Just to be clear, in most areas of the Sierra in California, where a bear canister is not required, they strongly recommend the counterbalance technique.

In this technique, you toss the line over an appropriate limb (and I LOVE the previous poster's notes on how easy that is!) and then tie one food bag to one end of the line. Pull the other end until the food bag is snug up against the limb. Then tie on another, equally weighted food bag.

Now use a long stick to push the second bag up---and keep both bags above the ground far enough that a bear can't reach them. To get the food back down again, you use the stick to push one bag up, which drops the other bag down.

Why do it this way? Because I have seen a bear follow the line from a perfectly hung bag...and effortlessly cut that line with a single blow of its claws. Down came the pack, and the bear had dinner.

It was a long and hungry hike home.