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Post by tallgrass on Mar 7, 2022 13:16:18 GMT -8
Planning on leading a trip into Cloud Peak wilderness this summer. It's been almost a decade (yikes) since I've been in there. Just curious if any of our experts have better insight into black bears. Hanging bags be good enough? Are containers recommended? I don't remember being and *issue* in the past, but it's been a long time.
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Post by absarokanaut on Mar 14, 2022 9:30:00 GMT -8
This is a question that IMO neer should be asked so please take what I say productively. The counter balance method has always been THE method for hanging food and other odorous items. If by "hanging bag" you mean an ursack what they don't really publicize is that even if a bear doesn't get into your food it can eaisly crush it and mix it into a less than palatable ghoulash.
Wherever you go if you know bears are present whatever the experience of others you need to exercise BEST protocols. If you're Ok with risking your food being crushed and rendered potentially unusable go for it. Since most folks don't want that to happen or risk not finding appropriate hanging trees, boulders, etc., they should bring a canister. Of course you also need to get your sweaty hiking clothes and the clothes you cooked in [even just boiling water and mixing prepped meals], toiltetries, and ANYTHING else that produces an odor AWAY from your sleeping area as well. Knowing how to hang properly makes that a lot easier.
Travis or Rangewalker might be able to give you local intel but in all honesty you should get in the practice of doing best practice every time you're where your food and other items are at risk. If you're Ok with the risks of the ursack or other hanging bags go for it. If not get a canister and know how to hang the other stuff you should be hanging. If you can't hang you'll be taking greater chances with anything that doesn't go in the canister.
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rangewalker
Trail Wise!
Agitate, organize and educate.
Posts: 1,029 
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Post by rangewalker on Mar 25, 2022 20:16:15 GMT -8
Planning on leading a trip into Cloud Peak wilderness this summer. It's been almost a decade (yikes) since I've been in there. Just curious if any of our experts have better insight into black bears. Hanging bags be good enough? Are containers recommended? Sorry I let this pass so long. The Bighorn National Forest, home of the Cloud Peak Wilderness has quite simple food storage rules without any real penalty. There have been few black bear hiker conflicts that I know of in my three-plus decades of living and hiking in the area. My first long trip into the Cloud Peak Wilderness, then Primitive Area, I had the leather yoke of my newish Gregory nearly consumed by a marmot as I slept (Ringbone Lake) I would recommend anyone visiting the Cloud Peak Wilderness or the roadless areas of the Bighorn NF use the same backcountry food storage rules and campsite layouts with separation between shelter, cooking social areas, and food storage that the neighboring Shoshone or Bridger Teton Forest mandate. There are no designated sites and no hanging poles. The best options are canisters or Ursacks. With the Cloud Peak, it is about heading off a problem before we have hiker conflicts. Or more critters exposed to human food. And in the Bighorns, random grumpy Moose are my issue. I love the area. The interior most sections of the high Alpine are not unlike the Winds with about a third of the effort. I have had a number of Black Bear encounters and sightings but usually in Spring at lower elevations when they follow the calving elk around or digging for grubs and roots. The lodges with uncontained refuse, feral hunters, and ignorant car campers are having more conflicts in the Bighorn National Forest but so far, the primitive and Wilderness is not. And I love busting illegal bait stations. If you get deeper in your planning and want some other guides to the area, please message. Also, I like Molvar's guide better than the other Falcon Guide. Had dinner with him the last night. Grins |
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