So everyone has done it (don't make me look stupid here, just quietly laugh at me if you haven't).... you put your rope in the bag at the end of your bear line, you toss the bearline, wooops you've done something stupid like accidently stand on your line and now the line has wrapped itself around the branch.... or some how weither it was a mistake on your part or not, the line is caught in the tree....
now most times you can get it loose, laugh at yourself for a min and try again...
now what about when it gets caught.... and you can't get it loose you've been trying for an hr

is it better to cut the line as high as you can
or try and pull down the branch so you can get you line

obviously there are some times where that branch is just to big for you too pull down so for the problem set forth here lets say its a branch you can pull down

Like I could ever throw a line over a branch... I don't bear bag, unless the shelter has bear cables provided.

But...this past summer I was hiking with some folks who were determined to hang their food. They got the line tangled up way up high. My crazy husband shinnied up a neighboring tree, until he could reach the rope, snagged it with his hand, and pulled that sucker down. I think he momentarily forgot he's about 40 years past being 15 years old.

I did that, once. Cut it and left it. Now I use an Ursack.

Use a plastic soda bottle 1/3d full of water as a weight. Never had that twist around a limb. If you use a thin line, you can put one end into the top of the bottle and then put the cap back on to secure it. Works better than a charm. (Since charms don't work...)

It's a trick question, like "have you stopped beating your spouse?". :)

It's never happened to me, and I'd like to THINK that I take sufficient care to throw a rope up - in a manner not too far deviated from "right" - and not have it happen anytime too soon. But I know full well that it COULD happen to me, at some point.

I've always been able to whip slack in the end I still have - enough to slack up, and let the running end work its way down, pull it down and try again. I guess I could try it with undercooked spaghetti or rubber bands or something like that. :-?

Ranc0r
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:-?cut the tree down, retrieve your line, use the tree for firewood:D

I "officially" answered the poll by saying "Cut the line....". However, in an effort to save both the line AND the branch--I would PROBABLY attempt to climb the tree and retrieve the line. If that climb failed (or were not possible) only then would I cut the line as high as possible.

A little det cord will bring the tree down so you can retrieve your bear bag cord.:)

A little det cord will bring the tree down so you can retrieve your bear bag cord.:)

True, but det cord is so hard to re-supply at WalMart!

I haven't messed up but it's not often I use a bear line. Good thing too because I throw my coffee mug attached via caribiner.

It's a trick question, like "have you stopped beating your spouse?". :)

It's never happened to me, and I'd like to THINK that I take sufficient care to throw a rope up - in a manner not too far deviated from "right" - and not have it happen anytime too soon. But I know full well that it COULD happen to me, at some point.


One problem I've seen is the line wrapping around the branch more than once.

Do not tie the rock on or put it in a bag because sooner or later it will spin around and get wrapped on the branch. Take a small fist sized rock and just wrap it around the rock about 5 times turn rock 90* and wrap 5 more times and if the branch is really high a third wrapping might be in order. Even if the rock spins around the branch it will fall off after a half second and then you can pull your line down. Worst case scenario the rock comes back at you but then you know where the rock is for the second try. Sticks can work also but can hang up even when not tied however that is pretty unlikely.

Like I could ever throw a line over a branch... I don't bear bag, unless the shelter has bear cables provided.

But...this past summer I was hiking with some folks who were determined to hang their food. They got the line tangled up way up high. My crazy husband shinnied up a neighboring tree, until he could reach the rope, snagged it with his hand, and pulled that sucker down. I think he momentarily forgot he's about 40 years past being 15 years old.Gravity has a way of reminding us we're not as young as we used to be. Glad to hear your husband didn't get hurt, but a piece of bear line ain't worth risking that kind of injury.:-?cut the tree down, retrieve your line, use the tree for firewood:DGood answer!A little det cord will bring the tree down so you can retrieve your bear bag cord.:)Soooo, any idea where I can get a little of that there det cord? Sounds like it'd save a bunch of time felling the tree.

I guess that practice is frowned on in wilderness areas, right?I haven't messed up but it's not often I use a bear line. Good thing too because I throw my coffee mug attached via caribiner.Sly, you're doomed. One of these days you're gonna have that sucker all hung up in a tree and you're gonna be wishing Marta's husband was there to save the day.

OK, I'll quit messing around. I've gotten a bear line screwed up pretty good a few times, but with persistence I've always managed to get it down without tearing up the tree too much. Always thought I was pretty good until I watched an acquaintance retrieve a halyard from a 26' mast that had gotten fouled up. It was that or bring the mast down, and we'd just stepped that SOB.

Dude had some sweet tricks for unfouling rigging.

I was confused for a second, I knew i started this in general, but found it here in health, safety and hygiene..... so my question is, with a thread that covers the areas of leave no trace and ethics, why is not still in genera, i don't quite understand the move... I'm not criticizing moderators, just wondering so i can post threads in the right category to start with

My guess is that even though its partly a LNT and ethics issue, its a routine function, bear bagging, which might be categorized under health, safety and hygiene, since bear bagging is considered a bear safety practice.

Well, I've never lost my rope in a tree. But friends of mine have; I've been known to climb trees after their rope. Or sometimes I'll climb up there just to hang it (so I don't have to throw it). Or to get firewood (assuming the tree is a snag). Ok, yeah, I like climbing trees...

Still, one time I spent a whole hour (sure felt like it anyways) trying to throw my line. It was seriously embarrasing, I had a big "audience" and I just couldn't get the damn rock to go where I wanted it to. Ended up just mouse-bagging that night... :(

But I'd try to pull the branch down if I could. I know it's kinda destructive, but what's one dead branch in a forest? It's just as anti-LNT to do that as to leave the rope, and at least breaking a branch doesn't leave something artificial and out of place in the woods. Plus, this way you still have your rope, for further adventures in bear bagging.

I never really understood the idea of hanging food.

Can't bears climb exceptionally well?

Bears are smart too, I have heard of them ripping down the branch that food was hung on.

And to answer the poll, I'd proabably climb the tree to get it down.