Going into the mountains of Colorado

[chadg]

Hello,

I stumbled upon Hammocks and Tarps while researching equipment for a trip to the CO mountains in September. I love the idea of a hammock!

I am wonder if anyone has designs or recommendations on a hammock to use at base camp for sitting around the campfire.

Also a tarp to cover the hammock and cover an area for 2 more people in chairs to sit around the camp fire. Tarp needs to block wind or rain while siting around the camp fire.

I can sew and have made quilts so i am not afraid to make them myself.

Needs to be light! We are hiking in and camping 6 nights.

Thanks!

[dakotaross]

Sounds awesome! How high will you be? I camped at 10k and chickened out bringing my hammock and regretted it. Trees are smaller but were plentiful enough up there that I could've made it work. Was worried about having to go off from the designated site since I was in RMNP.

There isn't really a better hammock for base camp, other than perhaps a netless one that's good for lounging. I doubt you would need the net, they're lighter of course, and you can always buy a half net (HUG) if you think you might need it. I tarped without a net and there were no bugs, but I was high (altitude ).

I also doubt you'll need a tarp to cover you around a campfire. You'll want one over your hammock, and I'm guessing your "people in chairs" will be in tents if it rains. Typically, rain is an afternoon thing out there so that you generally don't need it at night. Any tarp large enough to cover you all while sitting around camp AND being a wind block is going to be large and heavy and most likely not used if you care anything about observing the night sky.

I would suggest you get a large tarp and set it up in porch mode where your friends can pull their chairs in if needed. I own a Toxaway from Arrowhead Equipment which is a good one, but you might rather have an 11' tarp out there to ensure you can hang where you want. Wilderness Logics is a good place to look, and Jacks R Better has a nice square edge tarp that might be more along the lines of what you're looking for.

[chadg]

Looking at the maps we will be around 9000ft. It is the first time I will be that high.

In September i don't think bugs will be a big concern. Someone correct me if i am wrong.

We will have two two man tents for three of us and i want to bring a hammock or two as a way to sit around the camp fire.

Good to know about the rain in the afternoon, and we do plan on star gazing. Astronomy is one of my hobbies and i want to show the other guys around the stars with our binoculars and a green laser.

I will check out the tarps you mentioned and keep researching.

If anyone else has input on what to expect from CO in September i am all ears! This is my first time!

Thanks for the input!

[ringtail-THFKAfood]

9,000 in September should be fairly mild. Expect days in the 60's and night in the 20's. That is after the monsoon and should be pretty dry. Climate is what you expect, but the weather can be much different.

[tundrwd]

Couple questions - generally where will you be? Weather is different on the western or eastern slopes of the Rockies. Around Gunnison/Pitkin? Colorado Springs? Durango/Silverton? Loveland/Estes Park/Boulder? Or western slopes around Rifle? Weather patterns are different for each area.

Generally, you get afternoon showers. About enough to keep the dust down. I've been to Estes MANY times over the years, and early Sept can be wet. Like all day drizzly wet. Not always, but the week after Labor Day can start being wet. Same thing for Pitkin area. Been there a few years in mid-Sept, and again, can be wet with some all day drizzlers. Mid-Sept you will also tend to get more all-night rains at the 9000 foot level. Days ok, but evenings and nights can be rainy. Gunnison and the area on the US50 corridor will be a bit drier. Head up north, and higher, it'll be wetter and colder.

Anyway, central and eastern Rockies - expect rain 30%-40% of the days you are out at that time of year. Mostly afternoon and sometimes all nite. Short showers for about 30 min to an hour about every day. Western Rockies will tend to be drier, seems the rain gets squeezed out of the clouds when they go over the divide, so generally not as much rain as western slope.

Temps are as noted above. BUT, it's dry. I've sat out on the front porch of the Pitkin hotel when it was about 10-15 and rainy, and it didn't feel near that cold. Felt like it was 35-40 or so (relative to where I live)

Don't forget that black powder elk season is roughly mid Sept for about 10 days. National forests will be busy with hunters and outfitters.

[chadg]

Looks like we are going to be just north of Hot Sulphur Springs if you want to Google it.

Sounds like rain gear is going to be more important than i was anticipating.

Thanks for all the information you guys! I really appreciate it.

[tundrwd]

Looks like we are going to be just north of Hot Sulphur Springs if you want to Google it.

Sounds like rain gear is going to be more important than i was anticipating.

Thanks for all the information you guys! I really appreciate it.

You know how this works - right?

You carry a couple extra tarps and some rain gear - you won't need it. You go expecting not much and not having much - it'll pour all week.