[pct-l] Sleeping with food - different perspectives

[Jeffrey Olson]

I would NOT sleep with my food. Even with an OP sack, this can be 
personally dangerous. I would not recommend this in any case. With 
"jaded" bears, even hanging can be unwise. My thoughts only . .
______________________________________

I think many persons start a thru- or section-hike for the first time 
with this perspective.  And I'm sure some actually carry it through.

My experience of meeting lots and lots of hikers during my section hikes 
is that almost everyone sleeps with their food.  Most heated water and 
ate when they got to camp.

To be sure the sections where a cannister is required is different.

I found rodents to be more of a problem than bears.  As said many times 
here, the majority of the PCT passes through country where bears are 
hunted, making the ones that aren't killed very shy of humans.  You are 
lucky to see a bear.  In the seven weeks of my last section hike I saw 
eight bears in Washington and Oregon. Some were at a distance.  The 
couple that actually experienced me lit out with great speed.

Jeffrey Olson
Rapid City, SD