Technique: pitching a tent on rocky slabs

My favorite natural environment is rock; granite to be precise.
I am not a rock climber these days but I have always gravitated to locations where exposed granite forms the landscape.
Last season I traveled to the  High Sierras, to a familiar area.
This season I chose to undertake a sea kayak trip instead where thousands of little island gently emerge from the sea and create incredibly smooth landscapes.
There is a strong similarity between the High Sierra and the Stockholm archipelago; both have glacially polished granite, the latter at sea level.
For the Sierras I chose a very light shelter since I knew I didn't need an inner tent to protect myself from insects.



For Sweden I chose a tunnel tent: a known design able to shed wind well.
I chose a non-freestanding tent over a more pitch-friendly free standing one because of weight and bulk. I dislike travelling with heavy gear and flying across the word to reach my destination usually limits my choice of equipment; there is an incredible difference between car camping and international travel.

Tunnel tents however pose some problems when pitching on hard ground.
Staking out the ends of the tent is essential  to keep the tent erect (unlike in a freestanding tent).
Since polished granite offers too much resistance for conventional pegging (like rock-hard ground!) a little tinkering on my part is usually necessary to have a secure shelter for the night.



Instead of relying on pegs at the stake point I collect a stick and a couple of decent size rocks.
I insert the stick into the stake loop of the tent and place it horizontally on the ground where a large rock will secure it in place. I find that a rock on top of a stick is generally a way better anchor than a typical tent peg pushed into soft ground.

Furthermore, where the ground is a polished slab there are usually a few cracks.
Here is where I like to place a little wired metal wedge designed for rock-climbing  (aka stoppers, nuts, rocks etc).
A carefully placed wedge is bombproof and no amount of wind will rip that anchor out.


Black Diamond stopper
In locations where there is little to no trees, or large boulders to create a wind break, I am confident that my tunnel tent will stand  up to strong winds, even without any pegs secured into the ground.




Omega Pacific wedgie

Photo: friends in the Circus

To shelter from the wind as evening light was fading we all bunched up in the Circus tent.
The little fire-in-a-can offered no real heat but warmed our hearts as dinner was cooking on our little camp stoves.



The joy of sharing the evening with good friends listening to each others stories is one of my great pleasures in life.
As the cold weather brings people closer together, winter camping has often created the best times for me.

Photo: simple camp

As summer is approaching (Southern hemisphere) I know that soon it will be too hot for me to go backpacking: we had temperatures of 30C already.
In my last effort to get a last blast of cold weather I wanted, for a couple of nights, to camp simply.



I left the sturdy tent at home despite knowing that it might rain and be windy.
It was a welcome challenge to set up my shelter for the night with just a thin sil-nylon tarp in a breezy location. A candle-fire created a cozy feeling even if the flame is too meek to warm me.
The tarp flapped around a bit at night but allowed me to watch the moon play hide-and-seek with the clouds.
It was a rewarding experience to leave behind the comforts of city life, stripping myself of the safety of solid brick walls.
Laying on the ground, with only my face exposed from the sleeping bag, listening to the wind whistling in the trees is an experience 5 star hotels can't buy me.

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GEAR: light shelters

When I talk about outdoor activities I usually mean more than a few hours away from the comforts of home.
If I venture into areas not overrun with people and buildings chances are that it takes more than a day to get there and consequently I need to camp.
Camping brings an elevated sense of adventure to my outings.
While most outdoor pursuits might end at sundown (or way before) when I camp I extend my recreation.
Sleeping outside away from the mundane predictability and security of 4 walls is something that I cherished since very young.
Unfortunately my parents were not that keen on camping. Spending summer holidays in a caravan was not what I call camping either.
Good camping in my book is something that is usually found away from buildings, vehicles, fences and signs; a location that is not man made.
Reaching those places however involves walking, skiing or kayaking and therefore my gear selection is compact and light.
No other item symbolises camping more than a compact tent even though not always essential, in my outing (more on that later).
I love venturing to locations that are off the beaten track, literally.
My ideal campsite would be where there is no sign of previous human visitation.
That often involves remote locations that are regarded not "ideal" places to camp.
You will find me looking for a spot for the night on top of mountain ridges where my goal is having the endless view.
When I am kayaking I search for an elevated spot along the shore so I can spend the evening hours just taking in the distant scenery.
Those spots are often exposed and occasionally windy. Having a decent shelter is sometimes essential.

campsite below Mt Twynam, Mt Kosciusko National Park
My tents are always selected on two major factors: sturdy and light.
I dislike a tent that is going to keep me up at night if the wind picks up.
I want the peace of mind knowing that it will stand up in high winds.
Large tents usually don't offer that; they are just too big and act like a sail where the wind can easily push them to the ground or rip them apart.
Strong tents, if inexpensive, unfortunately are heavy.
After years of being a devoted user of Macpac tents for extreme conditions I finally found a better tent that is also lighter: Hilleberg.
Designed in Sweden, manufactured in Estonia a tent from Hilleberg will deliver better performance than any other tent I have owned (I lost count how many) and still be the lightest around.
The tent pictured below weights a mere 900gr.!

Being a modular system I can leave the inner part behind and use only the poles and fly. In conditions where bugs are not too thick it is the ultimate shelter for windy places. The complete tent weights just 1.9 Kg. (4 lbs 3 oz)!
Not being a freestanding tent it does not mean it can not be pitched on a slab of rock. I use a couple of little boulders to string out the ends.

Make no mistake: light is not always good, especially if cheap.
A badly designed tent will flap in the wind and occasionally let go. Cheap poles will snap leaving the occupant a bit panicky :-)

this little tent not coping well with the wind
My trips don't always take me to cold and windy places. I often camp in areas where my main concern is having a haven from biting insects or pouring rain in tropical conditions. On those trips I choose my 3 person tent that consists of a body made from mosquito mesh and a waterproof fly.
While it will stand up to decent winds it won't hold a candle to the Hilleberg in 80 Km/h winds.
In the REI Quarter Dome T3 I have enough space for 2 and plenty of wiggle room. There is no need for a small tent in tropical conditions; staying cool is more of a worry than staying warm.
I use a lightweight tarp over the tent to keep the rain out; it offers outstanding ventilation at the same time.

If the conditions are windy then the tent fly will keep me more comfortable.
At 2.2 Kg is one of the lightest summer tents that I can find that offers that much room, and substantially cheaper than the Hilleberg offerings.

REI Quarter Dome T3
When the buggy conditions are not present I select a tent that is just a bit more than a shaped tarp: the Black Diamond Megamid.

campsite at 11.000 ft in the High Sierra (USA) using Black Diamond Megalight
At 1.05 Kg this is probably the lightest shelter solution for 4 that can take the weather. If buggy conditions are predicted an inner mosquito net is available however it adds a fair bit of weight.
I have modified mine and added just a "skirt" of no-see-ums netting at the base and one entrance panel. While it doesn't have a floor (separate extra) it can still keep the bighties at bay and I added only 120 gr to my tepee.
When I plan to camp in areas of low wind and when bugs a re not a threat I simply use a siliconized nylon tarp.
Two of us have happily slept in heavy downpours under that tarp.

Nothing beats 365 gr for a tarp of generous dimensions (290cmx320cm).
On trips where weight counts (backpacking) the tarp can make a real difference on your shoulders.
I can configure that tarp to make it into a tepee as well and shelter myself from adverse elements (rain).
It does take a bit of ingenuity and a bit longer set up but a tarp is still my preferred shelter when conditions allow it (no bugs).

1Lt Nalgene bottle, the silnylon tarp and the REI Quarter Dome T3 tent
Last but not least is the "commando" shelter: none.
I have slept a few night outside despite having a tent in my pack.
Nothing beats that feeling of being very close to nature where literally there is nothing between you and the night, just your sleeping bag.

winter camping in the Australian Alps

SHOP: DIY lightweight tarp

The lightweight tarp has become one my favorite shelters.
Years ago I purchased a tarp from EMS because I liked the idea of being "outside" while still sheltered from the rain.
The tarp did not work too well.
It was too heavy and bulky (normal urethane coated fabric) and because of its catenary cut design (the sides were not straight cut but bowed) it did not allow to be pitched right to the ground and prevent splashback in case of rain.
Fast forward ten years and I reconsidered the idea.
A new material became available: SilNylon (Siliconized Nylon).
The stuff is very thin, light and surprisingly strong.

Sea to Summit sells a silicone one side, urethane coated on other side tarp.
Not as light and strong as true siliconized nylon though.
A fabric that has no coating will be inherently more tear resistant. The fabric can stretch an conform to stress forces way better than a “static” fabric like a coated one.
Therefore a tarp made from a fabric that stretches will also shape better when strung. It will almost assume a catenary design and minimize the dreaded flapping in the wind.
Unable to source a modestly priced silnylon tarp locally I set to make my own one.
Gee, how hard can it be to make a square tarp?

Sourcing the fabric proved to be the hardest.
I finally found a supplier that is happy to sell small quantities of the high tech fabric: Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics Inc. of Idaho.
Lynn Maine specializes in high end outdoor fabrics and sells to the consumer.

I have made several tarps to date with her silnylon fabrics.
Most weigh around 500-600 grams (18-20 oz.) for a 3.1X4mt tarps and take the space of a one litre bottle.
The tarp is sewn in the centre which then acts as the peak for the “roof”

enjoying a dry evening by the candlefire (TM)
I hem the sides by rolling the fabric and create a casing. A single “fold” is not sufficient since the fabric will eventually fray (despite what some light tent manufacturers say!)
The corners are reinforced by nylon ribbon tape (gross grain) about 30 cm along the hem, leaving a little loop in the corner for cord attachments.

The main central seam is sealed with SilNet sealer since other sealants will not stick to silicone.
In some tarps I add some attachment loops along the seam for hanging a night lamp or clothesline.

A complete basic tarp generally will cost me around US$50-60.
A much cheaper proposition than the commercial silnylon ones.