Tarp or bothy for solo ski tour?

[Will Elliott]

Hi all,

What do you prefer for stop-and-go shelter on a long ski tour where you aren't stopping to sleep? I was on a trip recently where I stopped to lie down on a foam pad now and then to rest while melting snow. This was uncomfortable with wet snow coming down. I could have thrown up a tarp lean-to with my skis and poles (had I brought one); how would a 2 person bothy bag compare? Can you pull it out of your bag, stick your ski upright at each end, and lie down inside it? Is it long enough? Or do you really need two people sitting facing each other for the bag to work as intended (and not just collapse around you)? I would love to hear about how people have used these.

[Philip Tschersich]

I have a Rab "2 person group shelter" bothy. Haven't used it much, I just take it along for BC skiing emergencies. It would be pretty floppy and lame for solo use and would be a PITA to get to hold any shape using poles, etc. It's cool with 2 people inside for a lunch break in wind or stormy conditions, and would probably be okay for longer in a real emergency, but I would want something else for solo breaks. Setting it up to lay down in would be near impossible due to the size and shape and total lack of a door. The problem with anything else, I guess, is that even a simple tarp or 'mid would take a while to rig up. Maybe a bivvy with a hoop opening or similar? If you have firm snow conditions, a single pole mid with some snow stakes could go up fast(ish).

[Stephen M]

I have used Bothy bags a lot back in Ireland
for day trips, they deploy in seconds.

[Ken Thompson]

Poncho?

[Bob Gross]

I have a DIY 2-person bivy sack that might work, but it is heavy. I have a DIY cuben fiber ground sheet for my summer tarp shelter. If I was skiing a long tour without real sleep, I would take at least the cuben fiber to put over me or under me.

–B.G.–

[Eric Blumensaadt]

If I expected a lot of snow falling it would be a bothy for sure for the shelter.

But, with what I have now I'd take just my TT Scarp 2 fly and main pole. It's a fast set-up with the pole and 4 snow stakes or corner tie-outs on deadmen. I'd sit on my larger winter (18" X 18") CC foam sit pad. Then I could cook if necessary W/O worrying if my skis could hold a bothy up if I did not hold them.

Plus the Scarp 2 fly could accomodate at least 3 people in a sitting position.

So consider taking your tent fly for a shelter. Try it out first so you can deploy it quickly when on the trail.

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