PSA: A ranger at Glacier told me to ditch my bear hang for a canister on the Highline loop and he was right

Ruby Schmidt · 2026-09-23T21:30:02.553576+00:00

I always did the old rope over a branch thing because my dad taught me that way and it feels cheaper than buying gear. But a backcountry ranger named Dale at the Many Glacier station flat out told me hangs fail constantly in that drainage because the trees are too short and the bears there are basically pros. I switched to a canister for 3 nights out and sure enough, a sow and two cubs walked right through camp at Granite Park and never even sniffed my food. Anyone else switch on one ranger's word and never go back?

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PSA: A ranger at Glacier told me to ditch my bear hang for a canister on the Highline loop and he was right | Backpacking Routes - Opinions Matter