Then don't. You can get a small but approved by every Sierra jurisdiction I've seen Bare Boxer for forty bucks. You can rent the Bearikade for a week for about the same cost. Sequoia-Kings Canyon rent the Bearikades for 5/6 per night then 2 for each additional night thereafter (they have the weekender and expedition for rent). Yosemite rents the Garcia canisters for even cheaper. Hang your food everywhere else....

Those of us who go all the time into the Sierras have a different economical situation. We buy because four years of rentals when you go out every month makes less sense.