Bear Chocolate

Posted by: Zalman

Bear Chocolate - 12/05/09 11:43 AM

Several threads under the Winter Hiking topic include a suggestion to keep snacks, especially chocolate, nearby while sleeping, in case one wakes up cold and requiring energy.

Makes sense to me, but how does this jive with the whole concept of keeping food out of the tent to avoid attracting animals?

I understand that bears supposedly "hibernate" in the winter, but even assuming that a bear never wanders out of the den during this period, how do you chocolate stashers decide when the hibernation season starts and ends?

I'm guessing that a bear who wakes up cold and hungry might also be thinking about that handy snack. So how do you keep your own snacks handy without becoming bear chocolate yourself?
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: Bear Chocolate - 12/05/09 12:59 PM

Zaldude

When its really cold out the vapor pressure of the smelly stuff in your food is very low (It doesn't smell much) and the chances are that there aren't any bears in the area anyway as they like to hibernate. If its below 40 degrees the food all goes into my vestibule and I've never had a problem. In fact the only animal that ever got any of my food was a chipmunk which is why when I do hang my food, its often hanging from a branch 5 feet off the ground.
Jim
Posted by: phat

Re: Bear Chocolate - 12/05/09 03:21 PM


While the ground's still frozen hard, I do not worry. Bears up here are hibernating.
Posted by: Zalman

Re: Bear Chocolate - 12/06/09 09:38 AM

Thanks guys, so it sounds like the decision is more a matter of temperature/conditions than anything. That leaves me feeling only mildly confused regarding the varying conditions due to altitude vs. hibernation time, but I can live (that is to say, sleep) with Jim's no-smell-below-40 analysis.
Posted by: phat

Re: Bear Chocolate - 12/06/09 11:18 AM

Well, I don't actually store food in my tent, even in winter. I will vestibule cook in my winter tent. Which I then don't take out in summer.

I do still hang or ursack my food in the winter, but it's not for bears at that point, it's for mice and little critters.
Posted by: 300winmag

Re: Bear Chocolate - 12/06/09 06:22 PM

What Phat sed.

And what Jim sed.

Small amount of "night snack food" in my bag.

Rest of food hung from tree.