To keep those pesky bruins at bay, hang your food pack high and dry. When Smokey comes around, convince him he needs to swagger to the next campsite where those kooks just put their food pack under the canoes.
The Problem
The biggest problem with hanging a pack is that it's so darn heavy and needs two guys to hoist it into the air. The traditional food pack hanging guidelines supported by the Forestry Services has two short comings.
- The pack is usually pretty heavy to muscle in the air
- By pulling down on the horizontal line you reduce the height of the food pack
The Solution
The following instructions solves the two biggest short comings of the traditional bear hanging method. It reduces the force needed to lift the pack and doesn't pull down on your horizontal line.
The Gear Required
- 3 Carabiners
- 30' of rope
- 100' of rope
You can use two pulleys and one carabiner and the friction will be reduced, but carabiners are useful for other things so we'll put up with the friction.
Step One - Find Some Trees
Select two trees that stand 15' - 20' apart with branches that are about 12' - 15' high. The trees should be solid. When you raise the pack in the air, the force will be horizontal, pulling the trees toward each other. Can you reach all the way around the trees with your arms? You may need to find thicker trees.
Step Two - Start Pitching
Tie a carabiner to one end of the 100' rope and toss it over a branch. Sometimes this is the most time consuming part of hanging a bear bag, but with practice you'll improve your pitching skills.
Step Three - Keep On Truckin'
Now tie a version of the Trucker's Hitch in the same rope and slip on the second carabiner (B). Notice that we have not secured the end of the rope to the tree yet (A).
Step Four - Up And Over
Now take the 30' rope, tie a carabiner to it and pitch it over the second tree (C). Getting better at pitching yet? Notice also that we are not securing the outside ends of the ropes to the trees just yet.
Step Five - The Rabbit Goes Through The Hole
Pay attention! This is most confusing part. Take the slack end of the 100' rope and clip it onto the carabiner on the left. Now bring it back to the right and clip it in the middle carabiner.
Step Six - Tie The Knot
First, remove carabiner (A) from the 100' rope and use it to secure your food pack to both ropes. Center the food pack between the two trees. Now pull the ends of the two sides down, tie both outside ends to their trees. Use a form of the Timber Hitch to wrap it around the tree, it will hold by constricting friction.
You'll want the carabiners as close as possible to the trees (see illustration).
Step Seven - Pulley Time
Hoist your pack into the air. It's lighter but you will feel the friction from the two carabiners. The pack will want to move towards one side, tie a rope to the pack to move it back to the middle OR hook it with a paddle and pull it towards the middle.
I don't think the average bear knows how to hook the food pack and pull it towards him, but then again the average bear can some times outsmart the average human.
You're Done!
Advantages
- Cuts the weight of the pack in half thanks to the law of movable pulleys.
- Lifts the pack higher in the air because the the pulling force is horizontal, not vertical. You're pulling across instead of down.
- Makes you look like an experienced camper (even if it's your first time out)
The Better Bear Bag in Action
Comments
Petzl Pulley for your carabiner.
Wednesday May 30th 2007Petzl - Ultralegere Pulley Wheel
The Petzl ULTRALEGERE Pulley works great and is inexpensive.
decent idea
Sunday April 6th 2008you're idea isn't bad, but i have found that you are very lucky to find a place with two accomadating trees that are 20 ft apart. You are better off to suggest to people to take more rope than they think they will use(I suggest 2-80 foot lengthes)I also believe that to take full advantage of mechanical advantage, you need to incorporate bushings or bearings of some kind, this will make raising and lowering your bear pack not only easier for a single "early riser" but ultimately more gentle on your rope.
easier yet, buy a "bear
Saturday August 23rd 2008easier yet, buy a "bear proof" food container and leave it on the ground. These things aren't actually bear proof. The containers are sealed so no smell eminates from them. No smell to entice the bear(s) no bears in campsite. Thus, "bear proof". But then that kinda takes away from the time consuming action of getting your pack off the ground every time you feel the need. =)
easiest ever
Friday December 26th 2008that's a neat way, but i bought something that hangs them for me instantly. i froze my fingers off on the PCT and spent like 10 mins each night tying a bag. i won't ever have to do that again. this thing is sweet and works real well, you should check it out.
http://quickrope.com/viewer.html
quickrope might be ok for a
Friday April 10th 2009quickrope might be ok for a granola bar in a bag, dude food packs weigh around 30-40 pounds sometimes.
Quick Rope No Good
Saturday August 15th 2009I agree with the above post. When is the last time you tried to lift a 40 - 50 lb bag up with your pole vertically in the air? The pole would almost certainly snap/bend/break. The 'ideal' branch (thick enough to support the weight, long enough to get it high enough, and thin enough at the tip to take the grommet) is not going to be easy to find. Not to mention the thing only supports 34 lbs total.
Odd that the poster two previous said they were on the PCT. I suggest you check out what's called the "PCT method" for bag hanging. It's much faster, lighter, and doesn't require the magical and often non-existent perfect two trees with appropriate branches at the same(ish) height, spread 20 ft apart, that most hanging methods require (including the one suggested here). Never mind tying the bag, I used to spend 20 minutes just trying to find the right two trees.
I'd highly recommend the PCT method, or the counter-balance method. Both are easier, faster, and done on only one tree. They also do not leave the bear with any "slash and drop" options (except from above, of course, but that can't be avoided).
Of course we would all like to avoid spending 20+ minutes hanging our bags. However, if you can't tie a couple of good knots and hang a bag in about 5 minutes, I can't help but thinking you should brush up on some knot and rope skills before your next trip. Basic stuff, like knots, orienteering, fire lighting, stove operation, first aid, etc., should all be familiar ground before you decide to get yourself completely isolated in the wilderness. That way you can have fun with less hard work, and no stress, no matter what situation you find yourself in. All the best,
Phaedrus
food pack
Wednesday June 23rd 2010Why all the whining. We go every year. Our food pack is uaually more than 50 pounds. You DONT need 2 perfect trees 20 ft apart. Just find 1 tree with a soid branch coming off of it. THrow your rope around AND FOR PETES SAKE MAN UP AND LIFT THE THING UP THERE. You got at least 2 people.
question?
Monday December 20th 2010But how you get pack DOWN?
thank you,
Mr B. Ayre
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