Topic
PCT method question
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › General Forums › General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion › PCT method question
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
May 20, 2010 at 2:31 pm #1259192
I am practing the PCT bear bag method. I find the tying the knot up high very difficult. Any suggestions and/or descriptions of how to tie this bowline up high with the extra rope hanging?
May 20, 2010 at 2:39 pm #1611828The higher that you can tie the knot, the better. However, you just have to do what you can do. Either that or else bring along a basketball player.
–B.G.–
May 20, 2010 at 2:55 pm #1611836Try this:
Use an "S" biner on the food sack.
Clip the food sack and the rope to the same side of the biner, leaving one side of the biner empty.
Hoist the sack and eyeball the spot on the rope where you want the knot.
Lower the bag and tie a small bowline knot where you want it.
Feed the line through the empty side of the "S" biner and hoist it again. The bowline knot should pass through the biner as you hoist.
Clip another biner onto the bowline and let the rope back out.
The second biner attached to the bowline knot will not pass through the biner attached to the food sack.
Voila!
Of course, you have to carry two biners.
May 20, 2010 at 3:59 pm #1611861Clove hitch tying while under a load:
1. Take stick (or extra stake, chop stick, spoon handle, etc) in right hand, reach over head, place stick parallel and left of cord, wrap upper end of stick around cord (back to right to front), turn stick perpendicular to cord (stick now has a single loop of cord around it); now you can control load with stick in right hand using right thumb on cord
2. With left hand (thumb down), grab cord below stick, turn hand up (thumb up), place loop on left end of stick
3. Tighten your clove hitch
For easier removal, it's best to use something smooth like extra stake, dowel, chop stick, skewer.
May 20, 2010 at 4:32 pm #1611872AnonymousInactive"For easier removal, it's best to use something smooth like extra stake, dowel, chop stick, skewer"
I've found that it helps to throw a couple of extra loops of line around the stick on both sides when tying a clove hitch under pressure. It makes it a lot easier to control the load and also easier to untie the knot.
May 20, 2010 at 7:01 pm #1611960This might be exactly what you are looking for, courtesy of your BPL premium membership:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/myog_knotless_pct_bear_bag_hang.html
May 20, 2010 at 7:20 pm #1611968I just tie a slipknot in the rope and put my stick through it. If the bag is too close to the trunk I'll tie off the end of the the rope to another tree and pull the slack out, so the bag is between the two trees. This means that the knot will be too tight to pull the stick out the next morning, so I break it at the knot.
May 20, 2010 at 7:52 pm #1611983My PCT bear bag method (when bear canisters were not required):
Food in trash compactor bag.
Put bag in tent.
Sleep.I had absolutely no problems with bears on the PCT.
May 20, 2010 at 9:28 pm #1612009I saw a video of this method on backpackertv.com. Went outside and practiced…pretty easy. Think I got it now….thanks to all
May 20, 2010 at 9:32 pm #1612012Piper – That cracks me up! Much ado about nothing, huh?
I asked a buddy once what he was going to do with his food that night and he said "sleep with it".
May 21, 2010 at 7:51 am #1612139Well if I were hiking where bears and critters are a non issue I might want to do the same. But…heading to the Smokies so better get it right. Even raccons and chipmunks (mini bears) can be just as much a risk when it comes to protecting your food.
May 21, 2010 at 8:45 am #1612154You do not need to do the PCT meathod in the Smokies. They have bear cables at all of the campsites and shelters already. I am not saying that it is a bad skill to learn as you have to hang anywhere else in the area outside the park.
May 21, 2010 at 7:41 pm #1612377AnonymousInactive"You do not need to do the PCT meathod in the Smokies."
That's why it's called the PCT method. ;)
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.