bear hang

One of the best things about camping is eating, and you’re likely not the only one in the backcountry who appreciates fine camp cuisine. Any bear, racoon, coyote, skunk, possum, or other opportunistic scavenger close enough to pick up the scent might stop by for dinner or a late night snack. 

And these moochers aren’t picky. They’ll settle for food, trash, even toiletries like toothpaste and soap. That’s why it’s so important to take precautions to protect your foodstuff — and yourself — from bears and other wildlife that might come calling.

Are bears a major safety concern in the backcountry? Only if you encounter them, and that depends on where you’re spending your time. As explained in our previous post, “Gauging Your Safety in the Wilderness: What’s the Most Dangerous Animal?” you’re most likely to run into bears in remote forested or alpine areas. But you should always be careful whenever you’re in an area bears are known to roam.

Explore Your Food Storage Options

Your type of activity and style of travel will determine the food storage system you choose. Here are several simple food storage options to consider:

• If you’re car-camping, simply return your food and cookware to your vehicle after a meal.
• If you’re at a campsite that provides food storage boxes, you can use one of those.
• If you’re on a paddling trip without any risk of encountering a bear, simply secure your food in a cooler with a good lid.

However, if you’re hiking in the backcountry, you’ll need to take some additional precautions. That means using specific food storage methods such as bear hangs or bear cans, and being intentional about how you arrange your campsite.

Using a Bear Hang

Bear hangs dangle your food bag out of reach of animals. They’re lightweight and require minimal equipment:

• Bear bag or stuff sacks to contain your food and scented items, such as toiletries
• 100 feet of rope or parachute cord
• One or two carabiners
• A weighted object, such as a stuff bag with a rock in it (a heavy carabiner can do the trick)

You can choose from several different bear hang techniques. Here’s the basic One-Tree Method:

1. Select a tree with a sturdy branch at least 15 feet off the ground and extending at least five feet out from the trunk.
2. Tie one end of your rope to a weighted object, such as a carabiner or a stuff bag with a rock in it, and toss it over the branch.
3. Clip the carabiner onto your food bags and pull on the opposite end of the rope until the bags are at least 12 feet off the ground and five feet from the trunk of the tree.
4. Tie the end of the rope around the trunk of a nearby tree.

Safety precaution: Be sure nobody is standing in the direction the rope is being thrown or under the area the bag is hung.

This basic method works well in most areas; however, (more…)