Yep GA bears are nailing food bags

[Passengr57]

Ok I've been following this post for a few days now. All my AT experience is north of the Smokies and from the Whites on down. Im well familiar with the bear boxes in NJ but am wondering how concerned I should be. In all my years and over 1500miles of trail I've never slept with food but am willing to try. My question is for those know know the area if I want to trek thru the trouble spots what's the best spot to set up to do that the night before? I really want to stay a night at blood with hopes of stars/views but is it worth the risk? Thx.

[ChinMusic]

I really want to stay a night at blood with hopes of stars/views but is it worth the risk? Thx.

I usu sleep with my food. But, if I were going to stay at Blood, I would bring a can and follow the rules.

[RichardD]

One more thing to my 5 cents
Some of the best entertainment to be had in the evening near shelters is to watch others attempt to hang their food. (my attempts have at times provided entertainment for others)

[max patch]

Not legal to camp at Blood without bear canister.

Many NOBO hikers are camping at Lance Creek which is just outside the required canister area, which is the section 5 miles south of Neels Gap to Neels.

[Passengr57]

Okay a bear canister for the win it is. Thx. I'm good with doing the pct method but I just want to blow through the first few days w/o issue sigh.

[Biggie Master]

I hike with this guy, so I have never had any problems keeping my food away from bears... http://youtu.be/KIWmmbbALok

Seriously, I always hang my food well away from my sleep area, because that's what I'm comfortable doing... There are lots of methods, and lots of opinions. One size does NOT fit ALL. If you manage your food supply so that the bears can't get to it, I really don't care if it's in your tent, 12 feet in the air, or 6 feet underground.

[Big Dawg]

There is an idiot who works at Mountain Crossings telling people to sleep with their food. If they get attacked I hope they nail his ass.

Wow,, lack of knowledge and slander from you, Sierra Echo, is not a pretty sight.

[stranger]

Last year many lost their food to bears in Georgia. Most of the food hangs I saw were close to the ground, close to a tree and in my view completely inadequate. Good branches to hang food from, PCT or otherwise were not commonplace...

I find this perplexing...in 2008 I hiked from Springer to Atkins and never once had a problem finding a good branch, usually within 50 yards of my tent. The farthest I had to go was on Walnut Mountain and that was only 0.2 down the AT towards Hot Springs, alot of hikers lost their food that night but we didn't (PCT hang on good branch).

This was also the site where I found the food bag in the middle of the trail with the branch laying next to it, bear was able to chew or tear the thin branch off the tree.

[Sierra Echo]

Wow,, lack of knowledge and slander from you, Sierra Echo, is not a pretty sight.

Excuse me, but do I know you???

[Jack Tarlin]

Just for the record, without exception, every hiker we've heard from or about who had his food taken this year in the vicinity of Neel Gap had it taken while it was hung from a tree. We have not heard of a single incident in which food was taken while it was with a hiker in his or her tent. I am not suggesting or advocating for one method over the other, but facts are facts......the number of folks who lost their food while sleeping with it is zero.

[rocketsocks]

HaHaHaHaLOLand LMAO

[Ender]

Please keep personal disputes out of the thread. Argue about the topic as much as you want, but keep personal attacks out of it.

[royalusa]

Bear took hanging food from hiker at Wild Cat (mile 36) last night. Chilly Willy had his hanging food bag taken a few days before that just a few hundred yards past Hogpen Gap (mile 37). And a day or so before that a bear was spotted at Blue Mt Shelter (mile 48) but did not get any food bags.

[rocketsocks]

HaHaHaHa LOL and LMAO

Sorry forgot to link thread,But my echoing laughter,it wasn't about an observation!

[max patch]

Bear took hanging food from hiker at Wild Cat (mile 36) last night. Chilly Willy had his hanging food bag taken a few days before that just a few hundred yards past Hogpen Gap (mile 37). And a day or so before that a bear was spotted at Blue Mt Shelter (mile 48) but did not get any food bags.

Neels to Low Gap (particularly the Low Gap Shelter) has been a problem area in recent years and I wonder if this has been overlooked this year because of the emphasis on the 5 mile section S of Neels.

I've always hung my food in problem areas, but when experienced hikers recommend sleeping with their food -- it does makes one wonder as to the best course of action. Still hanging for now but have an open mind.

[Lone Wolf]

I've always hung my food in problem areas, but when experienced hikers recommend sleeping with their food -- it does makes one wonder as to the best course of action. Still hanging for now but have an open mind.

try it. seriously. 25 years now and i've never hung my food from bears. mice yes back when i was dumb enuf to sleep in a box. never had a problem from either in a tent

[CrumbSnatcher]

One more thing to my 5 cents
Some of the best entertainment to be had in the evening near shelters is to watch others attempt to hang their food. (my attempts have at times provided entertainment for others)

loved watching hikers try to use the poles in SNP :-) the poles still there?

[Big Dawg]

Excuse me, but do I know you???

you're excused

No, other than seeing my posts on this forum since 5/17/2010.

[Big Dawg]

I think that people hang their food because that's what the majority of people suggest. I remember reading one of LW's post many years ago about sleeping w/ his food. It got me to thinking about the reality of whether hanging was even necessary. When I began my section hike in 2000, I religously hung because of my fears. Then shortly thereafter, I took LW's advice and haven't looked back. I have NEVER had a problem w/ anything trying to get in my tent for food. I realize now after many years of sleeping w/ my food that my original fears were unfounded. I read about today's hanging hoopla and just have to snicker, like I know some secret that most people haven't figured out yet. Take LW's advice,,, sleeping w/ your food is really no big deal, and doesn't deserve the "personal attacks" that are directed towards it. Thanks LW!

[vamelungeon]

I think that people hang their food because that's what the majority of people suggest. I remember reading one of LW's post many years ago about sleeping w/ his food. It got me to thinking about the reality of whether hanging was even necessary. When I began my section hike in 2000, I religously hung because of my fears. Then shortly thereafter, I took LW's advice and haven't looked back. I have NEVER had a problem w/ anything trying to get in my tent for food. I realize now after many years of sleeping w/ my food that my original fears were unfounded. I read about today's hanging hoopla and just have to snicker, like I know some secret that most people haven't figured out yet. Take LW's advice,,, sleeping w/ your food is really no big deal, and doesn't deserve the "personal attacks" that are directed towards it. Thanks LW!

Amen! I agree.