Food Waste Disposal in Bear Country

Dean Machine
Jan 18
2 min read

Updated: Jan 20

Look, you might think Bevverly's parked in a winter wonderland where nothin' lives but snowflakes and your hopes of a good powder day. Wrong. Bears sleep light, raccoons are tiny burglars with thumbs, skunks hold grudges, and my dog Squid will eat literally anything that smells like food.

If you don't wanna wake up to a ransacked campsite or a very angry 400-pound furry neighbor, follow these rules.

The Lineup: Who's Comin' for Your Trash

Best Practices for Food Waste

Rule 1: No food scraps outside, ever.

All waste goes in the slush bucket inside Bevverly

Empty it daily into a bear-proof trash bin or dumpster at the campground/trailhead

If there's no bear-proof option, double-bag it and store it in your vehicle, away from Bevverly

Rule 2: Clean as you cook.

Wipe down cutting boards, rinse plates immediately, don't let grease or crumbs sit
Food smells linger in small spaces and seep outside faster than you think
A clean RV is a safe RV

Rule 3: No cookin' or storin' food outside in winter.

Cold air don't mean safe—animals got noses that work in all temps
Don't leave a cooler on the picnic table, even if it's frozen shut
Bears can smell food through ice, snow, and your "waterproof" bag

Rule 4: Dispose of liquids properly.

Grease, coffee grounds, leftover soup → do NOT dump near Bevverly
Pour into a container, seal it, toss it in the trash or take it to a disposal site
Gray water (dishwater) should go into designated dump stations, not on the ground

Rule 5: If you see an animal near Bevverly:

Do not approach. Do not feed. Do not try to pet Squid's "friends."
Make noise, back away slowly, and let the host know immediately
Get inside Bevverly and close the door

What Happens If You Don't Follow the Rules?

Best case: You attract mice, and now Bevverly smells like a barn.

Medium case: Raccoons trash the campsite at 2 AM, and you're cleanin' up in the dark while wearing three layers and questioning your life choices.

Worst case: Bear encounter. Nobody wants that for you, Bevverly, or the bear. Seriously.

The Slush Bucket System

All coffee grounds, tea leaves, fruit peels, veggie scraps, and garnishes go into the slush bucket (it's just a regular bucket, not the delicious Slush Puppie brand frozen drink).

Daily disposal routine: