from The Mountain Club of Maryland
The Mountain Club of Maryland has installed bear boxes at the Appalachian Trail (AT) shelters it maintains in Pennsylvania south of the Susquehanna River. These are the Fry Shelter at Tagg Run, the Darlington Shelter, the Alec Kennedy Shelter, and the Cove Mountain Shelter. We ask that backpackers make use of the bear boxes to protect their food overnight. We also ask that hikers not use these bear boxes as trash receptacles, because doing so would defeat their purpose. Hikers should always pack out any trash they create and follow Leave No Trace principles.
Be aware that as we approach thru-hiker season on the AT, we hikers can provide one of the most welcome forms of trail magic: relieving a thru-hiker of the trash they need to pack out. Carry a garbage bag in your pack to be prepared for that opportunity.
The new bear box at the Alec Kennedy Shelter. The latch is simple for people but difficult for bears.