Bear Bags

Hanging bear bags is always the first task to complete after arriving to a campsite. It is common to share bear cables between multiple crews. Hang up all smellable items unless they are on a person.

Concentrated Impact: 2 bear ropes needed (Most Philmont campsites use this method)

• Coil one of the bear ropes and throw the center of the rope over the bear cable.
• Do not use rocks or other weights to throw the rope. The weight of the rope is sufficient. Rocks or other weights could injure someone.
• Clip a load bearing carabiner to the loop in the rope.
• Oops Bag: Thread the "Oops" line half way through the carabiner. Leave the "Oops" rope dangling so the Oops Bag can be hoisted without dropping all the bear bags.
• Tie the bear bags close to the knot using a Larks Head.
• Hoist and tie the bear ropes to 2 separate trees; if a bear should cut one rope, the bags will not fall.
• Do not tie to the two trees the cable attaches to.
• Tie the Oops Bag to 2 separate trees, which can be the same two trees the main rope is tied to.
• Bear Bags should be 10 feet off the ground and 6 feet away from the nearest tree.
• Double check ALL smellables are in a bag before hanging.

Low Impact: 3 bear ropes needed (Use if crews are camping in the Valle Vidal)

• Throw one bear rope over a sturdy tree branch close to the trunk and then do the same with the second bear rope. The two trees should be about 15-20 feet apart from each other.
• Connect the two rope loops with a carabiner.
• Tie the bear bags to the "line" you have just made.
• Pull up the "line" from both sides (both bear ropes), raising the bear bags in the center.
• Split each end and tie off as normal. A total of four strands should be tied to four separate trees.

Safety:

• DO NOT climb trees to hang or untangle ropes.
• Do not stand under the bear bags when hanging them as they could fall.
• Do not hang bags during a lightning storm.

Have the crew check packs and pockets for smellables before going to sleep.