It has been 3 weeks since the Great Pumpkin Hang in New Hampshire. I have gotten out every weekend since then and been generally busy otherwise but I do have to confess to something I am not too proud of. :-)
I have been a hammocker for over a year and I do get out fairly often and I have never have had issues with widowmakers - trees crashing onto a hammocker or dangerously close to a hammocker.
Previous reports from our members made me aware of site selection and tree selection. HOWEVER - I have to say that when I set up in the dark and when I am distracted during hammock pitching by talking to someone else .... I tend to make mistakes. I have to confess that I have had not one but TWO consecutive weekends when my poor tree selection caused the tree to crash on me.
First time at the Great Pumpking hang - I set up at dusk and I was talking to another member.
Second time the following weekend in the White Mountains when stealth camping near a trailhead - again setting up in the dark and talking to a friend.
Both times I would get ready to go to sleep, get into my hammock, get comfortable and about 5 minutes later hear a cracking sound (almost like a lightning), my hammock buckling to the ground, me covering my head with my hands, fetal position. Both times the tree missed me by a foot. Really close. Broke right at the stem, close to the root. Dead tree.
So let this be a notice to anyone out there. Do a better job than I did and don't tie your hammock to a dead tree.
Bookmarks