The equatorial pitch angle distributions of ring current ions observed during a storm recovery phase at L values between 3 and 4 are compared with the pitch angle distributions predicted by proton charge exchange with neutral hydrogen. Large disagreements are found, and three alternative explanations are explored. (1) A strong proton source acts to mask the effects of charge exchange. We feel that the required strong continual source with a unique pitch angle and energy dependence is unrealistic at these low L values. (2) Presently accepted neutral hydrogen density models have densities well over an order of magnitude too large for a storm recovery phase. We know of no evidence to support the required large errors in the densities. (3) The ring current at particle energies of ≲50 keV was dominated by some ion species other than protons during the storm recovery phase. Such ions must have much longer lifetimes for charge exchange with hydrogen than do protons. We strongly favor this alternative. He+ is an attractive candidate. (See the companion paper by Tinsley (1976).)