Questions About Hanging in Southern Colorado?

[Hootsma]

I'm planning a DIY elk hunt in the Durango area of Southern Colorado (Unit 74, 7,000' - 10,000') towards the end of this coming up September. It's going to be a bivy style hunt, so we will be carrying all of our gear, all day, every day. So weight consideration is a priority. I'm new to hammock hanging and I have a couple of area specific questions.

1) I've researched historical weather data and found daily rain fall amounts for September to be less than 1/2". Doesn't seem substantial, but the weather data I've found does not identify wind conditions associated with these storm events. I have purchased a Warbonnet Ridgerunner (Double 1.1), which should arrive on Monday. I'm willing to sacrifice a few ounces for familiarity and comfort. I plan to get the carbon fiber spreader bars to alleviate some of the weight penalty. I'm trying to decide on a tarp. I'm torn between the Mambajamba and the Superfly. I plan to use my hiking poles to pull the panel pulls out to give me plenty of clearance inside for the bridge hammock. My concern is coverage / rain protection with versus without doors. Is the 5 oz weight penalty necessary to protect myself and my gear (plain down filled sleeping bag) from the typical Durango area weather in September or are the rain conditions mild enough to not need doors? I'm very inexperienced with hammock camping, so I don't think I can count on being able to strategize camp site choices properly for any anticipated inclement weather.

2) I see, in the historical data, that the temperatures can dip down to the upper teens / lower 20's on occasion, with an average of 16 days out of the month with a low temperature below 32 degrees. I'm trying to decide if I can get away with (2) JRB 1/4" CCF foam pads - the 26" for my upper body and the 20" for my lower body and as a sit pad for glassing. This saves me over 3/4 pound of weight versus the AHE Ridge Creek underquilt (I'd like to consider the Lynx, but it's just getting too darned expensive at this point). It seems the general hammocking consenus is an underquilt is more comfortable, but the Ridgerunner folks have a few proponents who believe that a pad is more comfortable than an underquilt, because of the structural support the pads provide to this style of hammock. I have a 20 degree North Face Blue Kazoo sleeping bag. I plan on sleeping in 200 weight merino wool long underwear. I will also have with me, a merino wool neck gaiter and stocking cap, light weight gloves, a hooded Mojave Brooks Range puffy, 2 pair of Smartwool hiking socks, light weight fleece hunting pants and rain gear to pile on as necessary. I tend to sleep pretty warm. Will I be warm enough with this set up if I go with an open ended tarp like the Mambajamba in the typical night time conditions for southern Colorado?

I know this is a lot to ask, but I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row as best I can before heading out. So, any help will be much appreciated.

Robert Merrell

[CopperJL]

Colorado Fall (September) can have some pretty odd weather. It may not rain a lot, but when it does, it's heavy for about 30-45 minutes, and then it stops quickly. It usually comes right around 5:00pm. Think of Hawaii's daily afternoon rain.

You can definitely get by with a tarp without doors.
Historically the 3rd week of September, you should start seeing frost on the ground in the mornings. At the ski resort, we start snow-making right around October 1st (if that gives you any sort of perspective). Personally, i'd bring the underquilt. The temperature rating on a sleeping bag is not the comfort level, it's more of a survival level. I did a hang last September and while it didn't frost, I had some cold spots in a 0-degree bag/pad. For only 3/4lb, I'd much rather be too warm than very cold at night.

[Alamosa]

Having spent the majority of my first 30 elk hunts on the east side of the divide (units 76, 80, 81, 78, and 68), my recommendation would be to not scrimp on shelter or insulation. September weather is absolutely beautiful, but can be unpredictable.

You did not mention what part of archery season you are going for or how long you will be out. There will be a huge difference between when the season starts at the beginning of September and when it ends at the end, this should affect your planning.

Hunting for a prolonged period at altitude will definitely wear you down. Your body will need a lot of rebuild/recuperation time at night. If there is a prolonged storm or cold snap that affects your sleep, that will only make the wear down worse. YMMV, HYOH, etc.

[dukhntn]

I've been hunting the Montrose area for the last 4 years (last week of September). We hike in 5 miles and set up camp. It has very seldom rained on us, but when it does... Last year I spent 36 straight hours in my HubbaHubba due to sleet/rain.
The wind didn't seem to stop the entire week last year. You could get by with a tarp that didn't have doors, but I would sacrifice the weight for the added comfort. Definitely bring an underquilt. Even hanging for a mid-day nap when the temps warmed up, the wind had me chilled and uncomfortable (pre-underquilt days for me).

Beautiful country for a southern boy.

[trailryder42]

I agree you should go ahead and opt for doors. You're only thinking about this specific trip. If you don't use the doors this trip, you may wish you had them on others.

Doors make it nice if you can't orient your hang so that the wind direction and any rain doesn't run right thru the end of your setup instead of hitting it broadside like one would normally try to setup.

Its been my experience that when you're hanging in inclement weather, your whole world that has any dryness and comfort to it is under that tarp. If its raining you'll most likely be doing all your meals under it, you will want to store all your gear that you don't want wet under it. Doors will help keep your world under there drier, even the ground. It s*cks having muddy ground under your hammock.

Its hard to beat the Superfly with doors, but there are bigger tarps than even it.

You have plenty of time to experiment with your setup and perfect it. Don't overlook the need to provide some kind of drip loop or other method on your hammock suspension to prevent water from running down your lines and completely soaking your hammock, you and bedding.

We hung with a guy last year that had all the gear and setup seemed fine, except for that one thing. It rained and he had a miserable night, completely soaked. He went home early, understandably.

[g2outdoors]

I did this last year.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=80155

[Hootsma]

I was hoping to be able to get away with a smaller / lighter tarp, but between most everyones response, it seems I shouldn't be a gram weenie and get the bigger tarp.

That's a pretty cool story G2, ever though it sounded quite difficult and trying. What unit were you hunting? Our worst fear is running into a guide service. But, that's why we are trying to keep the load light, so we can go wherever we need to, to find the elk and get away from the tourists. Did you need to use your doors to stay dry? By the way, I'm a Florida native too!!

My RidgeRunner is suppose to arrive today. I can't seem to get any work done either. Spending most of my time staring out the window looking for the mailman.

[trailryder42]

You might consider a cuban tarp with doors. Depending on what you get and what you compare them to, they can be less than half the weight of a sil nylon tarp like the Superfly, but a little more expensive.

[Alamosa]

...Our worst fear is running into a guide service. But, that's why we are trying to keep the load light, so we can go wherever we need to, to find the elk and get away from the tourists. ...

The guy from Tennessee (and Florida) wants to get away from the tourists while in Colorado? Hummmm....

[Hootsma]

Would have moved out to the mountain west a long, long time ago if I had any say in the matter. Unfortunately, I don't. We go where the government tells us to go.