[pct-l] 1978 bear avoidance

[Sean Nordeen]

I use to use mothballs in the sierras before bear cannisters were required.  Picked up the idea in the early 90's on a compuserve forum for backpacking.  I used the ziplock to carry them and then placed them in a mesh ditty bag attached to my food bag when I hung it.  I've never lost food to a bear, including the smarter then average Yosemite ones.  Don't know if the mothballs were the reason.  Now since cannisters are required, I haven't used that method in a decade.

-Sean Nordeen


>Message: 4
>Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 10:35:54 -0700
>From: "Ralph Alcorn" <rbalcorn at gmail.com>
>Subject: [pct-l] 1978 bear avoidance
>To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>Message-ID:
>	<aeff7eb40610171035w4e5f7d13he0d8189b3407b3c at mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>I'm enjoying reading 2500 - Mile Walk, An Oldtimer on the Pacific Crest
>Trail by Karl Ellingson, on his 1978-79 PCT thru-hike. A lot easier to get
>lost back then. Anyhow, his technique for bears was to carry a Ziploc bag of
>mothballs, and open it every night and place it at the top of his food bag.
>He did hang his food 20% of the time.
>
>-- 
>Ralph Alcorn
>http://www.backpack45.com/camino2.html
>
>
>------------------------------