[pct-l] Hurricane Helen's Platypus nibbled (Digest #806)

["Struz, Lesya" <lstruz@aer.com>]

Did the Platypus have a salty or flavored liquid in it?  I had a
Sorbothane heel insert chewed in Southern Oregon and my husband's pack
straps almost chewed through in Montana.  Both incidents are probably
attributable to the concentrated salt left from sweat.  We made a paste
of quinine powder and water and spread it on and around the straps
throughout the trip.  The super bitter taste of the quinine seems to
have deterred critters from chewing on the straps.  We were also a lot
more careful with where we placed the packs overnight--the tent became
very crowded.

Lesya
PCT '91

> Hurricane Helen had another new experience a few days ago on the PCT =
> near Carson Pass.  Some ants ate (literally) pieces from the mouthpiece =
> of her Platypus, making it unusable.  Alpine County has many critters to =
> watch out for, but this was quite unexpected. =20
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