Hanging A Bear Bag - 2CR Method
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- • Hanging A Bear Bag - 2...
This video is a description of hanging a bear bag using two cords and a ring (2CR method).
The line used to throw over the limb (“Throw Line”) is about 50 feet of 1.75 MM Zing It cord which can be found at this link:
www.samsonrope....
The line that goes through the ring and used pull up the food bag (“Pull Line”) is about 30 feet of 2.3 MM Z-Line Reflective Cord from Zpacks, although any 2 MM utility cord will work. I prefer at least a 2 MM utility cord as a Pull Line since it’s easier on the hands than the Zing It cord.
On one end of the Throw Line is attached a small stainless steel ring (a carabiner or pulley can be used instead of a stainless ring) using a figure 8 loop and then the loop is girth hitched to the steel ring. On the other end of the Throw Line is attached a stainless steel #0 Nite Ize S-Biner using a slip knot loop and then the loop is girth hitched to #0 S-Biner.
On one end of the Pull Line is attached a stainless steel #1 Nite Ize S-Biner using a figure 8 loop and then the loop is girth hitched to the #1 S-Biner. On the other end of the Pull Line is tied a figure 8 loop.
Below is a step by step instruction for the 2CR bear bag system:
1. Unwind both cords and lay untangled on the ground.
2. Run the Pull Line through the ring, which is attached to one end of the Throw Line.
3. Temporarily wrap both ends of the Pull Line around a tree, log or something heavy, and then clip the figure 8 loop to the #1 S-Biner.
4. Put a baseball sized rock or several small rocks into the rock bag. Attach the rock bag to the #0 S-Biner attached to one end of the Throw Line and throw the rock bag over a limb or fork of a tree.
5. Remove the rock bag from the Throw Line and pull the Throw Line to adjust the height of the ring as necessary and then tie off the end of the Throw Line to a tree by wrapping the Throw Line around the tree and clipping the #0 S-Biner to the Throw line rather than using a knot.
6. Unclip the Pull Line from the tree by un-attaching the figure eight loop from the #1 S-Biner. Now attach the food bag to the #1 S-Biner, pull up the food bag to the ring and tie off the other end of the Pull Line to a tree. Make sure the food bag is at least 10 feet high, I prefer 12 feet, and make sure there are no limbs or trees within 6 feet of the food bag, a 10 foot clear area is even better.
7. Whenever you lower and remove the food bag always attach the #1 S-Biner on the Pull Line to the figure 8 loop on the other end on Pull Line, again creating a large loop out of the Pull Line, so that the Pull Line cannot be pulled through the ring accidently.
8. Before removing the Throw Line from the limb detach the #0 S-Biner from the end of the Throw Line and untie the slip knot.
Sometimes adjusting the height of the ring is a trial and error process, so you may have to untie the Throw Line and adjust the height of the ring and re-tie off the end of the Throw Line. Also I prefer to use a #1 S-Biner on the Pull Line to save weight. If the food bag or food bags cannot be clipped directly to the #1 S-Biner, run the Pull Line through the loop or cord on the food bag(s) and then clip the #1 S-Biner to the Pull Line above the food bag(s).
The video about hanging a bear bag using the PCT method can be seen here:
• Video
April 2017 Update: I've replaced the steel ring with a link from a small chain and now have the system down to 2.5 ounces. My video showing this small chain link can be seen at 2:14 in this video: • Bob Bald Loop - Cherok... .
In some designated wilderness areas, national parks and state parks bear canisters are required. Therefore hanging your food bag from tree or limb would not comply with the regulations in such areas.
Backpacking With Bryan DeLay webpage: bryandelay.com/
• Hanging A Bear Bag - 2...
Hi Bryan. Just returned from a Colorado trail thru hike. I used your 2 cord technique with great success. Branches often left a single line hanging too close to the trunk I used the system for the ease of pulling up heavy food bags as well as pulling the bag away from potential reach. I did have bears in camp that took out the food bags of other hikers but not mine. Thanks for the excellent instructional video.
That's great news John! Glad the 2CR method worked for you.
This method works very well especially in the high country where there is smaller trees lacking large limbs. Thanks for sharing this.
Your welcome KSC1983! You are absolutely correct.
I love the slip knot girth hitch combo. Can't believe how well it works. Thanks!
Thanks for watching the video Wayne. Yes the slip knot - girth hitch combo works great. It's extremely difficult to untie a knot in a cord that small.
Just to let you know, Bryan, I really like this method. I adopted it based on this video about 5 or 6 years ago. I needed to review it since I'm getting ready for hiking in the Big Horns and the Winds this summer. Best to you. Barry
Glad it's working for you Barry. I've used it many times in the Big Horns and the Winds. Have fun this summer.
Thank you for the video. I'd never attempted a bear bag hang before, so I researched a few different techniques before heading out. I went with this one, and...Success! There wasn't a "perfect limb" in sight for a PCT method.
Your welcome dedlebug. Glad this bear bag technique worked for you.
Very helpful. Looking forward to trying this out.
Thanks! Wishing you success.
Thanks Bryan. I'll practice your method and use it on the PCT. I like using the ring as a pully. Enjoyed your light weight gear presentation and am still tweaking my gear for the PCT. Blue Jay
+Joan Tomlinson Hello Joan, it was nice meeting you and I'm glad you enjoyed the presentation. Let me know if you have any questions about this bear bagging technique. Wishing you much success on your PCT thru hike!
The whole point of the PCT method is that you DON'T tie off the pull line to a tree. Bears are used to seeing this and the scratch the pull line until it breaks. With the PCT method...the pull line is hanging in thin air and even if they whack it repeatedly, they can't make the food bag come down or break the line.
As mentioned in the video I used the PCT method for at least 10 years and it is often difficult to find a limb long enough and strong enough to get the bear bag more than four feet away from the tree. Also some areas along the AT bears have learned climb out the limb and cut the cord, dropping the food to the ground. With the 2CR method you don't need a very long or strong limb since the throw cord can use the strength of the tree to anchor. With both cords totalling 80 feet the bear bag maybe 20 or 30 feet away from the two trees and 15 or 20 feet above the ground. So far I've never had a problem with about 700 pr 800 nights of use.
Thank you for taking the time to share this. Looks like a great way to hang a heavy food bag.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Love your simple yet effective additions to a hanging system. I’ve simply never been camping alone. At minimum, one family, but often two families of food that weight a ton. My adaptation , is to replace the ring with 2(two) smallest pulleys available. I have a third pulley but it’s attached to the food bag(s). Then I simply use the mechanical advantage of “a block and tackle”. Of special note, the “b&t” rope has to be longer.
Thanks John! Glad the system works for you. I've used one pulley a few times but never had to use three.
I just came across this video. Great explanation of how you do it. Going to give it a try. Thanks!
Thanks Chris! I'd suggest practicing before going backpacking.
@@BryanDeLay oh I will. I have a couple of big Maples in my backyard I can practice on.
this method is great and I'm going to use it. It's a funny thing, you're backpacking in a FORREST, and yet I can never seem to find (or at least without spending a lot of time looking for) a suitable tree to hang your food bag using the one tree or PCT method. I'd rather not have to look, do it YOUR way here, and spend the time saved cooking or setting up my shelter.
Thanks Steve, hope you like the technique. It may take a couple of times to get the hang of it.
"To get the HANG of it...." Was that pun intentional?
If you want it to be, LOL!
Tried it out today getting ready for an upcoming trip and it worked like a charm. BTW, I'd suggest practicing this technique at home before heading out on the trail.
Hope this technique works for you in the field. Yes it's probably a good idea to practice a home first.
Dixie backpacking channel shows this style of bear hang if you need more clarification. You'll need longer line to do this style.
Thanks totorben, but I believe you've mistaken my 2CR method of bear bagging for another method Dixie uses. I've watched her bear bagging techniques and she does not use this method. In fact I scanned through the comments of her bagging bagging videos several years ago and someone actually suggested that she check out my technique. I've been using this method since 2011, and have over a 1,000 nights of using my 2CR method and the cord length works great.
@@BryanDeLay she does one hanging between two trees, but I'll rewatch both of your videos to compare.
This looks like a great method I will try this weekend. Something you don't mention is that if you pull the bag around the back side of the tree instead of the front all the weight would be on the tree and not the branch allowing a very heavy load. As a scout leader, sometimes our bear bags can weigh as much as 20 lbs. and in the south most of our trees are pine and its hard to find that perfect branch. Thanks for taking the time to make this great video. Will report back once I try this out.
Thanks Curt for watching my video and for the comment. Your comment is correct and I should have mentioned that. If you are pulling up 20 lbs. you may want to use a small pulley instead of a ring. Looking forward to your report on using this system.
Reporting back: This method worked the best out of several methods we have previously tried. We had two bear bags with a weekends food for 13 people (4 leaders, 9 scouts). We used one main rope and 2 carabiners(in lieu of rings), 1 for each bag. We raised the 1st bag and tied it to a tree, but it was so heavy we couldn't get it very far from the tree (less than 6 feet). We then raised the 2nd bag and pulled the rope at a different angle than the first. Since both bags where raised to a single point but had 2 different ropes, it allowed us to get the bags more than 6 feet from the tree. If I had to guess, we were probably raising between 40 and 50lbs total. Scouts can be very inefficient on their food packing! Without this method, I think we probably would have sawed right through any branch we tried to use with this much weight. This has proved to be my method of choice. Thanks again for the posting. Yes, a pulley would make a nice addition :)
Curt, I'm glad the system worked for you. Forty to fifty pounds is a lot of food to be bear bagging. If the carabiners you are using are made out of aluminum check them frequently. The reason I started using a steel ring is because the cord was wearing a groove in the aluminum carabiner.
Bryan, Thanks for this excellent video explanation. I may adapt this method myself.
Davy
Thank you Davy. Glad you enjoyed the video and hopefully this method works for you.
Thanks
Welcome
Hey bro good method I’ll have to try that when I backpack here in the big south fork since they don’t have any established bear hangs
Hope this method works for you.
Yeah man hey would love to hike with you pick your brain with all the trail knowledge you have here in our great state give me a holler when you want some company happy trails until then
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
You're welcome! Hopefully it's helpful to you.
wow awesome this was cool very easy, thank you.
Thanks Mike! It really is easy once you try it a few times.
Use the PCT method...need a line a rock a bag and a stick.
As mentioned in the video, I actually used the PCT method prior to creating the 2CR method. Although not mentioned, I used the PCT method for about 10 years and it works great if you can find the perfect limb that allows you to get the food bag 4 or more feet away from the tree trunk. However, based on my experience, which is about 13,000 miles of backpacking in 25 states in the last 30 years, finding a perfect limb can be difficult. With the PCT method you can place the stick above the carabiner, rather than below the carabiner, and tie off the bear bag between two trees, but if you carrying 7 to 10 days of food and the food bag weighs 15+ pounds it can be hard to pull the food bag up, especially if using a thin 2mm cord, which can cut a groove in the limb. Since 2011 I've used the 2CR method over 1,000 nights and have found it much easier to get a good bear bag hang than the PCT method. I even been able to use it in sub-alpine areas where the soft wood and flexible limbs of pine trees would make it impossible to use the PCT method.
Just put this kit together based on your method. Really like the zing-it cord. Used spectra cord for the pull line. Found both at Amazon. Used a small chain link in place of a ring as you recommended in the other video. Complete kit less the bag came in around 3 ounces, with both cords at 50’. Looking forward to trying it! Thanks for coming up with this method. Do you normally hang food even where there aren’t bears, but other critters and animals are around?
Carl, hope this method works for you. You may want to practice at home before using it on a backpacking trip. Yes I use it even if there isn't a problem with bears to keep out raccoons, squirrels, etc. and especially mice. One time I was camping at a heavily used site and while eating dinner had to hang my food bag to keep an aggressive mouse from getting in my food bag.
Sounds easy. Will try it out. Wish you included a diagram.
I'd suggest trying it home before going backpacking. Maybe I should have included a diagram, but it's really simple. Also in the description I've included written instructions.
Hi Brian, I really enjoyed this video and am planning on putting together the system this weekend. One question though...Is there any particular reason why you are using two different types of line? I have 75ft of Kelty Triptease and am planning on splitting this in two to create the system. Do you see any issue with using this line instead of zing it? Once again thanks for the great video.
Thanks Benji! I used the Zing It because it is lightweight, but it's so thin it would be difficult to pull and then tie/untie to a tree. Your triptease will work for both cords, it'll just weigh a little more. I'd suggest that you practice at home if possible before trying it on a trip.
I guess I'm missing something. Is the pull line going over another line?
The pull line is going through the ring on the throw line. The ring acts like a pulley.
I've read today about some kind of wire installed between two trees to do the PCT hangs that gets by the bears breaking tree limbs. Are there any new lines that get around the bears chewing through to get the bag down with this method? I put together a heavier car camping version of this system and used it on a trip to hang my trash up. I wasn't up against bears, just squirrels and the like but I'm thinking ahead to places like Foothills Trails areas.
I'm not sure what you're talking about. I've seen cables installed between two trees at some campsites to throw a bear bag line over, but a wire would have to be lighter weight to backpack in. Also I'm not sure how is the wire attached high enough to the two trees to be effective.
Never seen bears who wouldn't go for lines within reach. Any line tied to the trunk of a tree is easy-pickings? PCT branch method isn't much better as bears gladly climb tree-trunks and shake PCT-limbs, but at least they make noise? Many use cubs to take-down PCT-limb-hung food silently. This method appears to have two lines tied to two tree-trunks? (an introduction diagram might've been nice?) One trunk might be acceptable, especially because a single trunk-line could be near one's tent, while the food itself is away from the tent? But two trunks is inviting loss of food? Key is to hear the bear, without incentivizing proximity?
Agree, a better method is required. Not sure we're there yet, though?
While understanding your concern, after using this method over 700 nights since 2011, I've never had a problem with bears getting my food bag and most of those nights are in the southern Appalachians including the GSMNP, which has the most dense black bear population in the world. Yes I'm using two tree trunks which are normally 30 to 50 feet apart with the food bag between the two trees and generally 12 to maybe even 20 feet off the ground.
@@BryanDeLay The PCT method was created, in part, to address the problem with hangs like this wear you are depending upon the security of an easily accessed line tied off to a tree. The question here really then is how many times has you method actually been tested by bears? Any method can stand up for 700 nights without a bear problem if the bears haven't been enticed to try. There are plenty of folks that hike the entire AT keeping their food bags in their tents.
Here is a method that describes inserting a pulley into a PCT hang:
photos.bwca.com/s/SCOUT64-160811-160430.JPG
Seems this would address the difficulty in hoisting your bag while also no depending upon a tie off. But, it's still PCT which does require a pretty perfect tree to do well.
All of the hang methods have shortcomings. There's a reason that national parks with lots of actual bear activity only allow bear canisters. :-)
Thanks for this information Brian. It seems that this system would solve the problem of pulling a heavy food bag over a limb, but as you mentioned finding a good limb for the PCT method to work can be really challenging. Personally I don't like to carry a 2 pound bear canister and only use one when I have to.
@@BryanDeLay - Really like the pulley method, especially using plastic pulleys, which weigh only a few grams. However, there's one drawback; if the bag-end ever slips out of one's hand, the pulley rapidly moves to the limb with no convenient method to recover. Gravity is not sufficient to return an ultralight pulley to earth.
@@BryanDeLay Agreed. I have one and will use it when I go into Olympic National Park as it is required, but I sure don't like carrying it!
Bryan, do you always hang your food bag that close to your sleeping area? If not, how far away do you typically hang the bag?
This hang was just for demonstration purposes. If I'm in the southern Appalachians where bears are hunted, normally about 100 feet, but that is not always possible. If I'm out west in grizzly country I normally try for 300 feet. I'm more concerned about getting the bag high enough and far enough away from other branches and trees. Also I'm just as concerned about small animals, mice, squirrels, raccoons and such, as I am bears.
100 to 300 feet is way too close unless you don’t mind Mr. Bear walking through camp sniffing around. Just hang it well outside your camping area. I try to hang about 50yds from my tent. Just use some common sense and know that you’re in their world and they’re going to try and get the easy meals. Get your stuff away from you and high enough they can’t get to it.
@@JSNEWELL1 you realize 50 yards is 150 feet right....?
John Clark 😆 some people say the dumbest things. Guess I’m some people! 😂😂😂
Is there a diagram of this system? I’m having a hard time understanding this and I’ve hung lots of bear bags. I’m unclear how this system can get the bag far enough from the trunk when branches are not ideal.
No John I don't have a diagram. There is a written description below the video. Just Imagine one line (Throw Line) with a small chain link, carabiner or pulley (referred to as Pulley) attached to one end and the other end goes over the tree limb. But first run line two (Pull Line) through the Pulley. Second, take both ends of the Pull LIne and tie them off to a second tree forming a circle with the Pull Line. Third, attach a rock bag to the other end of the Throw Line (opposite end the Pull Line is attached to) and throw it over the limb of the first tree. Fourth, undo the rock bag, adjust the Throw Line until the Pulley is about 10 to 12 feet from the limb and then tie off the Throw Line to the tree or another tree whichever is most convenient. Fifth, untie the Pull Line from the second tree and attach the food bag to one end and pull up the food bag to the Pulley. Finally tie off the Pull Line to the second tree. I like to make sure that no other tree or substantial limb is within 10 feet of the food bag and that the food bag is at least 10 feet off the ground. For convenience I have a very small "S" biner attached to the other end of the Throw Line to attach the rock bag and a small "S" biner attached to one end of the Pull Line to attach the food bag. Hope this helps!
Hey Bryan - Have you ever considered using an Ursack? Would be interested in your opinion of them. Thanks,
Carl
Car, I've considered it but I've have never even seen one in person. Based on one of Evan's Backpacking Videos a black bear at Thomas Knob Shelter in the Mt. Rogers NRA ripped one open, although this may have been an older version. I think I would prefer a Ursack over a cannister because it's lighter and it would take up less space as the food supply is used.
Ill hang a canister placed in a bear bag for double protection =))) and all food in a canister put into the odour-proof bag =D And eat at least 30 minutes away from the place where I set up camp. And... // thanks for sharing the technique but personally it'd be more clear to me if I saw some kind of drawing before or after the actual instruction which shows where is the ring, which is a pull line, where ends of the ropes are tied to the trees while you are throwing, pulling etc. It is clear now as I have watched it 10 times and made a drawing for myself =D this is just how my brain operates, always easier with the blueprint/visual/plan. // may I ask what is more reliable sbiner or a carabiner? I guess there is no real difference. // and one last thing.. Im sorry for excessive questioning but you said before you pull back down the throw line after detaching the bear bag, before you pull it down over that branch you better take off the carabiner/sbiner off the end of the cord/throw line to prevent it from getting stuck in the fork of the tree, now... but you have a ring there... would I need to detach the ring as it also can cling to the bark and what not. ) thank you Sir. //edit: aaa... ok I see. In my mind I was tossing the throwline with the s-binder attached to the ring AND to the rock bag and other end was loose without anything hence it would go around the tree and other end with the ring+bag+sbinder go down to the ground where I would put/feed through the pull line etc. I just was doing absolutely the same thing but for some reason in my own way =DD In my case I would feed the pull line through the ring as a step 2 after the throwing the line. Then I would detach the sbinder from the ring (and the rock bag) and so on and so forth... ok.
Rather than trying to answer all your questions here I would recommend that you read the instructions in the description, if you haven't already. Certainly a large carabiner would be stronger than the small S biner, but I've never had a problem with the S biner failing even with 30 pounds attached. I used a steel ring in this video, but now I'm a small steel chain link for the ring. Originally I used an aluminium carabiner for the ring, but the cord cut a grove in the aluminium carabiner over time. I run the pull line through the ring before the throw, to keep the ring end from going over the limb or just in case the ring ends up higher than I can reach, but you could just anchor the ring to something. Hope this helps, but if you have more questions please let me know.
@@BryanDeLay thank you for taking the time to leave your reply. Looking fwd to some new trip videos.