LNT - How to Hang a Bear Bag - Our Response

 It is important to keep items out of reach of bears in the backcountry for a few reasons:

1. To keep wildlife protected

2. To have your food and smellables available to you when you need them

3. Peace of mind that your items are stowed away while you sleep

Bears are quite common in the backcountry - hence the name bear bag ...but in my personal experience -> mice are the truer evil of a left-out nom nom bag.

Each bear bag should be 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from both base and branch, a brightly colored rope should be used. Some tips not mentioned in the LNT video are:

1. Be sure not to use a rope that is: too thick as it could get caught easier or too thin (rope burn hurts like the dickens when your bear bag is too heavy to haul up with rope thinner than single-ply dignity)

2. That you practice before going out in the backcountry - especially if you will be on your own / wont have help (lest you be a pathfinder in peril)

3. That you consider a waterproof bag. Not all food bags are waterproof. Some people do not want the added weight - but after one heavy rain and your left over poptart shmooshed to bits (hey...still edible) AND a sog-fest, you might reconsider *wipes wet poptart off a popped ramen bag*

4. Want to avoid bear bagging all together? Use a bear canister instead and have comfy seat when needed. 

   Overall a great video from Leave No Trace. Simple and to the point for East Coast bear bag hangers.. Only thought is that the 2nd hang shown could have been a little more descriptive on how to throw your rope. Looking to hike out west? Check out the PCT Hang

Visit How to Hang a Bear Bag by LNT HERE