That is pretty awesome. Did you have to climb both trees or did you tie high and swing from one to the other. I like the safety rope while in the hammock idea, prevents a long fall if you forget to not step out for a midnight nature call.
That is pretty awesome. Did you have to climb both trees or did you tie high and swing from one to the other. I like the safety rope while in the hammock idea, prevents a long fall if you forget to not step out for a midnight nature call.
Yosemite Sam: Are you trying to make me look a fool?
Bugs: You don't need me to make you look like a fool.
Yosemite Sam: Yer deerrrnnn right I don't!
My emotions/thoughts in order:
How did he pee? (Very carefully, I'm sure!)
Is insanity a prerequisite to belong to HF?
What a great view!
I slept great! It was one of the most quiet nights I experienced while backpacking.
The temp was about 15 degrees. Just cold enough to make working with a rope suck.
I used a very old Marmot synthetic bag EN rated to 15 degrees and a Montbell super spiral down hugger 30 degree bag.
I did NOT use an underquilt.
I used an XL thermarest ridgerest and half of one under my core (the other half, which I cut to give my hiking partners a sit pad, is the half that I dropped on the ground)
What would I do better? The only thing I feel I should have done differently is set my hammock up over a branch to stand on. Setting up everything in the hammock was very difficult when my only to options were to do it while sitting in the hammock or by trying to reach and push everything around with a long stick from the only branch I could stand on.
Refreshing
Last edited by Refreshing; 12-23-2011 at 11:52.
I am 100% interested in trying this out as I think it's awesome and it's great that there is someone in the area who is doing it.
Like most thing that are dangerous and new, there is a learning curve that you have to figure out.
How did you get in and out of the hammock?
How was the snow situation up there?
Awesome job dude and way to get out there!
Fronkey
Actually I have perfected the art quite well . The trickiest part to overcome is trying to undo my three layers of clothes while wearing a harness. Once that is out of the way I just throw my right arm over the ridgeline, roll onto my left side, and you guys no what happens next!
I am glad you asked! When I was setting up my hammock I just tossed a throwline into the other tree on top of a branch then used my grapnel hook to grab the line underneath the branch and pull it back to me. I then tied my ridgeline rope to the throwline and pulled it around the branch. So now the ridgeline leads from me, to the other tree, over the branch, and back to me. I then tied a double figure 8 loop on one side of the ridgeline rope and ran the other end through it and pulled it tight like a noose around the tree branch.
Retrieval was a bit more fun! I had to climb to the top of the white pine then do some limb walking until I could reach a small branch of the maple tree then I loosened my climbing line as I slowly monkeyed my way into the maple tree. I untied the hammock and then I did a swinging tree traverse back into the pine. Basically, I just tighten the rope, jump, and swing for my life !
Refreshing
Last edited by Refreshing; 12-23-2011 at 11:52.
I forgot to post the conditions last night and I was hoping to beat you to the punch before you asked! Honestly on the drive up there I thought there would be no snow on the trail because Duluth and the roads are snowless. But once I got about 10 miles into the county roads towards the trail head everything was snow covered. There was about 2-3 inches on the trail, just enough to make it feel like winter.
As for getting in and out of the hammock I just grab onto the ridgeline and shimmy my way down the rope then drop down into the hammock.
I am psyched that you want to try this. It shows me that I am not the only one who enjoys making something harder just for an increased thrill. I have extra gear and I invite you to tree climb with me some day. Once you learn safe climbing treetop hammocking is easy!
Refreshing
Last edited by Refreshing; 12-23-2011 at 12:53. Reason: Safety reasons.
Oh, and I forgot to add in the original post that the tarp works AMAZING!
Seriously, in the future I will be remaking it with silnylon because it worked flawlessly! I fell asleep stargazing (the tarp pushed to my feet) and was awaken when a cold breeze was crossing my face so I simply pulled the tarp up next to my head. In the morning there were a few snowflakes dropping so I pulled it all the way up to the tie in point. It was sOOO simple and mentally comforting knowing that I was surrounded 360 degrees by a windproof barrier.
Refreshing
Thanks for the photos, that looks really fun! I'm excited that you are doing this in MN!
That's <absolutely darling, dear>....but man I'm jealous, looks really fun to do Imagine hanging from Redwoods in Cali?
Last edited by Just Jeff; 12-23-2011 at 13:04. Reason: seriously man - family friendly
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