PISGAH FOREST, N.C., April 27, 2015 – As bear encounter reports continue, the U.S. Forest Service reminds backcountry users that bear canisters are required in the Shining Rock Wilderness, Black Balsam, Sam’s Knob and Flat Laurel Creek Areas of the Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest. 
A camping closure in the nearby Graveyard Fields area is still in effect, though the area remains open for day use.
“We’ve had numerous reports of bears having success in acquiring improperly stored as well as hung food, reinforcing that bear canisters are the best way to deter hungry bears,” said Pisgah District Ranger Derek Ibarguen.  “Visitor safety is of the utmost importance and canisters are the most effective way to safely store food and reduce bear-human conflicts.”
These regulations, issued in consultation with the N.C. Wildlife Commission, were implemented due to human safety concerns after a bear entered a tent and removed a hiker’s backpack earlier this year. 
All bear canisters must be commercially made; constructed of solid, non-pliable material manufactured for the specific purpose of resisting entry by bears.
Please ‘Be Bear Aware’

• Do not Store Food in Tents

• Properly Store Food by Using a bear proof container

• Clean up food or garbage around fire rings, grills, or other areas of your campsite

• Do not leave food unattended

For more information visitors are encouraged to call the Pisgah Ranger District at (828) 877-3265.
For tips, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r8/recreation/safety-ethics

This canister adds two pounds to my pack and is very bulky.  Not ideal, but safety outranks convenience.  Now I'm ready to visit the Black Balsam area again!

**At least the canister can double as a seat at camp.  If it will withstand a bear it can hold my weight.