Hanging food?

[Michelle]

We are leaving soon for our first trip on the AT (YEAH!) We will be in Maryland for four nights.

My question is: does everyone always hang their food? I am not scared of bears, I think it would be great to spot one actually, but don't want them to eat my food! Are there any in Maryland, and is it just standard practice to always hang food no matter where you are?

Thanks for helping the newbie out!

[Pencil Pusher]

There's another user here who swears by keeping his food with him on the AT. He's been on a few thru-hikes and hasn't had a problem with bears. Though this same guy will tell you he's never filtered his water either, and never gotten giardia as a result. Also, he prefers to tent away from the shelters, so maybe that's why he hasn't had problems with bears. As I understand it, bears know these shelters are good spots for pinatas and other human tricks at keeping food away from them. Hope this helps.

[littledragon]

Hi- You will really enjoy Md- I did that section in May. We did hang food, but it was more to avoid the other critters instead of bears. I am told that there are black bears in Md, but we saw no trace of them. Hope you have a great hike!

[poison_ivy]

I usually hang my food on the little "mouse-guard" hangers in the shelters but bearbag when I'm tenting. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, just look for the tuna cans on a string. ) Don't ask me why the discrepancy... I can't explain it. It's worked for me so far though.

- Ivy

[Grampie]

Most hikers will hang their food in the shelter or just string it up in a suitable tree. It's better to be safe than sorry.

[Tin Man]

I agree with the others and always hang my food and other eatables such as toothpaste. Once you have done it, you realize how easy it is - much easier than packing up in the morning!

This would be a good poll subject...or was that done already?

[Mr. Clean]

I always hang my food, even if it's only to prevent bad learned behavior from bears, mice, raccoons, etc. Doesn't take long and takes away any worrys during the night.

[augie]

I would hang it. It's not that hard and some of the shelters in Md. have bearpoles just for that purpose. After seeing bears on the trail I can say that it can be an exciting experience, however after the bear is gone is when my anxiety set in. It's amazing how much noise a charging chipmunk can cause.

[Lone Wolf]

I never hang it. Always keep my chow in my tent.

[Doctari]

When ever I'm a fixin to hang food, I like to give it a fair trial, usually takse me & the boys 15 to 20 minut ta find the varment guilty, then we puts the rope around it's neck & let er swing.

OK, don't know where that came from

I actually usually hang my food away from the mice, coons & similar critters, if it gets the food out of reach of bears all the better.

Doctari.

[springerfever]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...ght/index.html

Check out above site for the PCT method. MUCH improved over other
techniques.

[pvtmorriscsa]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...ght/index.html

Check out above site for the PCT method. MUCH improved over other
techniques.

Someone was doing some thinking on that one. What a damn good idea.

[Pencil Pusher]

I was a bit slow conceptualizing this so tried it out. That is pretty slick!

[Frosty]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...ght/index.html

Check out above site for the PCT method. MUCH improved over other
techniques.

Am I missing something? Do you have to pay $25 to read articles?

[steve hiker]

Am I missing something? Do you have to pay $25 to read articles?

I just read it, no access barriers. And I'm not a subscriber to that site. Here's the link again:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...63.188.241.120

Interesting. The only vulverability I can see is that a bear may pull on the rope that's left hanging until the rope or the tree limb breaks. But -- are bears able to grasp a thin rope that well?

It'd still be an improvement over the traditional method, since the bear couldn't simply bite through the taut line attached to the tree to drop the food. Here's the method, cut-and-pasted from the page (sans photos):

This three-panel image set (using different colored cords for clarity only) shows the process of hanging a food bag using the PCT Method: (LEFT) The rope is thrown over a tree limb at least 15 feet high (with the aid of the rock sack, which in this panel, is tied to the bottom of the black cord). The food sack drawstring is then clipped into the carabiner, and the food raised by pulling on the rock sack end of the cord until the carabiner reaches the top of the limb. (CENTER) The hiker reaches as high up the rock sack end of the rope and ties a two-loop clove hitch (see Steps 1-3) and inserts a pencil-sized twig into the loops, then tightens the knot. (RIGHT) The rock sack end of the rope (now containing a twig tied in as high up as possible) is then slackened, allowing the twig to come to rest against the carabiner, stopping the sack high enough above the ground for a good bear hang (at least 10 feet). To retrieve your food, simply pull the rock sack end of the cord and reverse the process.