[at-l] Question about keeping mice out of a bear bag

[Jack.Bulkley at sas.com (Jack Bulkley)]

First a mini-trip report that is the background of this question.

We took some scouts to the GSMNP this last weekend. As usual for this kind of trip we broke in to 2 groups. The younger Scouts camped in Cosby campground and did a Saturday day hike up to Low Gap and the Mount Cammerer lookout tower. Sunday has just a short hike on a trail near the campground. The whole weekend was backpacking style cooking, so they good begin to develop the skills needed when they are big enough to carry their gear on the trail.

The group with the older Scouts were dropped at Big Creek campground Friday around 6:00 pm. They camped about 5 miles up Big Creek. On Saturday they went up to Low Gap and then toward Mount Guyout. They didn't quite make Mount Guyout because it was threatening to rain which in fact it did when they were setting up at the campsite on Snake Den Trail. Sunday they hiked down in to Cosby and we all started the long drive home. 

The lookout tower at Mount Cammerer is pretty cool. A great view, interesting history, and looks like it would be a good place to stay although I am not sure what the rules are about that. If you are on the AT in that area it is certainly worth the detour unless you are fogged in.

A couple of the back country campers had some issues with their bear bags. They all used the cable and pulley mechanisms (I was with the other group, so I can't describe them better) that are at the campsites. However mice (maybe squirrels?) evidently climbed down to the bags and chewed up some stuff. The two victims both had peanuts and sun flower seeds. 

For future reference, does anyone know of good ways to prevent this? I was wondering about those cones people but on the line to their bird feeders to keep squirrels from climbing down to the seed.

Soulfull
Jack.Bulkley@sas.com
Apex, NC