With the arid conditions for the first third of the PCT do a lot of people just cowboy it at night? How about the more northern sections?
Also, I’m looking at getting the Virga 2 tarptent by Henry Shires. I would be getting the model with the removable Tyvek floor…idea being I have a ground sheet if I just want to cowboy camp, and still have the option of pitching a full-tent if need be.
Does anyone have any recommendations or insight into this. Thanks!
Andy
A lot of PCT hikers sleep out at night a lot. We didn’t, for a variety of reasons: 1) snakes in the desert - I felt more comfortable not having snakes crawl into my sleeping bag with me, 2) bugs from the Sierras north into Oregon, 3) in Washington we had a lot of rain; and 4) every single time we slept out, the dew hit and we woke up soaked. It didn’t matter how far we were from water, my luck is such that the dew loves me. A few hikers don’t bring a tent to southern California - big mistake. Although rain is rare, when it does happen, you need some shelter. It is not unusual to get fresh snowfall in the mountains in April and May. We got snowed on the the San Gabriels and again in the Sierras.
Second point - after a while, we didn’t use a groundsheet. Either a floor or a groundsheet - you probably won’t need both if you are careful where you place your tent.
Ginny
howdy thar buckaroo,
i am on the pct right now and halfway done!! i am in chester right now and i have to tell you i have not used my tent on the trail since big bear city!!! that was a lonnnggg time ago. i have had some dew on my sleeping bag when i wake up sometimes and even ice crystals a couple times in the sierras, but if you just bring your bag out when you are eating the ol’ breakfast your bag will dry out faster than the strike of a rattler.
anywhoo,
have yourselves a great day and there is still lots of time to go hiking this year!!
yours truly,
TYVEK
TYVEK
You should be happy if you follow your thinking. I used the earlier generation Virga with floor. It served me well until Washington. At that time there were multiple days of rain and it became impossible to keep the inside dry. I wanted to remove the floor but didn’t have the heart to destroy the tent. So, I sent it home. I finished the hike with an 8x10 plastic tarp. That allowed me to set up and pack under the tarp and out of the rain for the most part. When I got home I called Henry Shires and found he prefers to use the Virga with Tyvek. However, the majority of his orders are for sewn in floors so, that is what he mostly makes. Another advantage besides cowboy camping and working in the rain is: when the time comes to dry the gear the Virga without floor dries twice as fast. One of my trail friends had the tent without floor and he could dry his tent in five minutes while it took me ten or more. I have since removed the floor from my tent and replaced it with Tyvek. I think you’ll like Henry’s tent with Tyvek. You’re going to love the trail! May you have many nights watching the stars while the Virga rests in the pack beside you!
Tin Cup