tarps and frozen ground

[Acer]

Example from frozen Indiana ground. Short 6" gutter nails work well and are really cheap.

I agree,,,you have to keep at hand, a variety of stakes for the occasion or time of year. I leave the ti stakes at home and switch to gutter nails as they work fine,,for getting them out of the ground, throw warm water on them and wait a minute, and they will come right out.

[BrianWillan]

been having teouble with getting ny stakes (sheppard hook) into the rock solid winter ground. any auggestions? would changing the stakes make the difference?

Visit your local big box hardware store and find some nails in the 6" or longer range (not the spiral ones). These are sometimes referred to as gutter nails or landscape spikes. Pound them in the ground with a hammer or similar object, but don't bury them. Leave a bit sticking out as you will need to tap the nail in a little further to break any ice that has bonded with the nail overnight.

Cheers

Brian

[tight-wad]

Carry ONE "heavy" gutter nail to make a hole. Make the hole, remove the nail, put an alu shephard's hook into the hole, stomp on the ground around it, repeat for the next stake.

[USMCStang]

I agree,,,you have to keep at hand, a variety of stakes for the occasion or time of year. I leave the ti stakes at home and switch to gutter nails as they work fine,,for getting them out of the ground, throw warm water on them and wait a minute, and they will come right out.

You can also throw warm water on the ground prior to placing the stakes to soften it. They will freeze in place pretty quickly.

Obviously, this is a waste of warm water that you have to use fuel to heat up. I use an Emberlit, so I don't have to worry about fuel.