Reader Tips: Best Way to Pitch a Tarp with Fewest Stakes or Guylines

Very slick idea Jhaura. I can actually see using a similar technique for a half pyramid. Stakes all the corners directly to the ground without guylines and simply tie the front center guyline to a tree.

Not the nicest pitch, but kinda like the picture below…just remove the pole and attach the guyline directly to the tree. Actually, this would be 5 stakes and one guyline ;)

Try this:
1 stake in the center, rear of the tarp.
1 stake holding your hiking staff guy line.
1 stake at each front corner.
The tension on the lower triangular sections will hold them down pretty well. You can fold the corners under you as a partial ground cloth, too. Note that you can also do away with the front stake holding the hiking staff, since the angle lets the front corner stakes hold it up. But, it is not good in any wind.

How about 3 stakes and one guy line:

Tie off to a tree and stake the opposite corner to the ground. Stake out the other 2 corners and you're good to go. Eliminate the load lifter visible in the right side of pic and replace with a trekking pole inside in the center.

Steve,

You can do that half pyramid pitch also with no guyline if you carefully angle in the trekking pole. So same setup minus one guyline and minus 1 stake!

Any tips on how to efficiently pitch something like the MLD cuben poncho?

A line stretched between two trees and two stakes works.

Or line between trees, low on one end with two stakes and a couple more lines on front.

Gear
Tarp: MLD sil poncho
Bivy: new BPL Vapr
Quilt: new BPL 240

I came here to say exactly what George Carr already said, but I don't even have a supporting picture. That setup sheds snow well, and if the wind shifts, a golite umbrella across the front (as a door) seals things up quite weather proof.

One could also run a long guyline betweeen two trees, have it run over the the top and tie out the hood to it in the middle. This is a way to get various heights for your tarp. The lower it is hung, the wider it gets. It gives a bit more support to the middle by keeping it up.

Where were you guys when I posted the solicitation?!

You could have been PAID for those pics of nice set-ups. I'm trying to tap the collective wealth of knowledge in our community, but it's awfully hard when you're so shy.

What's it like to be shy? :)
Addie

I'm guessing I would just replace the trees with trekking poles above bushline, but I'm also guessing I would not choose to do this unless it was a) and emergency, or b) it was a lovely evening with little chance of bad weather. These ponchos are pretty minimal looking for excluding windblown rain and mist IMHO, but I always carry a poncho "just in case" on days trips, so good to know what the minimum I need is.

Addie, does that count as one of those "smackdowns" you alluded to a couple months ago?

It's as close as I can get in polite company. :)

What polite company!? ;-)

>>> could have been PAID for those pics of nice set-ups

I'll buy you a diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel alright
I'll get you anything my friend if it makes you feel alright
'Cause I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love

Addie,

Just knowing you love us is all we need.

By omiting the guyline altogether and substituting the stakes with twigs and the poles with two rather heavy branches (leaning them outwards so that they keep the tarp under tension) you can build a very low, rather wobbly A-frame.

Which is what I had to resort to on one trip, when I found out late at night that I packed only my poncho tarp but forgot stakes and guylines. As it was an easy two-day trip in the woods I neither carried any trekking poles either.

I must admit, it wasn't a very comfortable night though, but it kept off the rain.

Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood then of taking any pictures of this construction.

Very cool ideas, that's what I love about SUL backpacking – so much creativity and cooperation with nature to succeed! The talented BPL crew has really added value with this thread. Thanks all for the inspiration. And thanks Addie for being so "persistent" and committed to getting us to step up and share our experience.