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I'm thinking of getting a Henessy hammock to go backpacking with in the White Mountains up in New Hampshire. I'm trying to decide wether to just get a Bivy or get a hammock to use backpacking. Have any of you used a hammock to camp out in in this area? My Freind thinks the tree's are too small in the whites and I have not been there to see for my self. Neither of us have any experience with Hammock camping.
Thanks!
Andy
i hung every nite in new hampshire but 2 nights.i stayed in madison springs and lake of clouds huts.there is probally 20 miles in nh that is non hangableQuote:
Originally Posted by Andy
but those place are easily hiked thru if you plan right.but that 20 miles is spread out:cool:neo
im pretty sure most here will recomend you to go the hammock road ;). now the hammock you choose to begin with is up to you, but i find the hh to be great.
What do I do If I can't hang it up? Just sleep in it like a bivy on the ground?
pics in new hampshire:cool:neo
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...php?i=3657&c=2
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...php?i=3656&c=2
:)no i stayed in huts the only 2 nights i did not hang:cool:neoQuote:
Originally Posted by Andy
oooh I see.
Cool pic's!
see this post.
Actually I was on the AT in NH last weekend, near Hanover.
Up in the Whites you do need to work a little bit to
find spots where the trees are sparse enough to hang.
But you don't have to work as hard as you do to find
an off trail site to camp on the ground.
Grizz
So what happens if I can't find suitable tree's to hang it from? is there a way to use it on the ground?
thanks for all this info so quickly!
lots of tree in that area:cool:neoQuote:
Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams
I see that you haven't purchased a hammock just yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
The Claytor Jungle Hammock is built so that you can use as a bivy if needed,
see this page. On the one hand you get (if properly ordered) a double bottomed hammock so that it is easy to slip in a pad between them, on the other hand this rig runs a bit on the heavy side. You can lighten the load a bit by going with a silnylon tarp (purchased separately from someone else).
It is possible to rig an HH to be used as a bivy on the ground. Should have a ground sheet, and a movie camera to record you getting into and out of its bottom loading style.
But you can find suitable trees. You can do like neo did, and hang your hammock across the trail between a couple of trees. You might want to check for moose droppings in the area first though...:eek:
Grizz
http://hennessyhammock.com/use-as-a-tent.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by Andy
www.mosquitohammock.com/junglehammock.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams
Funny Pic of tying to the bad weather sign. It was so nasty when I was there I didn't stop for much.
I wouldn't worry if you are talking about the AT. The longest stretch above treeline is something like 14 miles. Not a bad 14 at that. Only if the weather turns. You may have to search around, but I think you can find enough spots to hang. I don't know of anyone that tents above treeline there anyway. You want some wind break.
only set up my hh on ground once because the terrain where we camped on that trip only had some small but thick bushes with enough space in between. i was able to get a decent tension on the ridgeline so the netting was not a problem. I have two tarps. I used the stock tarp folded under the hammock and the hammock's tie outs were tied to the floor on to rocks. Once you leave some weight inside the hammock, for example the pad and quilt aligned, its quite easy to get in, and as long as everything's well tied out.
Since the important thing when no trees are found is to tie the support rope/s, at least the foot end of the hhammock, i guess you would only need one way of tying that foot end suspension some 50in from the floor the get some acces to the entrance.
it would be nice if my hh was as easy to set up on the ground as the those pics show the claytor to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams
Come to think about it, I don't remember many if any bugs in the whites when I went through. Might not need to worry about the whole bivy thing and just set up the tarp. I would say cowboy, but everytime I try that i end up wet with dew or unexpected rain.
Well I have decided to go with a HH hammock for the upcomming trip and I'll write a post about how it go's with maybe a few pics too.
thanks for all the good info
Hi Andy,
I'll be going the 175miles through NH with a HH starting Aug 2nd. I planned 17 days with a stay at Lake of The Clouds and Pinkham Notch (15 miles between the two... :eek: in one day)
I'll let you know how it goes.
FeO2
Finding trees will be easy enough.... Key to northern hammocking is having a great bottom insulation plan.... Plenty of options.... just plan well from the start.
Pan
As others have said, just don't plan on camping above tree line...no one does. There are plenty of trees. In some areas it is difficult to find a campsite because the trees are so dense. It will be easier to hang than find a ground spot though. If you find yourself in an area with few viable camping sites, try to find a place to settle in b4 it gets too late in the day. Stay away from the trail. Camping too close to the trail is frowned upon and punishable by fine. A friend of mine was caught and fined for sleeping next to the trail. This makes finding a good area much more difficult.
Andy,
I just got home from a week in the White Nat. Forest, and, go up several times a year. There are some large areas where camping is forbidden, because of preservation of scenery, and camping above the tree line is also prohibited. These places are clearly signed, and noted on any map. Not a problem, I have never lacked a site. (Hennessy SS) Set up early, if you need to, always a somewhat open area here and there. Small trees.......... ? If anything, underbrush can make some sections difficult, but, there are always plenty of places clear enough to hang. July, without a smoky fire is intense for bugs! Especially if there is no breeze. A mother moose and calf were staying almost within sight of my camp for the several days I was there, and one bear trotted across trail. (did I mention the bugs in July?) Water can be somewhat spread out, watch your map as time to settle in gets close. A large tarp of some type is important, torrential thunder storms happen quickly, and, this season, cool nights in the 50's made it necessary for me to take long underwear, and my undercover to place extra insulation in, but no sleeping bag. Some of the parking areas require a parking permit, some do not, they are available at any Forest Service office, one is in Linclon. Have a great time!
You will have to work to find the usable trees on trails in NH White Mountains. I did a Pemi loop and found it a challenge to find trees that I didn't have to bloody myself bushwhacking to. I made many forays off trail to find spots 200 feet from the trail and often returned to the trail frustrated. Also had to descend a mile down a trail to find a spot where the trees were hangable. Above 3000 feet the trees are scrubby and closely packed in with lots of deadwood. As many others have said forget about the ridges.
You can definitely hang a hammock in the whites as there are plenty of trees, but plan carefully. You may need to descend to find trees that aren't in an impenetrable scrubby thicket.
I do have a lot of experience backpacking (hammocking) in the Whites.. those mountains are my playground :0) I definitely would NOT plan on sleeping in a bivy- there are remote campsites but they fill up quickly and that leaves you finding a place to lay your head with nothing but a slope under your feet.. i have seen many people turned away to find spots in between mountains...with hammocks you can camp pretty much anywhere. The trees are not too small unless you are looking to camp in the Alpine Zone which is prohibited anyways. Good luck and have fun!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
I do a lot of hiking in New Hampshire as I have a second home in the Whites. The almost complete lack of a flat spot without rocks, roots & trees is what convinced me to ditch my tent. Hammocks are perfect for me in that environment. Especially since I don't camp in established campsites anyway; after all, I'm out there seeking solitude.
The higher elevations are somewhat problematic due to scrub and spruce. But, a bit of planning will take care of that, just like planning for water crossings so you don't have to carry too much water.
and this is the whole reason why we gave up tenting- those rocks do not make nice pillows
When I am up in the whites and am not sure of the tree situation, I bring an aircore inflatable pad that has insulation. That way if I have to go to the ground, I can use he pad in my blackbird and use my trekking poles to keep the ridgeline and bug net up off my face. It makes a functional bivy sack. I also bring my down sleeping bag as top insulation. By thinking of items that can be used in more than one way, I feel confident in finding adequate sleeping options in the whites.