[at-l] Hammocking Thru

[Amy Skowronek]

On Nov 11, 2007, at 3:31 PM, Art MacAilein wrote:

> Any of you folks done an AT thru or long sections using a hammock  
> (be it
> a Hennessy, Clark, or what have you)? I'm looking for tips, wisdom,  
> and
> sage advice on this matter, as I plan to hammock on my 2010 hike.
>

Hi Art,

I've done 500+ miles of the AT using my Hennessey.

> Things I'd like to know:
>
> How did you handle the Whites? I want to entirely avoid the AMC huts,
> but I'm not unwilling to pay campsite fees where that's the only  
> option.
> I'm not looking to break any laws and camp where I shouldn't.
>

I haven't gotten there yet.

> Were there any places along the trail where you found it difficult or
> impossible to hang?

Yes, I've stayed in shelters more than once in areas where the trees  
were too far apart to tie to, or where it was all low brushy stuff  
and no sturdy trees.  If no shelters were available, I could have set  
the hammock up as minimalist tent using my poles.  Since I carry a  
thermarest, it wasn't a huge inconvenience to me to sleep in the  
shelters, although my quality of sleep is far lower in them.  The  
hard floors make my back hurt.

>
> How did you do, and what did you use, during cold weather?
>

Once I bailed out into a shelter - it was blowing snow sideways and  
extremely cold.  E.g.  my coffee leftovers froze in my mug while I  
was grabbing my rag out of my pack to wipe out the mug.  I was the  
warmest person in the shelter, though, because I used all the extra  
warm stuff I normally use with the hammock.

I've used a space blanket under the the hammock, a bubble wrap/mylar  
reflector with fleece sewn to it, foam pads, thermarests, two full- 
length sleeping bags inside the hammock, the new Hennessey cold  
weather system, and the Jacks'R'Better underquilt and Weather Shield  
(which is a weatherproof, breathable layer kind of like Frogg Togs).   
The last setup worked best for me.

My current cold weather set up is:  on the outside, a sleeping bag  
hung up under the hammock with elastic, and the Weather Shield around  
it to block air leakage and stop windblown rain.  In the hammock, my  
3/4 length thermarest, a down quilt, the Weather Shield top if it's  
truly drafty or there's blowing mist, and a small sit-pad stuffed  
into the foot of the quilt.  I use some of my other gear as a pillow,  
I wear a balaclava, and in really cold weather I wear another hat  
with the balaclava.  Standard advice about eating plenty before bed  
and taking a hot water bottle to bed also applies.

I'm a cold sleeper.  I use the thermarest to sleep on year round in  
the hammock or I get cold hips.  3/4 length works best for me because  
I tend to sleep pretty curled up and my feet wouldn't be on a full  
length pad anyway.  The sit pad tucked into the foot of the quilt  
keeps my feet warm.

Foam pads have tended to stick to both me and the hammock, making it  
really difficult to move around at all.  Hence the thermarest.

Using a quilt in the hammock means you will have the occasional  
draft, but getting in and out of a sleeping bag in a hammock is an  
adventure.  I'd rather live with drafts.

It all adds up to a lot of winter gear to carry.  It's worth it to me  
though.  :)

-amy