View Full Version : How about food drops as you are shuttled?
ednotmilkman
10-08-2010, 23:20
I am a semi-experienced hiker, but have never yet walked farther than the food I could carry - longest being 7 days although I had food for 1 1/2 more days.
I'm wondering will my food wait for me 4 or 5 days if I just hang it up from a tree following the normal procedure for overnight storage. This would be not at a campsite, but just at a convinient point near a trailhead about half-way through my next 8-10 day section. If this might work, should I hide it away from the trail so other humans won't bother it, or just leave a note saying why it's there. Or will raccoons and other varmits get it since they don't read english?
Edwin
IronGutsTommy
10-09-2010, 00:57
you could try that, id recommending hanging it with a heavy test fishing line rather than rope or cord. little varmints including rats cant climb fishing line, while hanging it with rope for 3 or 4 days youll definitely get some varmints.. if i did id hang it away from where other hikers might see it. passersby may not mess with it but if someone camped nearby and saw it still sitting there the next day theyd probably take a look. one tends to sometimes tire of the food theyre carrying, and a virtual "abandoned" goody bag may be too tempting to pass up.. you could always dig a cathole and bury some food in a trashbag, eliminating the possibility of bears, rats and people
bulldog49
10-09-2010, 10:17
I am a semi-experienced hiker, but have never yet walked farther than the food I could carry - longest being 7 days although I had food for 1 1/2 more days.
I'm wondering will my food wait for me 4 or 5 days if I just hang it up from a tree following the normal procedure for overnight storage. This would be not at a campsite, but just at a convinient point near a trailhead about half-way through my next 8-10 day section. If this might work, should I hide it away from the trail so other humans won't bother it, or just leave a note saying why it's there. Or will raccoons and other varmits get it since they don't read english?
Edwin
I do it all the time, except I use a bear canister instead of hanging it. Put the bear canister in a trash bag and place it under some brush near an easily recognizable tree or some other landmark. It needs to be in some sort of critter proof container, leaving it in a trash bag, even buried in the ground, will not work.
Jack Tarlin
10-09-2010, 13:30
1. Making your drop crittter proof is a good idea.
2. Getting it well out of sight is also prudent.
3. A note explaining what is going on with a wish that nobody messes with
your stuff is very wishful thinking; if you want the drop to be there when
you arrive, make sure it's well out of sight; your stuff is at much greater
risk from people who can read rather than raccoons who can't.
4. Lastly, I can't help but say that the time and effort into assembling drops
and leaving them out in the boonies is probably equal to the amount of
time it would take to get into town and either pick up a drop at a Post
Office or hostel, or better yet, to get to a store and shop for what you
need and what you actually want to eat at the time, as opposed to some-
thing assembled ahead of time. Two big problems with food "drops":
The ammount of food contained therein is usually more than what you
want or need at the time, and you often discover the drop does not
necessarily contain stuff you actually wanna eat. Getting in and outta
towns is pretty easy; I've never felt the need to leave stuff out in the
woods, where it may or may not be there when you need it, or at a spot
where you may discover you want/need to go into town anyway. Plus,
you're from Indiana. Leaving food out on the Trail could be more
involved and troublesome than its worth.
ednotmilkman
10-09-2010, 18:14
Bulldog and Tommy,
Thanks for the tip about fishing line or a mouse&bear proof canister. Who rents canisters ? I'll be going up through Asheville and then parking at the hostel at Erwin, TN - starting this week.
Edwin
ednotmilkman
10-09-2010, 18:16
after further thought, it seems to me that fishing line would be much easier to carry to the end of the trail than a bear can, unless I hide the can again and drive back to that point when finished walking.
Trailweaver
10-10-2010, 03:32
You're going to work tooooo hard on this. Just do what other folks do and drop into a town store. All the driving and hanging and trying to remember where you left food. . . plus - what happens to that food drop if you can't/don't find it and haul it out?
peakbagger
10-10-2010, 06:32
One other factor to figure in are flying squirrels. They dont care if you use fishing line and can quite easily glide over to the bag no matter how well you hang it. A rat sack would stop them but its another thing to carry.
jersey joe
10-10-2010, 08:31
You're going to work tooooo hard on this. Just do what other folks do and drop into a town store. All the driving and hanging and trying to remember where you left food. . . plus - what happens to that food drop if you can't/don't find it and haul it out?
I have stashed food on the side of the trail before. While it does take some time and planning beforehand, it is really nice to be able to resupply without leaving the trail and taking the time to leave the trail and waste time. This is especially important if you are trying to travel a certain amount of miles in a limited amount of time.
You can also arrange to have a shuttle driver drop it off for you. Convenient if you have a cell phone. Homer, a driver in Daleville,VA, does this. Or, hide a bike.
...unless I hide the can again and drive back to that point when finished walking.
I don't like the idea of leaving things in the woods.
When I hiked between Davenport Gap (north end of the GSNP) and Erwin, TN, I picked up a re-supply at Hot Springs, NC. The trail goes right down the main street,(hwy 209, Bridge St,) right passed the Post Office and Bluff Mt Outfitters who sells packaged food. I also spent the night there (Elmer's Sunnyside) had a dinner and breakfast.
I've done this many times with water, couple times with beer and once in VT with food water and beer. Never had a problem and the time with food we used a cooler then duct taped it shut so an average critter wouldnt be able to get it open. I hid it off trail near a landmark and put the cooler in a garbage bag then covered it with sticks and such. Every time it was a very good idea and I would do it again. I always came back for the cooler, water jugs and cans. If there was extra water I did leave that with a note for any other hiker to use.