Hammock on the Colorado Trail

imported
#1

This summer (mid June - late July)I will be hiking the CT with a hammock, rather than the tent i used last year.
My Hammock is a WarBonnet Traveller double 1.7, my bag is a Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15deg (with a pocket on the bottom for a pad–there is no bottom insulation in the bag) I have a short Thermarest z-pad 60 inch to stuff in the pad pocket on the bottom of the sleeping pad. Will this be warm enough for the chilly nights at altitude?

With respect to a tarp, should I go with an enclosed tarp (WBO Superfly) or would I be “safe” from critters sleeping under a diamond type tarp with just enough coverage to protect from the rain/wind/elements?

I have seen a few posts in the past few years about treeline and all but that’s not my concern. Generally I am curious if I should spend the couple extra benjamins for an UQ or if I should be okay with the Z-pad as my bottom insulation.

Any suggestions would be welcome. I have never hiked with a hammock, yet that is the way I sleep at home every night–and it’s easier than hauling a king sized bed across CO.

Birdog

#2

The answer is always - maybe.

Most people find a 20" pad too narrow. But I camped with a woman that goes about a buck and a nickle last weekend and the 20" pad was just fine.

I use a 3/4 underquilt, but also need my sit pad under my feet.

The Z-Lites should be enough insulation for June and July.

A small diamond tarp will keep you dry if you avoid exposed sites. I use my SuperFly only for privacy or serious winter. For solo hiking I use a small diamond fly. For group hikes my favorite is the Edge with half a door kit.

There is an active hammock camping group that organizes group hangs in the front range. Send me a PM if you would like to test hang some gear.

ringtail

#3

With respect to the bottom insulation you may be okay in mid summer but for the occasional dip in to the freezing range your shoulders may get a bit chilly on a narrow pad. Underquilts are really worth looking into, top quilts too, less pack volume and the new argon shells are dropping serious ounces off weights. If I were trying to save weight I might go with a 3/4 length underquilt rated at 20* F and a small sit pad to put under my feet. Take along a piece of reflectix to slip under a cold spot (read butt).

For the tarp, I’d probably go with the superfly even though it’s rather weighty, not so much for the rain protection but because I would expect a lot of wind at altitude and the superfly has doors and extra width. If you can get one side of your tarp down to the ground and close up at least one end you can deal with some pretty vicious winds even some change in direction. Here again, Cuben would be half the weight of silnylon if you have the $$$.

David

Bannerstonq

#4

Hammocks are great (I have one), but you’ll definitely need to manage the cold nights and the few sections where there are no trees.

I began my hike on July 17, 2011 and during my thru I had frost on three nights…with a few more nights that were in the 30s. While most nights are warmer than this, you’ll need a plan for how to manage the cold ones. Perhaps that would involve “going to ground” and just using your tarp when the forecast is for frost. Or perhaps it means that you’ll need to bring a down jacket that you can sleep in, and stuff some other material under your butt for insulation.

The other consideration is that it might rain often, including during the night. If you are in trees, this is no big deal because the rain will be coming down mostly vertically. But if you are at the edge of a clearing, it might be driven at an angle, implying that your pack could get wet if you leave it underneath your hammock. Personally, I wouldn’t hesitate to rely on my Hennessey stock tarp, but site selection would be important.

Finally, as you noted, there are a few sections where it can be tough to find trees. You should plan to be forced to go to ground on a couple of occasions, which means that it would be useful to use a tarp that can be set up on the ground…and it would be useful to have a pad or groundsheet that would also work well on the ground.

Anyway, if you’ve never hiked with a hammock before, I’d strongly recommend that you try it out on a few multi-day hikes in various weather conditions. That’s really the only way that you can get your gear dialed-in to manage the cold nights.

Loup

#5

I attempted to sleep in my hammock last year on the CT. A few nights with no shuteye and I sent the hammock back at our first resupply. I was using a golite z10 with my neoair insulated pad in the hammock and was miserably cold. I’m also always the last eskimo to crawl in the snowcave looking for warmth in the winter while backpacking so I can usually handle the cold. My advice would be to use your energy banging out miles during the day and not staying warm during the night

Keem

#6

You may have a problem finding the right trees to attach your hammock to, even below treeline. Spacing can be a problem. I’d go with a tent. Otherwise you’ll probably be “cowboy camping” out in the open quite often with only a hammock.

Zonk