Safely storing food so it doesn’t end up in the claws (or teeth!) of an opportunistic critter while backpacking can be a bit of a circus act.
Food storage has baffled backpackers since the dawn of trail mix. From learning how to master the elusive “PCT hang” without knocking yourself out with a rock with a wicked curve, to wrestling an oversized bear canister into your already overstuffed pack, or trusting your rations to a supposedly critter-proof Kevlar sack—we’re still out here trying to crack the code.
Bear canisters once seemed like the gold standard, until—plot twist—bears started chewing their way into them. (Assuming you can even find it after it’s been kicked off a cliff.) Some hikers swear by the convenience of bear boxes—those big metal bins with locks designed to outsmart anything without opposable thumbs. But even those aren’t foolproof. Rodents and insects can still sneak in, and too often, they become glorified trash cans filled with abandoned gear and garbage. Yep—someone has to haul all that out. Boo!
But here in the Smokies? We’ve got a secret weapon: bear cables! The best news? They are easy to use and they work!
Heavy-duty hooks are suspended on thick wire strung between trees or poles, using a pulley system. One end has dual hooks to hang multiple bags, and the other clips to an eyebolt on a nearby tree using a hefty 3″ stainless steel carabiner.
To use them, hoist up your bags, noting the color of the handle and clip the carabiner into the eyebolt that matches the color. (The colors may be faded, but still visible, and using the correct one helps the cables from twisting or tangling—which reduces fraying over time.)
Ta-da! Your snacks are now officially bear-proof.
So, please, be a good Keeper of the Land. Embrace a Leave No Trace lifestyle. Always store your food, trash, and anything with an odor out of reach, and out of temptation… at all times. Let’s keep the bears wild, the critters baffled, and your food where it belongs: safe in the hands of ravenous, filthy hikers.
