Summer Hanging in Minnesota's Boundary Waters

**skibum** · 03-21-2015, 22:48

Hey folks,

I'll be spending my summer working as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota! I'll be hammock camping for 10 days at a time, for three months straight and knowing that more than a few Minnesota natives are expert hangers I thought it would be wise to come here and seek out some advice.

1. The 20˚ down sleeping bag I use for most trips will be shredded and disgusting if used for three months straight in wet conditions and will be too hot most nights anyway. I have a 20˚ down UQ which I'll use but for on top I was thinking about making a fleece top quilt. I'm thinking 300wt fleece with windbloc. Nighttime lows are expected to be in the 40s but I'm guessing it can get colder than that some nights.

2. Same story with the tarp. My homemade silnylon hex tarp will be cut to ribbons if used every day for 3 months. I'm thinking that the best option is to make a new tarp with 200D heavy coated oxford. Will this fabric withstand rougher usage or should I move up to a heavier weight? I'll be in a canoe so weight and bulk are not as important to me as reliable gear.

3. Bugs. I hear they are ravenous. Any tips for dealing with them long-term?

4. How are the campsites in the BWCAW for hammock camping? I'm expecting the forest to be quite dense and difficult to find hanging spots.

Any other tips and advice for hanging in this region are welcome.
Thanks for your help!

**Fronkey** · 03-21-2015, 23:05

Your gear will probably be fine for all that time. People use Silnylon tapes on thru-hikes all the time without any issues.

Those bugs are going to be incredibly bad, but if you wear tightly woven nylon clothing you'll be good to go. Putting some permethrin on it helps as well and I would get a head net too. Having a bugnet for your hammock will for sure help. What kind of hammock are you using?

One good thing about MN is that the trees are a plenty and you really shouldn't have any trouble finding a place to hang.

Have a great time out there. It sounds like an awesome job and an exciting summer.

Fronkey

**frogpockets** · 03-21-2015, 23:09

my two cents are about the bag.
i have found that a wiggys bag is the best for the worst conditions.BOMB proof.wash it after every trip.and it will stiill last a lifetime. you can be soaked and still sleep like a baby.
the extra weight is worth it.you are paddling most of the time anyway.

oh and the bugs ha ha your on your own

**goetzc** · 03-21-2015, 23:15

It sounds like you got my dream retirement job.
Someday, when I retire, I'd like to be a guide up north or fishing somewhere.

I've not ever had a problem finding trees to hang in but I've never tried to stay in a burn area either.

Bugs can be terrible around dusk especially but hopefully you'll have a fire by then and some smoke/breeze to keep them away. Other than spraying permethrin and wearing a bug head net I don't do much for bugs. In my experience the flies can be way worse than the mosquitoes and nats so cool long sleeve shirts work for me.

**obxh2o** · 03-21-2015, 23:25

Your gear will be fine. You'll have a few nights of frost (even in July) and a few uncomfortably warm nights, but most nights will be very nice.

One tip for the skeeters ... use a broad-brimmed hat and spray permetherin on the underside of the brim. It'll keeps the buggers off your face, ears and neck. For some reason this trick does not work with baseball caps.

I'm envious. I did that job up there about 50 years ago, before there was an official BWCAW.

**skibum** · 03-21-2015, 23:35

Originally Posted by Fronkey

Your gear will probably be fine for all that time. People use Silnylon tapes on thru-hikes all the time without any issues.

Those bugs are going to be incredibly bad, but if you wear tightly woven nylon clothing you'll be good to go. Putting some permethrin on it helps as well and I would get a head net too. Having a bugnet for your hammock will for sure help. What kind of hammock are you using?

One good thing about MN is that the trees are a plenty and you really shouldn't have any trouble finding a place to hang.

Have a great time out there. It sounds like an awesome job and an exciting summer.

Fronkey

You're probably right about the silnylon but I don't want to take any chances on a tarp not holding up. I don't have a summer hammock since I usually camp off-season but I'm planning to try it DIY and if it doesn't work out I'll treat myself to a WB or something! Thanks for your help

**hutzelbein** · 03-22-2015, 04:42

Originally Posted by skibum

2. Same story with the tarp. My homemade silnylon hex tarp will be cut to ribbons if used every day for 3 months. I'm thinking that the best option is to make a new tarp with 200D heavy coated oxford. Will this fabric withstand rougher usage or should I move up to a heavier weight? I'll be in a canoe so weight and bulk are not as important to me as reliable gear.

What are you planning to do with your tarp that you think it's not going to survive 3 months of use? I have never heard of any long-distance hikers having trouble with their sil tarps. I have used my silnylon tarp (I think made from 1.1oz sil) for 3 months straight, and more nights later, and apart from some bird poo I can't see any signs of wear. If you only want to use your tarp as a tarp and not for other stuff like e.g. as a groundcloth, you should be fine. Unless, maybe, you used some extra delicate fabric.

**Rex Clifton** · 03-22-2015, 08:00

What I like to do with a tarp is hang it close to the fire pit then, when it rains (which it often does up there) you can sit under the tarp near the fire. Don't do this with your sil nylon tarp! Buy a hardware store tarp for this. As far as your sleeping gear, it gets chilly at night up there, even in the height of summer, and damp. I would bring the kit you have, you can always swap out for something lighter as the need arises.

**weaver2469** · 03-22-2015, 08:35

There are plenty of great hanging spots at most campsites, but not all. If you stop to camp early enough to be able to scout a camp or two, you will be fine. In fact, many of the camps have great places to hang that are a bit removed from the main tent pads, which is pretty cool when you are guiding, because you can get some space from the group you are guiding. I recommend a hammock with a built in net, because sometimes, when there is no breeze, your hammock is the only refuge from the skeeters. Have a great summer.

**nothermark** · 03-22-2015, 08:57

If you are worried about the sil tarp make or buy one made out of polyurethane coated nylon. The lighter coating will be fine with reasonable care. The heavy weight coating will be fine for anything but gross stupid. ;-) They were the standard light weight materials before sil.

I have used fleece for a blanket and it works. OTOH I do not think it will do 40 deg or lower in a package you want to trip with. I would take a layer of fleece as in 6 or 7 feet off the roll, no finishing required. I would also take either a poncho liner or a down lightweight quilt. That will give you 3 options for top layers depending on the temp. Put the fleece close to you and the fluffy on the outside so it is not crushed.

FWIW if you want to get creative with the fleece try adding a button to make it into a cape for cool nights. I'd use a binder clip to see if I liked the idea then maybe make a button hole and add a big button or toggle. Maybe never get to the button. ;-)