Keeping food from bears

imported
#21

Back to Safari (and Lady Di). If you decide on bear protection a lighter alternative is the Ursack. Reports of it combined with an Op-Sak are positive. I hike a lot in Sierras where bear canisters are required in many areas so there is no choice. I’ve never used an Ursack but have used Op-Sak’s with no problems from critters where a canister is not required.
http://www.ursack.com/

Still Lookin’

#22

I agree with Bearcreek and Pacemaker regardless of where their experiences with bears may have taken place. I don’t think that the topic of bear encounters and food storage is exclusive to any particular forum. Black bears reside along many of the long trails and they behave more or less the same everywhere. To assert that someone posting an the AT forum about experiences on some other trail is “wrong trail” seems a bit petty to me.

There have been 19 fatal Black Bear and 14 fatal Brown Bear attacks in the last 20 years. Some of the attacks were in the east and some in the west.

wingnut

#23

Maybe tron’s mother doesn’t let him out of the basement much. He sure seems agitated about all of this.

Hetch

#24

16,000 miles on the AT including 5 thru-hikes. always sleep with my food in a tent. no problem ever.

lone wolf

#25

5000 AT miles here. Ditto Lone Wolf’s experiences. Although I did have a mouse eat his way into my tent once, then into the food bag. Where was I camped? Near a shelter, of course. Solution: Not a bear vault, or Ursack, but just to always always use the mouse hangers in the shelters if sleeping anywhere around these areas. AT shelter mice are hardcore professional pillagers, on the order of Sierra park bears, only you won’t wake up to save your food before they steal it.

Tron

#26

On the AT, mice were a far bigger problem. I generally didn’t sleep with my food because I didn’t want them gnawing through my tent. I’d find a rock, wrap it in my bandana, tie a line to my banadana and throw it over a tree limb.

jalan

#27

Black bears reside along many of the long trails and they behave more or less the same everywhere. To assert that someone posting an the AT forum about experiences on some other trail is “wrong trail” seems a bit petty to me. <<

No, that’s not true. Black bear behavior varies widely depending upon their level of conditioning to humans and whether or not they’ve become accustomed to stealing human food. This is why the Park Service requires bear cans along the JMT portion of the PCT, but the Plumas National Forest (let’s say) does not. It’s also why Shenandoah NP along the AT requires hikers to use the bear poles within that park, but the George Washington National Forest (or ATC in general) has no such policy. These are examples of policies that have resulted directly from the presence or absence of so-called Park Bears, ruined for human food, which is a completely different animal from the Wild Bears that still have some level of fear for people. Most of the bears along the AT are, contrary to what an outsider may hypothesize, Wild Bears. And while it’s true that all bears are opportunistic and can become Park Bears given time and the right environment, it would be incorrect to assume that the AT is anything like the JMT High Sierra or that it’s moving swiftly in that direction. Those who are advocating bear vaults or bear bagging along the AT have their hearts in the right place, and for some people these approaches might make sense. It’s certainly a noble sacrifice, packing the extra weight or ritualistically bear bagging in order to make sure (or as sure as your methods are good) that a bear doesn’t get your food and maybe get killed as a result. But for the most part, along the AT in the many places where bears are simply not an issue, it’s arguably an unfair burden to recommend that other hikers follow your crusade. There are some serious downsides to consider, and the sacrifice, statistically, doesn’t amount to much in its favor.

__

#28

Very well-put, poster with invisible name.

What’s more, before anyone gets high and mighty about hanging food, consider the damage to the trees, the regular occurrence of rope getting left behind because someone can’t get it down, and the regular occurrence of bears successfully un-hanging the food.

If you make a well-informed decision to hang your food in certain areas like Colorado and you do it well, great. But it’s rather out of place to then come onto an AT forum and recommend this approach for all places AT. Silly, really.

markv

#29

Another lazy AT xenophobe speaks. I suppose you bury your garbage too.

Hetch

#30

Lazy? posting from lunch at my work desk, actually
AT xenophobe? actually i’m a past PCT thru who has done only a few sections of the AT
Burying garbage? nope

Try posting with some thought and clarity, Hetch. If you have an opinion you think is worth people reading, explain it rationally with a paragraph or two, instead of sniping (and missing).

markv

#31

Hetch wouldnt happen to be Hetch Hetchy Man, would it? Ice Axe, CDT thru-hiker?

Studebacher Hoch

#32

No way that’s Iceaxe; he would never say something so crass.

.

#33

Before you share your wealth of insight with us; know something. Anything. Otherwise, when you post it comes off as some sort of bazarre troll mad lib.

To the topic, the nameless mystery poster did a fine job of framing the discussion. On the AT a bear cannister would be overkill, though I would recommend packing a suitable length of nylon cord to hang your food. You might not need it, but their will be times (like when you scare off a bear right before bed) that you will want to be able to get your food away from your camp.

Glo-Worm
AT06 PCT08

PS Hey Mark, hope you are well!

Glo-Worm

#34

Thanks Guys & Gals for all the information. I think the best idea is Do As the Romans Do, follow local advice. I looked up the Ursack and Opsak and sounds like a good idea.
Thanks again, and send any advice on any other subject.
Safari

Safari

#35

Safari, I am glad you noticed Markv point out my misuse of superlatives when describing my placement of the food bag at night. When in Rome is great advice…Regulations require hikers to stay at the shelters when passing though the Smokies. Whenever visiting I obey the rules by sleeping on those dusty wooden planks or nearby outside and hanging my food on the cables provided. I also use food storage boxes every now and then, but those nights are few and far between. The rest of the time, the food bag stays with me at night. Sorry for all the ruckus.:cheers

stealthblew

#36

I don’t like any kind of critter eating my food. You will find me at the campfire sitting on my Bearicade! No rocks, no ropes, no worries.

SandyofPA

#37

On the AT a bearcan is overkill. If there is no bear sign all day I don’t worry about bears but I often hang my food anyway because it sucks if mice gnaw into a pack or tent. In the bear friendly places like the SNP I do use the poles ( Do they still have poles?) I’ve encounter bears in most AT states but never had a food problem so I’ll keep doing it that way. The PCT required the canisters in the Sierra but it was somewhat silly because I couldn’t fit all my food in it anyway. So I hung it. I only saw bears there at the car camping places. AT02, PCT09 plus another 6000 miles and 45 bears encountered without fatalities.

bamboo bob