Im going on a trip to Titcomb Basin. Of course I want to bring my hammock. Anyone have experience with this...Tree look very very very thin after seneca lake.
Help!
Im going on a trip to Titcomb Basin. Of course I want to bring my hammock. Anyone have experience with this...Tree look very very very thin after seneca lake.
Help!
Bump. BillyBob58 knows that area well. He'll probably chime in here. Otherwise, you can send him a private message. Happy hangin'!!!
"Pips"
Mountains have a dreamy way
Of folding up a noisy day
In quiet covers, cool and gray.
---Leigh Buckner Hanes
Surely, God could have made a better way to sleep.
Surely, God never did.
I was in Titcomb Basin several years ago as a ground dweller, I know there are trees in the Basin at the lower end to mid way, upper basin is pretty barren but you would most likely not be camping there... Last developed BC site is at Titcomb Lake if I recall, did trip two years ago in the south Winds, hammocked all the way...
Yep, we have been doing some PM exchanges about this. Like you, SR1355, I have only done that area as a ground dweller, all of my hanging has been in the south Winds. There are plenty of trees for about the 1st 4 or 5 miles coming in from Elkhart Park TH, to at least Elklund Lake. ( I was going to find and scan some of my pics, but there are plenty of images on the net so forget that: http://www.google.com/search?q=pictu...r+Mountains+WY ) Elklund Lake:Originally Posted by sr1355
I was in Titcomb Basin several years ago as a ground dweller, I know there are trees in the Basin at the lower end to mid way, upper basin is pretty barren but you would most likely not be camping there... Last developed BC site is at Titcomb Lake if I recall, did trip two years ago in the south Winds, hammocked all the way...
We camped under a tarp up on this hill to the right, at Hobb's Lake:
on the way in and again on the way out. Clearly plenty of trees, but are enough suitable for hanging. How many hangers? By this point, the trees are getting smaller and more flexible.
But I'm betting you can find a couple of suitable trees close to this ( Hobb's) lake. But there might be another problem even if there are enough hangable trees: widow makers. There are a lot of damaged trees through out the Rocky Mountains, way more than 20 years ago. Even where I have hammocked in the southern Winds, some places were great for "safe" usable trees, other places it was a huge hassle finding 2 safe and usable trees for each hanger where you were not also within easy range of a giant dead tree.
After Hobb's Lake ( roughly 6 or 7 miles in of the roughly 12-13 miles to Lower Titcomb Lake ) there are a few trees, even at Seneca lake at about 9 miles in. But by this point I'm thinking it will become very difficult to find 2 usable trees for 1 hammock hanger. These smaller evergreen trees get pretty flexible unless they are fairly thick, even when you can find 2 the right distance apart:
Same thing for Island Lake at about 13 miles: We also camped here, so beautiful and awesome, but gets even more so a mile or so closer to Titcomb! There will be a few trees at Island, but 2 or more usable trees? Probably not, but you might get lucky.
Titcomb Lakes? I'm thinking:fahgetabout it:
I don't see how you can reasonably do this trip without planning to sleep on the ground. Again, just because you find trees does not mean you will find usable trees also safe from Widow Makers, especially for more than just you. What about taking your hammock and just being preparred for the ground, as I always am out there? There would be some extra weight involved, but might be worth it for those nights when you luck out and find two trees close to where you plan to camp. A couple of nights in the hammock is better than all nights on the ground, right? If I get to do this trip again, I'm thinking it will be perfect for my JRB BMBH or WBRR with a TR Neoair in the pad pocket. Then for all those nights with no trees, I have a nice bivy under a tarp with a nice thick inflatable pad for the ground, better than 1/2" CCF(comfort wise anyway). The weight and bulk of this pad is competitive with most of my full length quilts. Of course, I could just take an UQ, but that won't be much use on the ground so I will have to carry the pad weight anyway. So if I have an acceptably comfortable set up with the pad/hammock, just the pad will be the lighter approach.
Any way, bottom line: at least be ready to go to ground, because you are probably going to have to!
Last edited by BillyBob58; 02-02-2013 at 11:41.
. . . and spots to hang there are few and far between.Im going on a trip to Titcomb Basin. Of course I want to bring my hammock. Anyone have experience with this...Tree look very very very thin after seneca lake.
Help!
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Thanks for this, I will be fishing the So Platte in July, I am trying to incorporate a trip into the Winds while out there...may change that portion of the trip
swank
Great...thanks guys for the info... I have a Hennesey Hammock and have been thinking about using it as a bivy when there is no hanging option when we get closer to island lake...anyone have any experience with this? Maybe prop it up with a hiking pole? I just dont want the extra weight of bringing a bivy as well as a hammock...
Sure, using it as a bivy, with hiking poles at each end will definitely help prop it up off you. You can then also hang the tarp over top of you using the poles as needed.
Just make sure you bring a groundsheet (piece of painters tarp, etc. - I like Gossamer Gear's options) and at least a torso size pad.
Brian
Denver, CO
Father. Husband. Scoutmaster.
Great pics. The Wind River Range is definitely on my bucket list.
Titcomb Lakes? I'm thinking:fahgetabout it:
Brian
Denver, CO
Father. Husband. Scoutmaster.
BillyBob Since we will be spending almost two nights near Island Lake and this is the area that concerns me the most (least amount of trees), I would really love and appreciate if you could post any and all pics within a mile or 2 radius of the area. I am really determined to find trees to hang on! any pics would be great! We wont be camping any farther than Island lake.
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