Hanging in SMNP

**joec** · 01-30-2008, 14:52

I am putting off my section hike through Smokey Mountain NP as I do not like sleeping in shelters. It defeats one reason I go backpacking. I also hang, so how do you hammock and hike the trail in SMNP?

**Coffee** · 01-30-2008, 17:52

GSMP has weird rules. Basically only thru-hikers of the park can camp outside the shelter if the shelter is full.

Having said that as long as you camp out of site I wouldn't see it being a problem. At the shelter be the last one to claim a space and it may be full and force you to stealth. I heard the bears are more thick there, but I didn't see any.

There is 1 backcountry campsite without a shelter on the southern end of the park on the AT. The site of an old shelter that got removed. You could legally hang there.

There are pages of arguements on this over on whiteblaze. I saw my only ridgerunner of the whole trail there. From what I hear there are no backcountry rangers.

**warbonnetguy** · 01-30-2008, 18:51

get yourself a good camo tarp

**Coffee** · 01-30-2008, 19:58

Camo is really really bad.

I should add if you are stealthing away from anything taking the usaual precautions, you should be ok.

**NCPatrick** · 01-30-2008, 20:59

Originally Posted by hammock engineer

Camo is really really bad.

It's so bad that it's good.

I once noticed that when I played a song I hated over and over and over enough out of spite for the company present who liked it and kept playing it, I actually started to like it. Then they hated it and I liked it.

I don't know what I'm trying to say here... <shrug>

but I'm back to liking camo again. Does it actually help with stealth camping?

**Coffee** · 01-30-2008, 21:42

Originally Posted by NCPatrick

It's so bad that it's good.

I once noticed that when I played a song I hated over and over and over enough out of spite for the company present who liked it and kept playing it, I actually started to like it. Then they hated it and I liked it.

I don't know what I'm trying to say here... <shrug>

but I'm back to liking camo again. Does it actually help with stealth camping?

I think the right camo in the right conditions would work. I think the standard stealth grey is more stealthy over most conditions. Plus you don't look as suspicous and at least I won't develop a rash.

Was that song by Hanna Montana?

**Doctari** · 01-30-2008, 22:18

Originally Posted by NCPatrick

I'm back to liking camo again. Does it actually help with stealth camping?

My "Neo tarp" is camo, during daylight it is rather difficult to see, BUT (I belive its) due to the finish, as soon as moonlight hits it, I may as well have a white tarp.

For whatever reason, sunlight reflects off the tarp nearly the same as the surrounding plant life. Not so moonlight

Yea, I know that moonlight is just reflected sunlight, I also know that during the day I have a green n brown & black camo tarp, at night that same tarp is nearly white.

I supose the answer to your question: it seems to help if you want to hide, I just have to hope whoever may be looking for me is in bed before the moon comes out.

FWIW: My silver (gray actually) Nomad tent is VERY hard to find in nearly all light conditions. As a 200' late afternoon walk to water showed me by making it a 25 minute find my tent again. I barely left sight of the tent.