How do you stake your tarp in snow?

[Harpo63]

They have those 12 or 18 inch 4 fin pvc plastic stakes in florescent orange designed for large tarps at Harbor Freight ( I think)

[Scottybdiving]

I bought some of these to use in sand. They are supposed to work in snow, sand, or scree. I have only used them in sand in Grand Canyon and they held pretty well, especially considering the sand was dry. Here is a review in snowBackpack Gear Test Review

[Trooper]

I use these as well .... sideways usually ... if the snow is soft, mix it up and wait a wee bit. Use a log or branch as well to augment.
Shug

I think Shug is saying to pack some snow and wait some time. If you read his post quickly like I did, a bit of wee mixed with snow would probably work as well...

[Just Jeff]

I bent the heck out of those SMC stakes on my last trip (23 Dec)...the snow wasn't deep enough so I had to push them into frozen ground, which they're obviously not made for. Did the same thing to my Y-stakes...but I needed to set up and it's what I had available!

So I got some real MSR Groundhogs (Y-stakes) and some 9" Eastons from REI for frozen ground...hopefully they'll penetrate enough frozen ground to keep my tarp up.

I've filled plastic shopping bags with snow and buried them before...not the best option but it worked like a deadman anchor. You can do the same thing with stuffsacks, but you might not get them back if they freeze under there.

You can also bury a stick sideways if the snow is deep enough...12-18" long and wrist-thick or so.

The biggest problem is dry powdery snow that's too deep for you to get to the ground.

[Cannibal]

a bit of wee mixed with snow would probably work as well...

Learn from my experience on this, if you do that your stake will become the stick of a wee popscile. Not a fun moment of realization.

[sclittlefield]

I use these as well .... sideways usually ... if the snow is soft, mix it up and wait a wee bit. Use a log or branch as well to augment.
Shug

I think Shug is saying to pack some snow and wait some time. If you read his post quickly like I did, a bit of wee mixed with snow would probably work as well...

I read it the same way first... did a triple take before I got the wording right in my head.

[mclmm]

Learn from my experience on this, if you do that your stake will become the stick of a wee popscile. Not a fun moment of realization.

I rarely stake out my HH or tarp using pegs/stakes.

If the vegetation won't allow it, I just tied the shock cord around a couple of rocks, or in one case, an old WWII Weapons Carrier wheel hub I found onsite.

I know this thread is snow-specific, but don't get fixated on techno-solutions. If there's no rocks, use a log. If it's snowy, the you already know you may have problems staking out the tarp so pick up something to use while you're walking to the campsite.

I have used a stick buried sideways in both loose sand and mud to stake out my tarp and that should work in snow as well, especially since unlike sand or mud, you can melt snow or compress it.

[DuctTape]

We get quite a bit of snow up here, and the cold also freezes the ground. In either/bothof these conditions I do not use my gutter nail stakes. I use sticks. I Can bury them sideways in the snow, or if it is very cold, I pack the snow down, push in the stick and then dribble some water around it to freeze it. I use the sticks and not my stakes because often, it is near impossible to remove them. I untie the tautline hitch in my tie out and remove the line. The sticks just remain.

[animalcontrol]

Wow, I haven't seen those in a while! I remember as a kid, those were the stakes we used/broke. Ug!

you broke them in the snow?

BTW, worthless cept for snow!

[RootCause]

Excellent responses, all!

So I've learned that I can spend money on more stuff, go with what's in the environment, or "go" ON the environment (though I won't enjoy that last one when it's time to break camp!)

This gives me lots to work with- thanks!