trippythings wrote:

I use a blue food barrel and have never had a problem with animals or rodents trying to get into it while it's left during a double-carry. It's much more of a problem at campsites where people feed the small wildlife which turns them into a nuisance.

Last year there was an ongoing nuisance bear on the west side of the park. Apparently it had learned that food was being left at the portage landings and would get into people's food supply while they were doing their double-carry. I was told the bear was eventually captured and put down. There were cubs with the bear that were put into rehabilitation then released back into the wild.

I don't think it's realistic to attempt to hang your food at every portage while you double carry, so the best option is to use a hard-sided storage container (or something like an Ursack or BearVault) and hope for the best.

Make noise while you're portaging to let wildlife know that you're around. Especially if you're travelling solo. I like to bang on the canoe repeatedly during my canoe carry, and during my other carry, I'll either have some music playing and/or randomly yell some noises.

I would avoid trying to hide the food underneath an overturned canoe (I've seen people do this, even overnight at a campsite). The last thing I need is for my only method of water travel to be the only barrier standing between a bear and it's desired food.

 
Thanks for the reply.
I guess the Ursack is my best bet if the barrel stays at home.

When not solo I use a 30 litre barrel and B/W harness for food, messkit and sundry animal attractant items and hang the whole thing wherever possible when at camp. Unless I size up to a 60, I doubt I could consolidate all my food and gear into what I have now and forego the eureka canoe pack.

Which western access was the problem bruin frequenting?
I was tripping out of the Tim last year.

Being smart animals when it comes to easy food sources I am surprised there aren’t more issues at the initial few access point portages. With the veritable smorgasbord of great smelling offerings easily accessible, even a steady human presence wouldn’t dissuade them.

Last edited by Daylatedollarshort (2/17/2024 11:17 am)

Never really  had an issue.  That said, any unsealed food I have is typically in OP sacs.

I would guess between the coming and going of people and the relatively short time that packs are left, the rodents haven't taken the time to establish  the habit. 

Thanks for all the replies!

Thanks Barry - Leapfrogging seems like a good way to reasonably mitigate whatever very small risk that may exist, in addition to the other potential logistical benefits it offers.

My May kick off trip includes one of the longer portages I have done and coming early in the trip (Cedar, Pet, Catfish, Burntroot, then north and out on the Nip) and laden with grub, especially those night one steaks! Not a solo and I will have the barrel along so barring the almost non existent chance of another mensa-grade bear which trippythings referred to I should be good.

However it made me think about it for a solo trip later in the season.

Seems like opsac and ursak combined with leapfrogging might be the winning combo for me at that time.

X3 on the leap frog strategy. However, I stopped hanging my food years ago and now tie it (blue barrel 30L/60L) to a tree and prepare to defend it. Never had an issue.

All great feedback - many thanks for the personal experiences and suggestions!