Food Storage (Bear Cannister?)

[32ozgatorade]

I am finishing up plans for a June/July thru-hike and have been seeing conflicting comments about food storage..

I am not brave enough to sleep with my food as some people suggest... Are there adequate trees for hanging food, or do I need to bring a bear cannister/ursack...

Thanks in advance!!!!

[bearcreek]

I would suggest either hanging or a Ursack. Plenty of trees most of the time, but you will probably camp above treeline 1-2 times. There have been some hikes ruined on the CT because of bears ransacking food from camps or tents. Much better to be safe than sorry.

[32ozgatorade]

I would suggest either hanging or a Ursack. Plenty of trees most of the time, but you will probably camp above treeline 1-2 times. There have been some hikes ruined on the CT because of bears ransacking food from camps or tents. Much better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks!!! most of my hiking has been east coast.. I was planning on a cannister, but was hoping that I could get away without one.. Looks like I will be investing in an ursack..

thanks again!!!

[Coffee]

I have a Bearikade but I am not going to carry it on the CT this summer. I plan to bear bag using the PCT method where possible, which should be most places. I'm also putting my food inside opsaks and will sleep with my food if, and only if, I cannot securely hang food since I feel that it is better to sleep with food if the alternative is to improperly hang and provide a bear with an easy food reward. I only anticipate this situation arising on the few occasions I might camp above treeline. Based on everything I have read regarding bears being way less of a problem on the CT than in the Sierra Nevada, I can't justify lugging the two extra pounds just for when I'm above treeline...

[Highway Man]

I never roped up the food bag, but just hung them on a tree branch not too far away. Saw two big bears along the way that looked like brown bears. Quite excited! I also had coyotes near my camps about 5 times, and felt worried a little because of the numbers on the packs, even though I never saw them.

[bamboo bob]

I don't always hang my food, but when I do.... I use the PCT method.

[K6VOI]

we always use bear canisters in the Sierras but not using them for the CT ! (yeah!) Using the Zpack bear bag instead and going to hang our food. Can July 26 get here yet!!!!

[iquack08]

Would I be able to avoid camping above treeline before Salida - or Silverton? I have a Ursack, but I'm hoping to ditch it for a lighter dry sack until there are no trees around. I usually hang my food between trees anyways, so I'm hoping to save some weight.

[bearcreek]

You should be able to camp with trees all the way from Denver to about mile 9 of segment 22. Then no trees until mile 10 of Segment 24. That is about 34 miles at high elevation and I have always had to camp above treeline in there at least once. It's 10 miles shorter if you access Silverton from Stony Pass at the end of Segment 23. (But easier to get a ride to Silverton from Molas Pass at the end of Seg 24.) You could have the Ursack sent to Lake City then send it home from Silverton.

[Coffee]

My highest planned camp is in segment 23, mile 13.5 which is supposed to be near a "small pond" and is at 12,819 feet. I do plan to hang my food on the CT but assumed that bears would likely not be an issue at such a high elevation. I will be using Opsaks, to whatever extent they are effective, so I plan to just keep my food with me that night. It shouldn't be very much food since I'll be resupplying the following day, either via resupply package at Molas Lake or in Silverton.

[Slo-go'en]

I've also been debating this. I'm leaning towards the bear cannister if for no other reason then to have something to sit on! Plus EMS has one on sale right now, $59, normally $74. The other option I'm thinking of is a couple of "Lock and Lock" plastic food containers. It claims to be 100% odor proof, airtight and watertight. I'd save a little over a pound using them instead of a cannister. Would still have to hang them, but being sealed at least the food odors aren't being broadcast by the wind far and wide.

[Coffee]

I haven't heard of the "Lock & Lock" containers. It sounds similar in concept to the Opsak. I plan to carry two Opsaks that weigh just 3 ounces total. I'm somewhat skeptical regarding the odor proof qualities but it is a product Andrew Skurka vouched for in his book and I think that adds some credibility. I found the Opsak durable over two weeks on the AT but will be starting with fresh bags for the CT and putting a spare set in my bounce box just in case.

[iquack08]

I will probably ship the Ursack to Salida then. My tentative plan is to go very heavy with food from Salida to Silverton, so I don't have to resupply at Creede or Lake City. But I still need to see if I can stuff that much food in my pack first.

My regular food storage will be 2 Sea to Summit ultra-sil dry sacks, 2 12"x20" Opsacks, and 1 9"x10" Opsack.

[Slo-go'en]

I haven't heard of the "Lock & Lock" containers.

Their plastic food containers available at Walmart and are available in several sizes. They have a lid which locks in place along all four sides and has a gasket in the lid.

[rocketsocks]

Their plastic food containers available at Walmart and are available in several sizes. They have a lid which locks in place along all four sides and has a gasket in the lid.

Sounds heavy.

[Slo-go'en]

Sounds heavy. {Lock and Lock food storage container}

Not that bad, 11.3 oz with 4L capacity. It would take at least two of these to hold a reasonable amount of food, so it would be 1 lb, 7 oz. A Garcia Bear canister is 10L capacity at 2 lb, 14 oz, so with the loss of only 2L capacity, you save about a pound and a half. While not bear proof, they are more rugged than a Opsack with the same odor protection and are also rodent proof.

The main problem is the amount of room they take up, 6" square and 10" long, not the easiest thing to pack and unlike a food sack, doesn't get smaller as time goes on. But, you have the same problem with a bear canister.

[GlobeTrotter]

I've also been debating this. I'm leaning towards the bear cannister if for no other reason then to have something to sit on!

The main reason I take a non-inflatable sleeping pad with me; you can lay out and sit on them anywhere with insulation and without fear of them popping!

[colorado_rob]

I have a Bearikade but I am not going to carry it on the CT this summer. I plan to bear bag using the PCT method where possible, which should be most places. I'm also putting my food inside opsaks and will sleep with my food if, and only if, I cannot securely hang food since I feel that it is better to sleep with food if the alternative is to improperly hang and provide a bear with an easy food reward. I only anticipate this situation arising on the few occasions I might camp above treeline. Based on everything I have read regarding bears being way less of a problem on the CT than in the Sierra Nevada, I can't justify lugging the two extra pounds just for when I'm above treeline...

This, exactly. A couple nights tops when trees not available. I would also probably bring OP sacks for those couple nights when I'm sleeping with my food. Silly, I know, probably more food smells on the tent and myself. Basically, I would never consider anything of any significant weight penalty for those couple nights. I've seen about a half dozen bears in CO, never above treeline though, but I'm sure they do wander around a bit up there.

One little thing: I have used a rather large cairn of rocks before to "protect" my food when camping very high. I realize this is really not any protection against bears, but if does foil those annoying Marmots (assuming you stack nice and tight), who will eat anything, including pack straps, boots and trekking pole handles! Keep your empty pack and trekking poles in your tent, by the way, when in marmot country (anything near and above treeline); they really crave any salt residue.

[K6VOI]

we are using the ZPacks Bear Bags for the CT - so nice to NOT carry bear canisters like we always have to do in the Sierras!

[Slo-go'en]

The main reason I take a non-inflatable sleeping pad with me; you can lay out and sit on them anywhere with insulation and without fear of them popping!

Yea, I'm going to ditch my neoair for this trip and use a Zrest foam pad. That way I won't pass out trying to blow up the neoair at 10,000 feet!

You guys are starting to talk me out of the bear canister. My base weight is already 17 pounds and I'd hate to make it 20 - even though I will be using an external frame pack so it's not too bad for a 30 - 35 pound load. (once I add enough water for the dry stretches)