Hey Folks!
Any Eastern GTA hammock hangers available for me to pick their brain? I am looking for information about areas to camp, good hikes, the gear you bring and the hamocks you roll!
Hey Folks!
Any Eastern GTA hammock hangers available for me to pick their brain? I am looking for information about areas to camp, good hikes, the gear you bring and the hamocks you roll!
I am two towns to the east in Oshawa. Feel free to ask away.
Cheers
Brian
Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown
Excellent!
What are some good spots to tryout the new gear in the local area? Any recommendations for a newly returned camper and brand new hammocker for the area or gear that I should check into. Where do you buy your gear?
I haven't been in years but have you been on the Seaton hiking trail in Pickering? Go for a day hike and find some place off trail to hang. That's what I do where I live. I have also just gone to a small park close to my in-laws for short naps. I find it fun to explore the parks in my city and I have enough experience to spot potential hanging spots from afar. Have fun finding some places to hang.
Don't let life get in the way of living.
Greetings
As with Bubba, I use local parks to do quick test hangs and naps on weekends. The issue is that there is no overnight camping at these places.
Most of the trails in the area are in conservation areas that don't allow camping so that is a no go except for day trips. I prefer to back country camp, so most of my trips have been to Algonquin Park (summer and winter), Bon Echo, Frontenac Provincial Park (winter). A group of the Eastern great Lakes hangers goes to Valens conservation area for winter car camping.
As to where I buy my gear. Most of my hammock gear was bought from the vendors on the forum here (all the specialty stuff), some of it I made myself. For standard camping items (tent stakes, cook pots, compass, knife, axes, saws etc) I usually get that stuff at Mountain Equipment Coop, Sail Outdoors, Canadian Tire, Lee Valley, WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes. Basically any place that has good gear for a good price. It mainly depends on what you are looking for.
As for recommendations for a new hammock camper, is to practice setting up and tearing down until you can practically do it blind folded. Vary it up too. Practice setting up your hammock with your tarp already pitched (it simulates setting up in the rain). If you can, see if you can create a spot in your yard to pitch your hammock. This becomes your testing lab for your hanging efforts.
If you wish to meet up some time to discuss specific hammock stuff that needs to be seen to understand, shoot me a PM and we can arrange something.
Cheers
Brian
Last edited by BrianWillan; 06-13-2012 at 17:24.
Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown
Cheers! Some great advice from you folks! I may have to setup a hammock nook someplace in the backyard... Haha better then the couch and definately better then the dog house
I've done some day-hanging in Rouge Park in Scarborough south of the Twin ryvers parking lot. Closer to you, check out Long Sault Conservation Area north of Clarington for day hanging, too. It's got nice forested ravines on the west side.
I day-hang in a WBBB with a thin grey pad from Cdn Tire. Exped inflatable pillow. Book from the library. Nuff said.
I've hiked and hammock-camped on the Bruce Trail (stealthily but illegally, sorry), on the Highland Trail at Algonquin, and in Killarney Park on the La Cloche Silhouette Trail. Gonna check out the Western Uplands trail at Algonquin this weekend. I bring a HG incubator and burrow combo instead of a pad for those overnight or multiday hikes.
BrianWillan has covered the gear part of your question thoroughly.
If you find any cool hanging areas near you, please let us know! And welcome to the addicti---um..the forum.
Hi Surreal
You live in hammock heaven. Just got back from a 2 day kayak/hammock/fishing trip in your back yard on the Saugeen. In point @ N 44 11.033 W 080 56.663 out @ N 44 09.915 W 081 00.542 in Hanover. We use the small 10' plastic kayaks as they are cheap and fit in most vans. We’ve done most of the Saugeen from Hanover west to Southampton.
While being respectful of property owners we routinely stealth camp. There is no comparison from a quiet solo night beside a creek to a campground.
As mentioned hiking on the many bluffs on the Bruce Trail is a blast. Personal favorite High Dump. (or a bit south along the shore towards Wingfield Basin)
Oh yea.... Warm up the credit card…
byron
Last edited by zorp; 06-15-2012 at 22:26.
illegal is a sick bird....
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