[Philmont]

We have two crews of 12 on Expedition 627. After reading several websites
and Cooper's guide, this appears to be an ideal window, after frosts and
before rains... If such things could be predicted...

The PCT method does not required tying ropes to trees and is MUCH simpler
than counterbalancing. This was perfected because the bears out west have
figured out how to bust into cars, and untie bear ropes. I'm in Alabama, so
I don't know any California bears personally to confirm this...

The method attaches a carabiner to the bear bag and to a figure 8 on the end
of the bear rope. The rope is thrown over the cable or limb, then the free
end is clipped inside the carabiner. The bag is run up to the cable. At
this point, a 6-in stick is tied into the bear rope with a clove hitch, and
the bear bag is lowered until the stick hits the carabiner on the bear bag,
preventing it from coming any lower. As you may suspect, the bag hangs at
half mast, so the cable must be 20' or higher to get the bag over 10' off
the ground.

Why bring our own? Weight, and we need them for shakedown on the Pinhoti
and AT trails anyway (though the AT has really nice cable pulley systems at
the shelters.)

So it sounds like one 28" x 36" bear bag for food. How many bear bags for
smellable gear, assuming a crew of 12?

Thanks

-=Dan=-

On 10/5/07, Shane <mycales@tx.rr.com> wrote:
>
> Dan,
>
> With our bear bags, we could put a full 4 days of Philmont food for a crew
> of 12 in one bag. We never put that much in because some meals were always
> either eaten or put in the oops bag for easier access for dinner.
>
> Bear bag lines and PCT method…
>
> Philmont uses (and makes each crew use) a "bear cable" that is just a
> large steel cable run between two trees about 20 feet off the ground. They
> won't let you run lines over limbs, etc. The bear cable is your limb.
>
> Our para-cord line setup – each of our two para-cord bear lines is a 100'
> length of 700 pound test para-cord. The length is "folded" in half with a
> figure 8 loop in the center (carabineer loop). So, the two "ends" of our
> bear ropes are 1) two loose ends of the para cable, and 2) the center
> loop. The two loose ends are tied to different trees once the bag has been
> attached to the center loop and has been raised
>
> We run one bear cord over the bear cable – the center loop is run over the
> cable leaving two loose ends on one side and the center loop on the
> other. We attach our main bear bag to that center loop using a climbing
> rated carabineer. We also run the oops bag bear line through this
> carabineer (the carabineer is now the pulley for the oops bag). Once the
> main bear bag is attached and the oops line is run through, we raise the
> main bag up to within about a foot of the bear cable (with someone holding
> onto both "ends" of the oops line to make sure it doesn't get caught up or
> twisted. The main bag should never have to be lowered until the next
> morning.
>
> Once the main bag is secured to trees – a whole other process for us – we
> attach the oops bag containing any meals to be eaten that day and our
> smellables to the center loop of the oops line and raise the bag, tying off
> to the same trees as the main bag. With our method, the oops bag can be
> lowered and re-raised in about a minute when/if needed.
>
> Are you confused yet? It's a lot easier than it sounds, and I'm a
> terrible writer.
>
> We don't tie our bear lines directly to trees either. We have a tree
> harness we use that is a 1" nylon webbing (less tree damage). The harness
> has two loops – one for the main bag line and one for the oops bag
> line. The lines are attached to the harness using smaller carabineers –
> allows for much easier/faster lowering of bags…
>
> I'll take some pictures of our stuff in use this month and post on the
> forum photo gallery.
>
> I know this all sounds confusing. Let me know what parts I need to
> explain better…
>
> What is your 2008 expedition number? We'll be there from June 18 to June
> 30.
>
> --
> Shane (from work)
> Advisor - Crew 445 - crew445.org
> CM - Troop 445 - troop445.org
> WM - Philmont Forum - philmontforum.org
> '81-9 | '84-24 | '00-8 | '02-23FM | '05-26 | '08-??
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
> Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
> Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
> List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
> List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
> -------------------------------------------------------
> To Unsubscribe send text email to:
>
> To: listserv@troop47.com
> Subject: unsubscribe
> Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
> Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
> loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
> cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

-- 
-=Dan=-
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to:          philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at:         http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator:        philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe send text email to:
     To: listserv@troop47.com
     Subject: unsubscribe
     Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------