Solus wrote on Oct 4^th, 2014 at 3:53am:


Thanks Solus. Looks like great stuff. I'll check it out.

I aree ST- I haul with much thicker cord.

Solus wrote on Oct 4^th, 2014 at 3:53am:


One thing to rememeber with that cord, is that if your going to use it for a haul rope ( I changed over from heavier but weaker line), is that you either need to wear a pair of leather gloves or use a stick to wrap cord around and pull it with.

I took 3 pieces of 1/2 pvc pipe about a foot long and drilled a hole thru and ran cord and tied off.
I use the pvc pipe to wrap my 3 cord around and to pull it as tight as possible when rigging lines.
You get that thin cord under load and barehanded or wrapped around your hand for leverage and you'll find out real fast that it's not only super strong/ non stretching but will chew your bareskin up like braided fish line.

It is. I was much more afraid of the cow with calf. She gave me a look I'll never forget. It's just that it played out over three hours and few would believe even the smallest parts of it. I had that bear almost climbing a tree at one point.

So now I'm thinking….

When the bear took my gas bottle, I was yelling and running at him hoping to prevent him taking anything. (same with the paddle)  He took it instead of my juice bottle or tripod, ran to the edge of camp where there was sparse bushes or a little tree and turned so I could see him bite down on it. Pfffst. Arrrgh. Then he ran off for not much longer than usual.

If I ever took pepper spray, I might leave it sitting by the fireplace. Nothing has ever messed with my toothpaste and that's always been available.

Friend of mine use to leave his unwashed cocoa cup on the ground at night. We all thought the two little mouse turds that were in it in the first morning would stop that behavior but nooooo. Eh, at least we'd always know how much it rained.

Nanda- The cord came with my Cooke Custom Sewing tarp. But Dan sells it on his web site. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Tends to tangle easy until you get it dirty.

db wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2014 at 6:55am:


DB,

Great story. Glad you are 'here' to relate it! Hope to never have those experiences but good to know what to do with persistent bears. I carry the bear spray that REI sells...probably more as a psychological comfort than effective...but that's another thread entirely to start for this upcoming winter. FWIW, I like the pulley system that you and others have described for the sheer engineering aspects of it....and the fact that it makes the hauling an enjoyable experience. I have no problem with others though who prefer to keep their kit closer to them and not go through the same process and hassle. To each his or her own

Solus wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2014 at 3:18pm:


Solus,

I like the 'economy' of your system! What is the 400lb test line that ST and you use? Most importantly: where can you get it?

Nanda

The last bear we saw in Quetico was the resident beach bear on Beaverhouse in 1993.  She got my peanut butter but that was it - broad daylight so the food pack was on the ground and she moseyed in while we were packing like; "Hey guys, don't mind me".  Honestly, with the blue barrel and a locked lid we haven't hung a food pack in years.

I just use a single pulley (a petzl climbing pulley) attached to the no stretch 400lb test line that ST mentioned. I run a thicker cord through the pulley and to the pack. I only trip solo or occasionally with one companion so there isn't that much weight to haul up; no need to sort the tangle of multiple pulleys and lines. I keep the food in a sealine PVC dry bag. Simple and easy.

knafelc wrote on Oct 2^nd, 2014 at 11:08pm:


I talked to a yogi one night just to let him know I was there. I came back to camp because I saw a bear heading straight for it when returning from an evening paddle. The pack was hung and the lights came out and after a few adult beverages were consumed. I soon forgot all about him but I did keep the fire going until the lights subsided. Ain't no way I'd have hidden that night. Not a chance. Not sure what I'd have done if I couldn't easily hang.

Another time I chased a bear out of camp at least three times before I started to pack up and leave. He'd be in camp every time I'd return from the canoe so I'd chase him out again. One time he ran directly under my food pack, only to stop at my tackle box. He ran off with my bear (spare) paddle once Which was funny in more ways than one. On another effort, he got a big surprise when he bit into my gas bottle.

I paddled to the nearest land to try and plug the holes in the bottle and have breakfast. The darn thing swam to where I was so I grabbed a few rocks to throw at him as I began paddling to another site far far away. I expect he was following the moose and calf he argued with earlier but I had had enough.

Ideally, I'll hang as close to the fireplace as possible. If hiding means hiking 50 yards into the woods at night, I'd never hide. That would make the decision to have one more rum and cocoa a PITA.

Seeing a bear on a trip wasn't unusual for me in the 90's. Last one I saw was in 2003 and my last trip was the first in a while I remember seeing what I assume to be bear scat. It was reasonably fresh and full of maggots.

If you wanted to hide something from a good nose near the ground, where might you hide it? Hey wait a minute … does that mean I hide in plain sight?

I do it because it's more convenient than hiding and I like a good night's sleep. It's only the last night sometimes that I don't hang. The hiding spot is within hearing distance of the tent. I can't believe anyone actually hides as Cliff once recommended. That's too much work and frankly, I could easily put an eye out, break a leg or have a heart attack walking in the woods at night with a pack on my back.