[pct-l] storing food

[Edward Anderson]

Trash compactor bags. I used one on the PCT to assure that my sleeping bag would stay dry if I was caught in a hard rain.  But, even if they were made of the special kind of plastic that contains food smells, they would not protect your food from rodents or bears - since there is no way to seal them. I mean like you are familiar with in a ZipLoc bag - which would work if they were made of the right kind of plastic. Then, you would have an odor-proof sack. That's what an OPSac is. You were able to protect your food by using several layers of plastic. It worked at that time. Don't count on it working always. Given enough time, the mice and rats will find their way in. That is why I run my tests over days and even weeks. ZipLocs always fail. I also use them, but put them inside OPSaks when caching - when several days or even weeks will pass before I will be there to recover my resupplies. I should point out that I rode the PCT unsupported, leaving my
 horse in safe hands and driving my rig north, sometimes hundreds of miles, caching as I go, then parking it in a safe location near the PCT and  hitching back to my horse. I would then ride north, resupplying as I go. On one occasion, at Beldon in N. Cal., while I was still using heat-sealed Food Saver bags for the horse feed, I lost over 30 pounds to animals (probably rodents). All my food at that cache was in an OPSac, buried with the bags of horse feed, and was not touched. After that I used OPSacs for all food, including the processed horse feed, in caches and in camp. 
 
MendoRider-Hiker
 

________________________________
 From: Rod Belshee <rbelshee at hotmail.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 10:42 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] storing food
  
Trash compactor bags also seem odor-proof.

I remember one night on the trail in Washington where mice were a constant 
problem.  I had my food in individual ziplocks, which were then in freezer 
gallon ziplocks, which were then in a trash compactor bag, and then one more 
trash compactor bag.  The bag was sitting under my tarp tent and a mouse 
went in to find the food, knowing humans always have some.  He sniffed 
around and couldn't find it.  Then, seemingly to get a good vantage point he 
scampered on top of the food bag and stood up on his hind legs looking in 
every direction to figure out where the food might be.  Discouraged, he 
hoped off and ran away.

Steady Sr.


-----Original Message----- 
From: Edward Anderson
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 10:19 PM
To: Ann Marie ; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] storing food

Store food in odor proof sacks. OPSaks are available through REI or on line. 
Zip Loc freezer bags will not contain food smells. Food-Saver freezer bags 
won't contain smells either.  I have throughly tested both in my 
rodent-infested barn. I have lots of rats and mice. I am currently testing 
several meal size and one serving size pre-packaged foods. I will photograph 
the results. I have run similar tests before.

MendoRider-Hiker


________________________________
From: Ann Marie <dbanmrkr at yahoo.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] storing food

I've never hung food. When not in a bear canister area, I store my food bag 
in my trash compacter bag which is then stored inside my back pack, which I 
also cinch down. Never had a problem, since all my food is also stored in 
zip locks inside my food bag. This has worked all thru the JMT and 
everywhere else EXCEPT Washington abd Hawaii.

Both times food was in a plastic food bag left inside our tent but outside 
our backpacks. Mice will chew a hole thru your tent to get access to any 
plastic bag full of food. Minimize food smells at ALL campsites and you'll 
be fine. Believe me you won't be awake during the night to chase them off.

And if really worried about animal activity during the night, don't eat 
where you camp.




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