Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve · National Park Service
Is the BearVault BV500 Journey legal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve?
Legal
Yes. The BearVault BV500 Journey is IGBC-certified (IGBC cert. 5340), which is the standard Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve uses.
BRFC required; IGBC-approved plus named PVC/aluminum canisters (Garcia, Wild Ideas, Purple Mountain). IGBC-certified.
Heads-up before you rely on this
- Source page dated 2020-08-21. The official page we rely on shows a date of 2020-08-21. Land managers may have changed the rule since then, so treat this page as a starting point and re-check the source.
- Partly verified. Some part of this rule (a date, a boundary, a list or a wording detail) is not fully confirmed from official text. See the notes below for what is missing.
Verify with the land manager before you go. This pair carries open questions, listed above, and rules change.
What this means
This park accepts IGBC-approved containers and also names a few additional canisters directly (Garcia, Wild Ideas and Purple Mountain). Its page is old, so confirm before relying on either list.
About this model. Discrepancy: BearVault's BV500 page cites IGBC #5339, while the IGBC list (Jul 31, 2026) shows BV450=5339 and BV500=5340. Using the IGBC list.
The rule in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
- Requirement
- BRFC required; IGBC-approved plus named PVC/aluminum canisters (Garcia, Wild Ideas, Purple Mountain).
- Accepted
- IGBC-approved, or Garcia / Wild Ideas / Purple Mountain canisters named by the park
- Dates
- Per page
- Source updated
- 2020-08-21
- Checked
- 2026-10-26 · partly verified
- Our notes
- Page dated 2020; needs re-check.
About the BearVault BV500 Journey
- Volume
- 11.5 L (700 cu in)
- Weight
- 2 lb 9 oz (1.16 kg)
- Material
- Rugged polycarbonate and other resins
- IGBC certified
- Yes (cert. 5340)
- On Yosemite / SEKI list
- Yes
- On Olympic list
- Yes
- Spec source
- manufacturer page fetched directly
Specs come from the sources named in "Spec source" and many are incomplete. See every area where the BearVault BV500 Journey is accepted or not →
What else works in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
| Canister | Verdict | Weight | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| BearVault BV ONE Adjustable | Legal | 1 lb 15 oz (895 g) | 8.3 expanded / 4.65 collapsed L |
| BearVault BV425 Sprint | Legal | 1 lb 12 oz | 5 L |
| BearVault BV450 Jaunt | Legal | 2 lb 1 oz | 7.2 L |
| BearVault BV475 Trek | Legal | 2 lb 4 oz | 9.3 L |
| Grub Can Wave 6.6 L | Legal | 1 lb 15 oz | 6.6 L |
| Grub Can Wave 10.0 L | Legal | n/a | 10.0 L |
The BearVault BV500 Journey under nearby rules
- Rocky Mountain National Park Hard-sided, lockable, commercially made canister required for wilderness overnight camping; hanging not permit… Likely legal
- Mount Rainier National Park Hang or use food-storage poles; canister highly recommended in sub-alpine areas, not required. No canister rule
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - other backcountry Canister highly recommended elsewhere; hanging/other methods allowed outside the required zones. Allowed, not required
- Big Bend National Park Bear boxes/lockers; a bear-resistant container (300 ft-lb standard) is required only for caching. No canister rule
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Pear & Emerald Lakes Canister required in the Pear and Emerald Lakes areas. Legal
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop Canister required in the Rae Lakes Loop. Legal
Quick answers
Is the BearVault BV500 Journey legal in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve?
Yes. The BearVault BV500 Journey is IGBC-certified (IGBC cert. 5340), which is the standard Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve uses. BRFC required; IGBC-approved plus named PVC/aluminum canisters (Garcia, Wild Ideas, Purple Mountain). IGBC-certified.
What does Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve require for food storage?
BRFC required; IGBC-approved plus named PVC/aluminum canisters (Garcia, Wild Ideas, Purple Mountain). Accepted standard: IGBC-approved, or Garcia / Wild Ideas / Purple Mountain canisters named by the park.
How current is this answer?
We checked Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve's official source on 2026-10-26. Source page dated 2020-08-21. Partly verified. Rules change, so confirm with the land manager before you go.
Sources and date checked
Checked . We link the official pages so you can read the rule yourself.