Originally Posted by Machka
...and when you've got a vehicle, that's where you store your food and stuff....
Thats not a good idea Machka. But you are right about hanging food in a tree. That simply doesn't work either. Bears are too smart.
This was taken from
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm
Originally Posted by NPS.gov
Although the counter-balance method of food storage is permitted in some areas of the park, it is strongly discouraged due to its lack of effectiveness and the damage that is caused to trees by persistent bears....If you choose to store your food using this technique, consider it only a delaying tactic. Be prepared to actively defend your food and repeatedly scare bears out of your camp through the night. Without this negative reinforcement, bears will figure out a way to get your counter-balanced food - some bears will go so far as to literally chew the branch off the tree to get at food bags. Help Keep Yosemite’s Bears Wild - Use a Bear-Resistant Canister! Each year, bears routinely obtain properly hung food!
If you are worried about bears, the National Park Service has recommendations for good bear canisters at the above link, or just google it. I checked one of their recommendations out and it was only 2.7lbs. After passing through bear country, you could always mail it home.
This is what happens when you put your food in your car or hang it from a tree.....
