Non-optimal tent pitch, but great place to do it!

[AK Granola]

First time in the field for setting up my new Notch Li. It worked great in the backyard for a few nights, perfectly taut and so simple. On this recent 3 day trip with four friends (all social distancing in our own tents), I could not for the life of me get that thing taut, no matter how many rocks I piled on the stakes. Stakes on their own would not hold at all in the loose tundra soil. We camped in the alpine and there was no reasonable option to descend to pitch in more dense forest soil below treeline; would have been many extra miles of up and down. This trail is almost 100% alpine. So I used rocks, but was very grateful I didn’t have high winds or rainstorms the two nights I was out, or social distancing would have been abandoned so I could bunk with someone else! It was breezy, but everything held. I’d welcome suggestions for really getting a decent pitch in that terrain, since I’m frequently on alpine tundra. Or maybe since I still have my old Moment DW I use that when I know I’ll be alpine and save this precious baby for more secure soil.

The hike was great! It’s the Chena Dome trail, and the elevation profile is pretty impressive for a short trip. The official record of mileage and elevation gain is probably incorrect, since everyone recording it on GPS shows at least 30 miles total, and more than 9000 feet of elevation gain. Our state parks typically underestimate the length and elevation of all their trails. This is one of the lesser used trails in the area, probably because of its toughness, and because water sources are hard to find mud puddles in the tundra (taste varies from algae-fish tank, to tannic oak leaf – there are no fish or oaks, that’s just the “terroir”).  At least there were wintered-over cranberries to flavor it.  We saw no one during the entire time we were out.

From both campsites, we had astounding views of mountain ranges 360, including the Alaska range. Just amazing. Loads of flowers, mostly great weather (what’s a little hail and lightning!) and great company. The breezes kept the bugs at bay; they are out full force now. Now I have to nurse my Achilles before the next adventure. I love summer in Alaska!

 

[Erica R]

Sounds like a great trip, Karen.
I guess you already know you have to get the stakes right with the door and vestibule zipped shut.

BTW, how do you feel about using a stove in a DCF vestibule? The material is great in many ways, but just wave a match at it and it melts.

[Jerry Adams]

If the site isn’t flat and one of the two ends is up in elevation a bit, maybe that would do it?

Can you make the pole(s) taller?  Put a flat rock under them or something?  Even just as an experiment to see if that helps?

[AK Granola]

I would never use a stove in any vestibule. I rarely eat near my tent, since I live in bear country. I might eat breakfast nearby, but not dinner, ever. The tent is for shelter from weather and for sleeping.

I will have to keep fiddling until I get this tent down pat. If it’s still fiddly after a few more nights though, I may relegate it to forest zones only. The tundra is a tough place to pitch any tent but at least with a tent that has domed or hooped poles, the structure will be maintained even if the floor has to be secured with rocks. Pegs just don’t hold.

[jscott]

Are you using Linelocs attached at the tent? I found those helped a lot with my Hexamid solo, which also took me a surprising amount of time to get any good at pitching. But it came.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Karen, I can get my Notch Li taut everywhere but the catenary cut at the peak between the hiking poles.

BTW, Got the 4 fly hem stake loops sewn on and took some photos of it set up so I’ll post here tomorrow.

I think like jscott, it will take me time to figure out how to get it just right.

 

[AK Granola]

Following up on this one, Eric did you ever dye the fabric on the inner on your Notch Li? How did that turn out? I might try it if I decide to keep the tent and not resell it. Not sure how much it will help with our midnight sun, but might block some early morning rays.

I’m going to try again next weekend to pitch the Notch LI on the tundra. We’ll be above treeline again, in soft spongy ground – the tundra that sinks a foot when you step on it. Pegs simply do not hold. I’m still considering how to do this and get a good solid pitch. It might end up being a bivy sack if the wind picks up!

[R]

Have you tried snow steaks or dead man anchors? Maybe something like the Deuce of Spades trowel? Or possibly digging holes for parachute anchors?

[Roger Caffin]

Where do you get snow steaks from? The Butcher?

 

Cheers

 

[R]

Maybe. I found that one next an osso buco, under a cabernet :)

[Nick Gatel]

Karen,

Good comments from Jerry and jscott. On slight slopes, the low side sometimes has to be set higher to get the geometry right on shelters like this, resulting in a larger space gap above the ground on one or two corners (on the low side of the ground).

LineLocs help a lot in these kinds of situations to quickly get the geometry right. I have found that 2.5 or better yet, 3mm line works best with LineLoc 3. I have used a lot of mids over the past 35 years and most I can set up perfectly the first time after I buy a new shelter — practice makes perfect.

I often use snow stakes in sand, which work well. In Tundra, which is fragile, we probably don’t want to be digging big holes to bury deadman anchors. Companies like Kifaru make special stakes for these kinds of ground, but they are 18 to 32 inches long. Make sure you use all your timeouts. My experience with soft ground and high winds is you need some really huge rocks to actually secure stakes.

[AK Granola]

Thanks all. Yeah, definitely cannot be digging holes in the tundra. Sometimes there are rocks, so I might try doing better with those if I can find big enough ones. I will bring longer stakes this time, knowing that I’ll be above treeline again. It’s nice to practice on an overnighter where I know the terrain! I’ll post an updated picture if I can do a better pitch!

[Roger Caffin]

I would be trying to use snow stakes – my titanium ones. I suspect Aluminium ones in that terrain might just bend and crumple.

Trouble is, that ground looks as though it might be a maze of small rocks, so that getting anything at all in place could be difficult.

I would prefer to NOT camp on that ridge anyhow. Breezy! A small hollow on the lee side would be nice. Could that be possible? (I am comparing it with some of our terrain which looks similar.)

Cheers

[obx hiker]

If there are rocks available maybe you could try some small net produce bags. Put the rock in the bag and tie that out. Get a couple of bigger bags for tying out the poles if necessary. You could try it at home. The bags are VERY light and pack very compactly. I’ve done this on slick rock but not tundra. Instead of a rock ON the stake in effect the rock IS the stake. Plus it may move though I’ve not had problems, but it’s not coming completely undone like a stake that’s pulled loose.

Produce bags

[Eric Blumensaadt]

i’ve found (with my pole handles up and in the optional “handle pouches”) that the elastic loops in the side floor pullouts leave the poles too angled when the floor is properly pulled out.

SO, I’m cutting the elastic loops off, unstitching the webbing loop, RE-stitching that loop back toward the tent floor so I can get my rubber capped pole tip in it and can pull the tent floor wide and still keep the hiking poles vertical and the tent ridge taut – I think…

It’s these little customizations that make gear personalized and what’s more, actually work better in the field.

 

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