When you take a lunch, do you need to seal it up good to stop odors? Also what about open coffee in the field?
Good question, elk have really good noses, so you really need to pay attention and stay downwind including the daily thermals in the mtns. Air will be moving down hill in the morning until the sun gets up high enough to warm the air (some time around 9:00 AM), and then the thermals reverse and the air will be moving uphill until the sun starts to set in the evening. So plan your movements accordingly and bring one of the little squeeze bottles with talc and use it often, the air is normally moving even when you don't think there's a breeze.
Having said that, I don't worry about odors from food or coffee, I just assume the elk are going to smell me before they smell a sandwich. Or, to put it another way, if you get upwind they're going to smell you whether you're eating and drinking coffee or not.
Not sure about all phones, but my alarm clock works without a connection.
Good luck!!
