Bears

If the mountain you seek is not shown individually above, then it is included in one of the ranges listed above. Just click on the "Mountain Ranges..." button just above to get a breakdown of the peaks in each range.

Bear-proofing Your Food In The Woods

One creature that the Adirondacks has aplenty is the black bear. NYSDEC reports a population of 5,000 black bears in 2006, a figure that is estimated but thought to be pretty close. While we can comfortably say that Mr. and Ms. Bear hold no strong opinions about homo sapiens, he/she does crave our food (even though we seldom do) . And due to the carelessness of campers it is often easy pickings. Fortunately, campers have two options to keep their food secure. Until recently the usual solution was a bear-bag strung high between a couple of trees. That was usually a good option for keeping food safe and it avoided most bear-human mishaps.

However, since the advent of bear cans fabricated of ABS plastic the suspended bear bag has become obsolete. A determined bear wanting that food up in the tree has pretty good odds that he/she will be eating your P, B & J tonight, inasmuch as a lot of campers don't take the necessary precautions or are slipshod in their preparations.

About 5 years ago the bear bag really became obsolete. We can only shake our heads in wonder when we see greenhorns stringing up their bag. They may have plenty of expensive gear, but if you've got no food in the morning... remember that we told you so.

IMPORTANT

Do not sleep with your food in your tent or lean-to.

OPTION 1: The Bear Bag

Let us first state that even the best hung bear bag is NO sure thing at Marcy Dam or Lake Colden. Why? Too many people without the proper knowledge make it easy for the bear to grab a good percentage of bear bags not properly hung. Secondly, the bears at those locales have become extremely adept at getting a paw on your stuff. On the other hand, if you are off the beaten path you stand a very good chance of success when hanging your bag.

Suspending the Bear Bag Correctly

My friends and I were camping at the lean-to on the Opalescent River near Redfield and Cliff. Three or four parties came and went over the course of four days. Most tried to suspend their food from the same 3 inch, weak, bent-over sapling that was neither high enough nor strong enough to provide protection from bears. These people were either just going through the motions or they were engaged in wishful thinking. Every evening the ranger lady showed up like clockwork with her beautiful Samoyed and made each of them restring their bag correctly on an appropriate tree.

Here's how to suspend your bear bag so that you will "probably" not lose your food. The goal is not only to suspend the bag out of a bear's reach, but, also, to prevent the bear even knowing that it is in the tree. That's the key and to do that isn't usually difficult.

First, you want to prevent the bear from ever knowing that you have food in the area or where it is. You do this by keeping it out of his sight and smell, that is, nowhere near your campsite and as far from the ground as you can suspend it. This will work provided the area in question receives a lot of campers. Lots of campers mean that, by my reckoning, 70% will hang their bag poorly. For bears that translates to... Chow Time!
If that fails, as it sometimes will, you want to make sure the bag is inaccessible. You accomplish that by hanging it between 2 trees well out of reach of bear, coons, chipmunks, squirrels and any other varmint in the woods. As of yet, we don't have to worry about bears parachuting in out of the sky.

What you will need to bring with you:

Line #1: 75-100' of 1/8th inch nylon line in a dark, inconspicuous color. (sold in backpacker shops and shops cater to climbers.)
Line #2: ~50' of same, preferably in a different dark color
1 medium sized carabiner
a small, durable sack that can hold a rock of about 8-10 oz.

What you're going to do:

Choose a site for your bear bag that is about 50 yd. or more from your campsite and any other campsite. I prefer 100 yd.
Fasten (tied; not free to slide) your carabiner to Line #1 half way between the ends of the line.
Run Line #2 loosely through the carabiner. Be sure you keep control of both ends of Line #2 from this point on.
You will run your longer line (Line #1) between 2 trees about 30 feet apart at the highest height you can manage. Twenty feet is ideal separation of the trees.
To run Line #1 tie one end to the sack filled with a few rocks or gravel and throw it over a branch or through a crotch at the height you want it. The sack has to be heavy enough to not hang up in the tree when you throw it. Its weight has to carry it and the line back down to you.
Repeat with the other end of Line #1 into the other tree. Being sure that you still have control of both ends of Line #2, you can now stretch Line #1 as tight as you can get it from tree to tree. Before securing the ends of Line #1 ensure that the carabiner is equidistant from the 2 trees. Now, if possible, tie off both ends of Line #1 on nearby trees other than the trees they are rigged to. All the better to fool the bears.
Line #2 is your food elevator. Tie the bear bag to one end, hoist, and tie off the other end somewhere convenient. You should fasten a weight on each end of Line #2 to ensure that it doesn't unrig itself.

OPTION 2: The ABS FOOD Container

The ABS container has revolutionized food storage in the forest; it is actually bear-proof. Until the bears learn how to use the screwdriver on a jack knife they will not get into one of these. They cost about $70-90 or, if you're an ADK member living in the Albany area, you can rent them from ADK for a pittance. Your local chapter may rent them and if they don't I would suggest you bring it up to the chapter officers. They will hold enough food for one person for 3-4 days. They fit snugly into the sleeping bag compartment of a pack.

Features of the ABS container:

It's meant to be left on the ground at a distance from your campsite. The bear will sniff it out and then play ping-pong with it until he/she gives up in frustration. We leave ours about 30 yards from our tent; that way the bear(s) can knock themselves out without waking us. The bears can kick it, claw it, sit on it, play catch with it, but they can't break into it!
A human can open it in 10-15 seconds using only the edge of a nickel or quarter to turn each of the 3 locks a half turn.
One of these containers will last you for eternity.
It is just as impervious to the little critters: squirrels, raccoons, etc.; as it is to larger animals.
It holds food for one person for 4 days worth of camping which assumes you eat freeze-dried food and don't carry canned or hydrated food items.

Drawbacks:

Initial cost of the bear can will be close to $90. Otherwise rent one at EMS or your local ADK chapter.