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03.2014 BACKPACKER 37 Flame control If you must cook in your vestibule during a storm, prime a liquid-fuel stove outside and then pull it in. CAMP IN COMFORT 1 Pitch the perfect camp 3 Hang a bear bag Choose a site 200 feet from lakes and streams. Camp at established sites and on durable surfaces whenever possible. Hang your bear bag or stash your canister at least 200 feet downwind from camp . (See below right for bear bag tips.) In grizzly country, cook 200 feet or more downwind from your tent. In calm conditions, orient your tent door to the east for early sun. Look up to make sure no dead trees/branches threaten to fall on your site (especially in beetle-damaged forests in the West). Find a fl at rock, preferably with a windbreak, for your kitchen. Canisters are the easiest and most effective way to protect food from bears, but they’re bulky and heavy, so many hik- ers choose to hang their food in places where canisters aren’t required. But it’s easier said than done, as just about every cord-tangled hiker who’s ever tried can attest. Here’s the best method: 1) Find a tree with a sturdy, horizontal branch at least 15 feet high. 2) Put a rock in a small stuff sack and attach it to one end of a 25- to 50-foot rope. Tie a food bag to the other end. (Leave a small carabiner tied to your rope and you won’t have to fuss with knots.) 3) Toss the rock over the branch (about 10 feet from the trunk) and pull the free end down to hoist the food bag, so it’s suspended midair, branch high. Make a counterbalance by attaching a second food bag (or weighted stuff sack) to the other side of the rope, as high as you can reach. Tie a loop on this end for easier retrieval. 4) Use a stick to push the counterbalance 10 feet above the ground. This will lower the food bag until it’s also about 10 feet in the air. Retrieve the bags by hooking a stick through the loop and pulling down. No big branches? Use this alternative method: String a line between two trees about 20 feet apart (throw the rope over a branch about 12 feet high on each tree, tie off one side). Attach your food bag to the middle of the line (the tricky part), and pull the rope taut (now tie off this side). Your bag should be sus- pended midway between the trees, 10 to 15 feet high. This method is effective, but not always practical in sparsely forested terrain. Spend extra time search- ing out a sheltered site, like in a low-lying forest. Above treeline, seek protection on the lee side of a rock outcrop- ping or ridgeline. Orient your tent so the smallest side is facing the wind. If it’s not raining, wait until the winds die down (often at sunset) to pitch your tent. You’ll reduce the risk of damage from a big gust. Guy out your tent se- curely. Here’s how: Tie small overhand loops at each end of a nylon cord (4 to 8 feet). Pull one end through a guy loop, then pass the other end through the loop in the cord to fasten it. Anchor the other end tautly to a stake. Cheat Sheet Problem Stakes won’t hold in sand Use deadman anchors: Tie your cord to a thick stick or sand-fi lled stuff sack and bury the “deadman” at least 6 inches deep (bury the stick horizontally). Gather natural tinder—bark, dry grass, moss, pine needles—as you hike. If it’s wet, dry it with body heat inside your jacket. Camp on breezy ridgelines. Clean up; the chemicals in your sweat attract the bloodsuckers. Snow, leaves, rocks, and smooth sticks— in order of tush-friendliness Forgot tinder for the campfi re Mosquitoes swarming Forgot TP Fix 2 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND Heading to bear territory? Learn more key skills and safety tips in our pocket guide, Bear Country Behavior ($13; falcon.com) Five ways to improve the menu: 1) Pack a few lightweight, fresh add-ins to boost the taste of any dehydrated meal. Ideas: cilantro, jalapeno, parsley, basil. 2) Serve an appetizer. Soup is a no-brainer in cool weather (we like Bear Creek’s hearty, af- fordable varieties so much we gave them an Editors’ Choice Award in 2012; bearcreek- countrykitchens.com). 3) Upgrade any lunch wrap with an avocado. Pack it in your pot to prevent squishing. 4) Add butter. 5) Use extra water in dehy- drated meals. There’s noth- ing worse than not-quite- rehydrated stroganoff. 4 Eat better P H O T O B Y M I C H A E L D E Y O U N G . I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y S U P E R C O R N Bear canister Kitchen 200 ft. 200 ft.