To be bear-proof, food must be suspended at least 10 feet off the ground and 8 feet from the trunk. To accomplish this: Carry 50-100 feet of thin cord.
- Look for a load-bearing branch 20-25 feet overhead that extends far enough from the trunk.
- Tie a rock or other heavy object to one end of the cord and toss it over the branch. Before doing so, make sure the cord is fully uncoiled and not a snarled mass. Step on the opposite end of the line so it doesn’t get pulled out of reach in the tossing process.
- Divide your food into two stuff sacks.
- Attach one to the cord and pull it up to the branch.
- Attach the other sack to the cord as high up as you can reach. A small carabiner makes this easier; tie a figure-eight on a bight overhead and then clip the sack to it.
- Place the remaining cord inside the sack so it doesn’t dangle.
- Push up the second stuff sack using a trekking pole or long stick until it is at the same level as the first.
- Sleep well!
This column originally appeared in the print edition of AMC Outdoors along with the column “Gnawing Concerns: Critter-proof your food.” Photograph by iStock.