OK guys I am interested in a trip Aug.1 to RMNP how condusive is it for hanging a hammock? Any must do routes? All info will you can give will be helpful.
OK guys I am interested in a trip Aug.1 to RMNP how condusive is it for hanging a hammock? Any must do routes? All info will you can give will be helpful.
RMNP? EagleJ I'm lookin forward to the trip report from this one!
- Loki my videos
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." — John Muir
PM easy_grounder, he's been spearheading our trip planning for RNMP this coming August as well...
Are you car camping or looking to hike in and camp?
I have found no restrictions on hanging a hammock in RMNP. When I talked to one of the rangers I was told there weren't any specific restrictions regarding hammocks. However, he said some rangers will check to see if you are using webbing straps around the trees to prevent damage.
If you camp in one of the campgrounds, you might have trouble finding a spot where the trees allow you to set up in the designated area.
If you plan on driving up a Forest Service road and camping, you really need to contact the ranger station for the area. There's a lot of beetle kill in some areas and sometimes they close them to clean up the trees. You wouldn't want to camp there anyway because there are 8-10ft high piles of cut up trees everywhere waiting to be hauled out.
HTH
“I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didn't know, I held opportunity.” -Hazel Lee
I haven't been there since before I was hanging. My overall impression is that it shouldn't be a problem. I do remember fondly, hiking up Estes Cone. It is a small peak with a killer 360 degree view. It was pretty easy, marked with cairns, and with a small amount of class III near the summit.
We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown.We are three quarters of a mile in the depth of the earth.We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknow river yet to explore.What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly. Powell 1869
That's kind of what I thought, I've been to the Sierras several times and did not have any issues. Looking at the map the terrain looks similar.
We are planning on backpacking starting day1, maybe 10 to 15 miles pd. currently considering a loop from Bear Lake TH to the CDT back around Longs peak.
I go backpacking in RMNP often, almost everywhere we have gone the trees have been fine. There is a lot of beetle kill in the trees (widow maker galore), but finding a place for the hammock has never been an issue. I have had rangers check both my tree straps and snoop around to see if we had a fire. Bear canisters required, but we have never been called on that one.
We will also be out in Colorado at the end of this month and have been looking for a loop trail. Mostly thinking RMNP. Any good 20 mile loops recommended?
http://www.coloradofiremaps.com
This site may be helpful to you in your planning. We've been having some pretty hefty afternoon squalls lately. Rain-Hail-Bolts... Heavy rains around old fire zones are high risk for mud slides and flooding. Beatles are working their way from north to south. If you are still thinking of RMNP, I was up north of chambers lake on co103 mid June for a 7day solo. Posted album photos today. Small oasis of life in the middle of armageddon.
UNCLERUSTY
Surviving Colorado
B.A.C.
I just hammock camped there a few months ago. If at the campground/ RV sites, the designated spots are small square sites for 1-3 tents to bed down on each numbered site. They are "raised" with a clay like ground with a 4x4 marking the perimeter of each spot, about 10'x10' approximately. These are the only spots in the campground that you can hang a hammock over, after talking to the ranger there. So, trees must align with these spots. I know, llllllllllaaaaaaaaaaame.
I got in late and didn't see the ranger, read the rules, paid my fee and camped happily on one of the numbered site's overlooks that had the properly spaced trees. The next morning the ranger drove up and explained the above rules. She said that the tree straps do damage the trees to some degree and walking off path and off the designated square tent site creates erosion, which is bad for the environment. I guess those gas guzzling, pollution spewing, carbon yielding, unrecyclable, hazerdous, synthetic products used in all the millions of RVs and campers, that create holes in the earth are good for the environment? They are allowed but not a few pieces of recycleable sil nylon??? Fail!!!
She then took interest in my hammock setup, where I enlightened her interest before I inquired on how to allow hammock designated sites in the park, where all they have are just ones for tents and RVs. She said it would take an act of congress. So, anyone know or are related to a member of congress?
If filing for a back country permit away from stupid roads that carry RVs, I imagine you will be just fine, as others above have said. Good luck and don't miss out on RMNP, do it and do it in a hammock!!
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