[pct-l] Hanging Food vs. Tent

[Jeffrey Olson]

My memory is there are only six or eight spots to camp on that trail, 
and I'm sure that during hiking season they're used every night.  Those 
little guys have been trained to find food - probably over multiple 
generations...

Jeff, soon to be of Arcata, CA!!!

On 5/10/2014 3:48 PM, Michael Irving wrote:
> I know...this has been discussed before, but now I'm speaking from
> experience.  In the past, I've always hung my food.  I wasn't so worried
> about bears as I was about little varmints.  I hiked 8 miles past Tunnel
> Falls and Twister Falls on the Eagle Creek trail in the Gorge in Oregon
> last night (PCT alternate to Cascade Locks).  It was raining most of the
> time so when I was getting ready for bed and it was dark I decided to try
> this in-the-tent-food-thing.  My food was in manufacturer sealed wrappers
> (except the coconut) and in a gallon Ziploc bag that was sealed.  I woke up
> this morning to a quarter-sized hole chewed through the corner of my tent.
>   The varmint chewed through the gallon ziploc and through the wrapper of my
> Snickers and Pop Tart and ate the equivalent of a small-human-bite out of
> each of them.  It also chewed through another pint-sized Ziploc inside the
> sealed gallon one and ate some dried coconut.
>
> Needless to say this was all going on about a foot from my head.  I can't
> believe I didn't wake up as I'm a very light sleeper when I camp.  I did
> have earplugs in and Eagle Creek was roaring about 40' from my tent...but
> still!
>
> Anyway, this obviously has me re-thinking my strategy.  My perception from
> this list and PCT blogs is that most hikers don't hang their food.  Was I
> just unlucky?  Is my perception wrong?
>
> Thanks...I'm heading to the PCT in a week to do a 135-mile section...can't
> wait!
>
> -GoalTech
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