Pole cache. I have had food tampered with by bears on a few occasions. Especially when leaving a 70 pound pack with one month's supply of food at the end of a portage for a day or two. (The most memorable occasion was when a sow accompanied by three cubs sliced open the pack and the waterproof bag, and removed a Ziploc™ bag full of chocolate bars leaving almost all the remaining food salvageable. They, like me, love Dairy Milk™ chocolate.) I find the best short term means of protection is to raise the bottom of the pack to a level of 10 to 15 feet above the ground. There are never appropriate long solid tree limbs over which to sling the pack, so I use a small "hunter's" block and tackle. I cut one quite solid pole of about four inch butt and 15-20 feet long, leaving a piece of branch near the top. Use a similar but slender pole to push and fish a rope, with a temporary loop tied at its end, through the limbs of an anchor tree, bringing the rope to the ground. Fasten the block and tackle to the rope, haul it up and tie off the rope to a low limb and the tree trunk. Sharpen the butt end of the big pole with an axe. Jam the butt into the ground near the anchor tree. Tie the pack to the top of the pole. Raise the pole by simultaneously lifting the pole with your shoulder and pulling the block and tackle and tie it off to the anchor tree. (The rope and the block and tackle are 1/4 inch braided nylon.)
