Hey guys,
I just wanted to throw out a quick link to Outside’s story on how to protect your food from bears. It’s written by Andrew Skurka, a longtime thru-hiker and a guy who has forgotten more about hiking in the backcountry than I’ll likely ever know. He’s a great resource, and this is interesting because he no longer recommends hanging your food. That should come as a relief to a lot of people because let’s be honest, hanging a bear bag is a giant pain in the butt, especially after a long day of hiking. The hassle of finding the perfect tree and the f-bombs that accompany trying to toss a rock and string over a tree branch in the dark is something I can do without.
Instead, he offers some other ideas that are safe and effective.
While one of the thoughts is a bear canister, there are other options out there that are just as good, lighter and way easier. Worth a read.
Remember to always check if there are restrictions in areas where you hike to see what they require for food storage. For east coasters, there are parts of the Adirondaks that require a canister.
Here’s the link.
Chad Sebring is the news editor at The Times-Tribune. He has been a journalist for roughly 20 years, having joined The Scranton Times in 1999. He has won several state and national awards for headline writing, design and photography. Chad lives in Clarks Summit with his beautiful daughter, Sophie. Contact: csebring@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x3486; @chadsebring
