Hammock vs tent......

**mbiraman** · 06-14-2010, 16:35

To be honest that situation in Arkansas is so fresh i find this conversation a bit too soon. IMHO.

**Hawk-eye** · 06-14-2010, 17:54

Originally Posted by mbiraman

To be honest that situation in Arkansas is so fresh i find this conversation a bit too soon. IMHO.

Point taken but it is also a good time to remind folks of the dangers of mountain river valley and storms upstream. The newbie to camping might not understand the dangers of that scenic riverside campsite.

**MacEntyre** · 06-14-2010, 18:00

Last fall in the Sipsey, Thomas had to catch up with us. He spent the night stranded on the other side of a stream, within sight of our camp. The little stream, which was ankle deep when we crossed, was six feet deep when Thomas got there a couple of hours later! He ended up cat walking across on a fallen tree the next morning, which he did quite well... I would have had to swim!

**WonderMonkey** · 06-14-2010, 18:46

Originally Posted by Hawk-eye

Point taken but it is also a good time to remind folks of the dangers of mountain river valley and storms upstream. The newbie to camping might not understand the dangers of that scenic riverside campsite.

Or even the oldie. You sometimes get comfy and make those mistakes.

**Theo** · 06-14-2010, 18:55

Originally Posted by mbiraman

To be honest that situation in Arkansas is so fresh i find this conversation a bit too soon. IMHO.

Had I not been side tracked, I would have been there with 2.5 ft. of water flowing over my hammock. Like I said before, I never would have dreamed the water would have gotten that high, that fast.

Some times even us old dogs need to be reminded about Nature's power. I hope no one will make the mistake I would have made had I been there.

**Ramblinrev** · 06-14-2010, 19:09

Either way... tent or hammock I suspect the biggest danger is the rapid sudden rise and getting entangled in the shelter as it is subjected to waters force. Even with an open top loader I suspect when the water is that high and fast a tent would not be any safer than a hammock. Nor would a hammock provide more safety than a tent. Site selection and awareness of nature is the best defense.

**Hawk-eye** · 06-14-2010, 19:21

Originally Posted by WonderMonkey

Or even the oldie. You sometimes get comfy and make those mistakes.

Not me ... and I can say that with confidence. At about 16 years of age, I came close to getting pinned below a rock face by the rising water. A clap of thunder awoke us and gave us the opportunity to check outside our tent. Seeing the potential of being cut off from the only escape route we uprooted the tent with our gear in it and scampered to higher ground with less than 30 mins. to spare before our original campsite was a couple feet under water.

About a month later I saw the results of a flash flood in a small valley off the Yadkin Valley that stripped a 40 foot deep gorge out of a peaceful stream valley above a Methodist campground. Stripped down to the bedrock. Fortunately no one was hurt in this flash flood like the one last week in Arkansas.

I've never had the urge to camp along any water scour line since ... and I look for it before setting my camp.

**Hawk-eye** · 06-14-2010, 19:24

Originally Posted by Theo

Had I not been side tracked, I would have been there with 2.5 ft. of water flowing over my hammock. Like I said before, I never would have dreamed the water would have gotten that high, that fast.

Some times even us old dogs need to be reminded about Nature's power. I hope no one will make the mistake I would have made had I been there.

Glad you weren't ...