This photo from Stephanie Hunt is illustrative of what happens when food is not hung properly. This was not her unfortunate mistake but some other hikers she encountered on the PCT.
I tend to agree with Andrew Skurka who suggests that bear bags are a stubborn fixture of the backpacking world. Hanging is recommended, taught, and practiced by influential organizations and individuals even though it is less effective, less foolproof, less reliable, less efficient, and less safe than other food protection techniques, notably hard-sided canisters and (to a lesser degree) soft-sided bear-resistant food sacks. Skurka continues, “It’s an outdated and ineffective method of food storage, and backpackers (and bears) would benefit from a reprogramming on this topic. There are a few popular hang configurations, such as the simple tie-off, PCT method, and counter-balance.” In a perfect world, the end result is this:
In the real world, this is surprisingly difficult to achieve (read and enjoy Kim Todd’s story ‘Bear Bagging’ in The Pacific Crest Trailside Reader: Oregon and Washington).
Skurka’s Recommended alternatives:
If permanent infrastructure is available (e.g. lockers, cable systems), use it.
If hard-sided canisters like the Bearvault BV450 are required, carry one.
If bears regularly (or even occasionally) obtain human food where you are camping, carry a hard-sided canister even if it’s not required.
If you are camping in bear habitat but there are no reports of bears stealing food and no hard-sided canister requirement, use an Ursack Major or Ursack AllMitey (which is also rodent-resistant).
And, when using high-use campsites in bear-free habitats, rodent hang your food.
I don’t own an Ursack but make good use of my Bearvault and rest easy at night . . . unlike those nights when my bear hang was a bit marginal.
