Have you ever actually tried this? I have read similar instructions and thought to myself, OK, that's simple ... and then this year I actually tried it. Here's how it
really goes ...
-- Attach something heavy to one end of the rope (i.e. rock, lock, etc.).
-- Look for suitable branch.
-- Discover that the pine trees around your campground all have short, spindly little branches about 20-30 ft above the ground.
-- Knowing that you not only have to have your food in the air to keep it away from the bears, but also
away from any surrounding trees because black bears will climb trees and will try to reach the cache, choose the longest, most substantial branch you can find.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss badly.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Get it caught another branch. Struggle to retrieve it.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss, again .......... and repeat. Get everyone in the camp to give it a go. Eventually someone will get it over the branch ... but it will be too close to the tree. Pull it down.
-- Lob the heavy end of rope toward the branch .....
-- When you finally get the rope over the most suitable part of the branch - high enough and far enough out from all surrounding trees ...
-- Tie the bag full of food, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, gatorade, and anything that remotely has a "nice" smell to it to the other end of the rope.
-- Start to haul it up.
-- Leap out of the way when the branch breaks because it was too spindly, or the bag of stuff was too heavy, or both.
-- Divide the stuff up into two bags.
-- Find a second rope.
-- Repeat from beginning, hoping that this time the branches you have chosen will hold.
This can be an entire evening's entertainment!!
