[pct-l] Tent on a PCT Hike Thru

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Darrell,

The propensity to sleep under the stars whenever possible is a usually
developed by some combination of, 1) Wanting to enjoy the freedom of being
part of the night – listening to night sounds and staring up at the Milky
Way, and/or, 2) Having sufficient experience to allow a relaxing sleep
without the stress of wondering if something out there in the dark is going
to “getcha”, and/or, 3) Being so firmly motivated to reduce weight that
apprehensions are ignored.

My personal situation is a bit different:  When I first started hiking and
camping with other Boy Scouts in the mid-‘50s the only tents any of us had
were old Army surplus shelter halves which were not only heavy and a
nuisance to erect, but they provided only the most modest protection against
rain, and no protection against bugs.  Being lazy, I eschewed the tent
entirely in favor of sleeping on a poncho – also Army surplus – spread on
the ground; the edge of which could be pulled over the sleeping bag in the
rare event of rain.  If rain threatened I would pitch the poncho as a pup
tent or a lean-to, a practice that I continue to this day.

Most kids today don’t start that way.  Today, useable fully-enclosed and
waterproof tents are readily available and inexpensive -- even for kids --
so fewer are inclined to develop a desire to sleep under the stars.

I sometimes use a tent when camping in bug season, particularly when car or
canoe camping, i.e. when I don’t have to carry the thing.

In balance, sleeping under the stars often requires the use of some kind of
mosquito net; care in selecting a campsite to avoid most of the ants; and
willingness to air the dew off the sleeping bag daily.

In my opinion, the freedom of sleeping out exceeds the associated
aggravations.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

-http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

-http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Darrell McLaughlin <
darrell_mclaughlin at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> I had a general question about taking a tent on a PCT hike thru.Take a tent
> vs not? Sleep on the ground with the bugs and critters or in a tent?  Take
> just a Tarp for rain cover or a tent or both?
>
> Any opinions?
>
> Thanks
> Darrell
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