Tent Stakes

[footslogger]

Are there areas along the PCT where getting stakes in the ground (or getting them to stay in the ground) is a problem ?? ...and how do you typically deal with that ??

Related question ...in reading a lot of PCT journals I get the impression that sleeping under the stars, cowboy camping or whatever you want to call it, is somewhat popular ?? How many nights on average is that possible (obvious exception being if it's raining). Reason for asking is that I am considering using a bug bivy and bringing along a tarp for those nights when I want/need a roof over my head.

Thanks in advance ...

[Ender]

For the first 1200 miles, you often won't use stakes since you'll be sleeping out under the stars most of the time. When you do though, the ground is often good for that. The times when I did have trouble with stakes was in the forests, where the pine needles made for really soft ground, which is great to sleep on, but a pain to keep stakes in. Since I use a hammock though, I was able to usually tie off to trees in that situation to keep the fly taut, and avoid stakes alltogether.

I'd say I used a tarp maybe 5% of the time when I wasn't using the hammock. And with the hammock I'd often leave the tarp off that as well maybe 50-75% of the time. It rarely rained during the night. I can only actually recall 2 nights where it did for the first 1200 miles.

Can't say for further up though... others should have advice on the northern half of the trail that I can't supply.

[footslogger]

[quote=Ender;226]For the first 1200 miles, you often won't use stakes since you'll be sleeping out under the stars most of the time.

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So, not many hikers use any for of shelter for the first 1200 miles ?? Just layout a ground cloth and sleeping bag ?? Maybe my idea for a bug bivy and tarp aren't so bad afterall.

I own a hammock too (Hennessey) but wasn't planning on bringing it on the PCT. Not much for using it as a tent on the ground and would imagine that there are a lot of areas where tying off a hammock to trees is out of the question.

Thanks for the feedback ...

[Ender]

So, not many hikers use any for of shelter for the first 1200 miles ?? Just layout a ground cloth and sleeping bag ??

Pretty much, yeah. Bugs aren't really a problem at all till you hit the High Sierras, and it rarely rains. The first couple of nights near the Mex border you may want to set up the tarp because it seems to rain there (though that's based only on my own experience and other hikers that I've talked to... it could just be coincidence).

There are more places to hang in your HH than you'd expect, but you kinda have to aim for them, and there are a few long sections where you can't hang. And, it's just plain easier to pull your groundcloth and pad and bag out of your pack, throw them on the ground, and be all set up for the night. So you'll probably just end up doing what most hikers do and not bother with shelter at all... if you do get rained on, it's the desert, and things dry VERY fast there. Even at night.

[Magnet_]

South of Kennedy Meadows, I only had wettish weather 3 nights. One was drizzle, and the other was a couple sprinkles that didn't amount to anything. The third, was actual rain, i thought. Turned out it was only "raining" under the tree I was under - condensation dripping off in the wind.

We set up shelters more often toward the beginning of the hike because the nights were often pretty cold. Later on, sleeping under the stars was the norm.

As for the bug net, we had no problems with annoying bugs until just north of Agua Dulce, where we were attacked by some kind of horribly annoying biting flies. I only remember them being really bad the one day between Agua Dulce and The Anderson's (and i'm sure whether you run into them and where will depend on many factors). Some hikers always set up a shelter and enclosed themselves within bug netting as protection from spiders and scorpions. After seeing a brown recluse bite, maybe this isn't a bad idea! http://adventureonthepct.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1957

[Ender]

After seeing a brown recluse bite, maybe this isn't a bad idea! http://adventureonthepct.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1957

Yikes! That's nasty.

[luna]

yeah, that bite is gross. I did the whole trail with a ground cloth (swithed from Ty-Vek to sil-nylon) and a sil-nylon tarp. Rarely used the tarp... but there were a few times where it was vital (like when it was covered in two inches of snow in Washington). Mostly just slept out on the ground cloth. I had a bug bivvy from A-16. They still make them, and they're pretty light (approx 8 - 10 oz), but they don't make them as well as they used to... there's this plastic frame that folds into a hoop... and the plastic from the newer ones tends to snap.
So... the thread started about stakes...
there are some really light and strong stakes out there now. I used the regular tubular aluminum stakes, and bent almost all of them, but you can usually just bend them back and keep using them...
and as ender was saying, you can usually just tie off to a tree or bush or log or big rock or whatever.
I took six stakes, because that's what I needed if there was nothing to tie the tarp to, but I rarely used all six.

[footslogger]

[quote=luna;236] I had a bug bivvy from A-16. They still make them, and they're pretty light (approx 8 - 10 oz), but they don't make them as well as they used to... there's this plastic frame that folds into a hoop... and the plastic from the newer ones tends to snap.

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I've got the OR Bug Bivy.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/ODR0056/Outdoor-Research-Bug-Bivy.html?CP=Yahoo&CMP=KNC-Yahoo&mv_pc=r106&gcid=S2000x002&keyword=or+bug+bivy&OVRAW=or%20bug%20bivy&OVKEY=or%20bug%20bivy&OVMTC=standard

Used it on the AT with a tarp (when necessary). It has held up well and has a waterproof bottom so I really don't NEED a ground cloth.

[girlscout]

just figured i'd chime in on this... up till km i probably used my tent maybe 5 or 6 times total. i always preferred to cowboy camp, and never had any problems with bugs or other critters. whiptail & i were under the same "raining" tree as magnet that night at vincent gap, but that's about the only time south of km that i had a problem. a heavy fog rolled in an dripped off the tree, forcing me to set up my tent in the middle of the night. i didn't figure out until morning that it wasn't rain, otherwise i'd have just moved my tyvek out from under the tree! :o

anyway, i used my tent off and on north of km, all depending on the weather and/or mosquitos, though i'd say i cowboy camped more often than not. in washington i tented most nights, though even there i was able to cowboy camp a few times. i did have several nights where i cowboy camped, but discovered that the mosquitos were worse than i thought, and had to set up the tent around midnight to escape them.

i never had too many problems with finding good ground to stake into, but i also had a backup plan for this, because i used the shires rainbow tarptent, which can be either staked or set up in free-standing mode using your trekking poles.

http://www.tarptent.com/rainbow.html

highly recommended if you're looking for a tent...

[footslogger]

i never had too many problems with finding good ground to stake into, but i also had a backup plan for this, because i used the shires rainbow tarptent, which can be either staked or set up in free-standing mode using your trekking poles.

http://www.tarptent.com/rainbow.html

highly recommended if you're looking for a tent...

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That brings up a subject near and dear. Already own the Lunar Solo-e but it has no provision for free-standing set-up. Was hoping that someone would mention using that tent on the PCT so that I could pick their brain.

So ...it really worked out well for you, eh ? Ironically (wife and I) bought the Double Rainbow last year thinking in terms of those trips when we hike together. Haven't even taken it out of the box yet. Was considering shooting an e-mail off to Henry and asking him about a swap to the solo Rainbow.

My main question/issue with the Rainbow in general is that you have to carry extra poles for it. What I like about the Lunar Solo-e is that all you need is 6 stakes and a trekking pole. On the other hand, the Rainbow (from what I've read) has more usable space inside and a smaller footprint.

Tell me more ...and maybe I'll make the switch !!

Thanks

[chai guy]

I never carried a tent (just a poncho which could be rigged as a tarp tent of sorts).

It only rained on me for 4-5 days near the Oregon/Washington border, though it was enough to cause me to leave the trail (among other factors).

I laughed when I past people in tents in the middle of the Southern California Desert, WHY?

[footslogger]

I never carried a tent (just a poncho which could be rigged as a tarp tent of sorts).

It only rained on me for 4-5 days near the Oregon/Washington border, though it was enough to cause me to leave the trail (among other factors).

I laughed when I past people in tents in the middle of the Southern California Desert, WHY?

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Guess that's part of the beauty of long distance hiking ...you get to do it your way !! For some hikers the use of a tent is like an unconscious reflex. Many have never slept out under the stars or even attempted to pitch a tarp.

Personally, I'm willing to try just about anything. Just trying to narrow down the options so that I end up carrying the best combination of stuff for my needs.

[girlscout]

there were LOTS of folks with the rainbow on the pct last year- it was a pretty popular tent. the only gripe i ever heard (and experienced myself) was that when it's dry, it's can be a major pain to wrestle the end of the arch pole into the grommet. but my understanding is that henry has addressed this problem in the latest versions of the tent.

anyway, yeah- you do have to carry that shock-corded arch pole, but there's only one, and it's reasonably lightweight. the tent has what i consider to be the perfect size footprint for a single person, tons of headroom, and the side-entry makes it really easy to get in and out. i got the full version with the floor, and never had any problems with water getting in, etc. it always stood up perfectly well to wind & rain. hardly ever had serious condensation problems, either. the tent held up well, though the stuff sack did get trashed toward the end of the trip, and i had to order a new one from henry.

i almost always staked it, as it's quicker and tighter that way, but i did use the free-standing mode on occasion. i know others who always used it in free-standing mode.