Empty Your Pack: A Weekend Warrior in PNW Bear Country

When you have to carry a bear canister, it pays to pare down the rest of your gear. Active Pass member Matt Wise shows us how he does it.

Ah, the dreaded bear canister. Even the lightest ones are bulky, heavier than a bear bag, and having to carry one can affect every gear choice. Here, Active Pass member and weekend warrior Matt Wise, 51, spills his kit to show how he accommodates the bear canister [read: How to Pack a Bear Canister] when he heads into the trails in Olympic National Park, where bear canisters are often required. In his five years of wilderness backpacking, he’s discovered that less is most definitely more when it comes to weight. That’s a lesson he learned the hard way on a too-heavy overnight to the Buckhorn Wilderness in 2019. Read the full article here.