Shelter Pictures – Stormy conditions

I think it's worth mentioning that some folks venture out in winter with less-than-bullet-proof shelters with the idea (and the knowledge/experience) that they'll build some sort of snow shelter to augment or simply replace their default shelter if conditions look to be bad enough.

I've been lucky enough thus far that I've not had to do much augmenting when using tarp or single-walled tent in snow, but then I haven't done a lot of it either — so I'm afraid no pictures to show by me.

Double Rainbow in the wind:

Note that the vestibule was staked down improperly. Click here. Once there, scroll down for more pics, and a link to a video download.

If you insist. Obviously, I favour a tunnel tent … :-)

Mid-autumn, early morning post storm, Kosciusko NP
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Summer, saddle opposite Mont Blanc, morning after 'a bit of weather'. It was very windy, and wet.
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See "When Things Go Wrong". Morning after 1st storm, note scouring of snow around tent. Strong wind overnight. Why were we camped here? Because it was getting late and visibility was about 2 metres.
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Same place, different view, still windy.
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Different trip, bad weather about to hit – no problems though.

Enjoy.

Cheers

Was shelterless a few years ago in Northern Michigan when a snow storm hit. Ended up digging a snow trench for the night.

For the record, I do not advocate using live boughs for shelter building. I now always carry a small tarp to avoid this.

Near Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Maybe 10 MPH wind:

@Jerry – I am surprised at the bowing of the sidepanel in only 10mph. Are there center guylines on the mid?

Jerry said "Near Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Maybe 10 MPH wind"

now I have coffee to wipe off my keyboard :)

This is the front page of the French equivalent to BPL (Le forum de la randonnée légère ou ultra-légère). They show the test of the Stephensen’s Warmlite compared to the MYOG design that has become very popular among French ULers. You can see how much more wind resistant their design is.

Well…no mid point guylines on the Warmlite (although they are available). Nice marketing.

My Kelty noah's tarp in Yosemite valley last weekend. There was over 12 inches of heavy wet snow. This is actually a 12'x12' tarp althought it's really been compressed by all the snow. I can't claim it was the best setup but it worked. I am starting to think about a real winter tent though :)

Here's the view from inside. You can see the trekking pole at the entrance for scale.

Dean's

Vic's

Ryan's

http://media.photobucket.com/image/oware%20pyramid/gardenville/Winter%2520Stuff/2025.jpg

"They show the test of the Stephensen's Warmlite compared to the MYOG design"

In fairness to Stephenson, they pitched the MYOG shelter end to the wind and the 2R broadside to the wind — hardly a fair comparison.

My ZPacks Hexamid after a night of ~30 mph wind with rain/snow.

Snow?

(just kidding. -37C here with 5.5ft drifts)

"@Jerry – I am surprised at the bowing of the sidepanel in only 10mph. Are there center guylines on the mid?"

Maybe it was windier than that

No center guylines so it does bow in

I've measured 30 MPH with my ADC Wind meter and it still stood up fine, but it does bow in quite a bit

I suppose I should add center guylines, too lazy, plus then I'de have to carry more stakes which adds weight

Great pictures everybody. Here are a couple pictures that I took the morning after a big thunderstorm about five years ago. The pictures do not show any action.. only proof that my first attempt at a homemade silnylon tarp stood up to the storm. (Honestly I am much better at getting a tight pitch these days :)) My wife and I hiked about 16 km into this little lake called Lake of the Falls. It is a great hike but we were a little disappointed when we arrived to find a helicopter unloading a group of people with coolers, large tents, rifles, fishing rods and a bunch of other car camping gear. Seemed like a bit of a rip off.

I remember the storm rolling in just as it was getting dark. My wife and I quickly got up and pitched the tarp lower to the ground. We were glad that we did because within 20 minutes the wind was howling, the rain was pouring and the lightning and thunder were almost simultaneous. I am pleased to say that we remained dry and warm that night. I cannot say the same for our helicopter friends. As were hiked past their campsite the next morning we found them standing outside their walmart style dome tents wringing the water out of their sleeping bags.

North Rim of the GC in March 2007. Dropped 18" of snow overnight on the BA Sarvis eVent. Held up well with shaking the sides a couple times in the night.

Jeff
Just like with Real Estate "position,position,position"
Great spot selection on your part…
Franco

A myog duomid (about 50MPH)

Van pyreneeenjuni2010

Whoa!

"Whoa!"

Ya, my thoughts exactly! I'm not sure what this means for my own intention of a myog duomid with newbie sewing skills.

I had seen the Duomid picture somewhere else, but didn't realise it was a MYOG version. Looks like the bigger panel is pitched into the wind and no centre tie out. When I pitched my Duomid, as a test, in similar conditions results were much the same and the centre pole was flexing alarmingly. It would have been a frightening night if I have had to be out in it. However, 50 mph is not going to be that much fun in any shelter.

That mid appears to be in one of the worst spots around in that picture. It appears that there are some large boulders down the valley a bit that would have made great windbreaks in those conditions, in addition to getting you off the valley floor. That looks like a precarious spot in the event of a sudden rise in creek level/flash flood from rains up the valley. It's tough to judge though, the elevation between the creek and the tarp may be more than it appears in that camera angle.

Sub-optimal site selection and no center guyouts can make for precarious situations it seems.