Minus 26º Minnesota Backpack Hammock Quest On The SHT

March 6, 2011 by admin  
Filed under Videos

The trip ended being 2 night and 3 days of winter wonder. Every year I realize that when breaking trail in powdery snow that the going is slow especially when toting your goods into the woods. Kurt Papke was an excellent hiking partner … very strong and self-sufficient. I like that in a backpacker! The wind was whipping off of Egge Lake when we pulled in there at around 3:30 so we stealthed up in the woods away from the lake and got into the shelter of trees. Nice to have hammocks for that. My hammock set-up was quick and easy with the straps and rings and biners on my DIY hammock. Kurt used the standard Hennessy knots and lashings and it looked easy for him and quick. Fired up the MSR Whisperlite stove and started making water … good ol’ HOT water! Cocoa Time! Slept in my REI 0º bag with full UQ, BA insulated pad and a blue CCF pad slipped into my SPE. Did not bring the wing pads for the SPE and I wish I had in retrospect. Slept warm and dreamy. Woke earlyish but did not egress the hammock for some time. It was around -5º! Boiled water on my Mini-Atomic alky stove from Tinny at MiniBullDesign and had a hot breakfast from the hammock. Oh Glory! Off to Camp two …. we backtracked and stopped back at my van to resupply for what we knew was going to be a dangerously cold night. I grabbed an second sleeping bag and more white gas. We were only about 15 minutes there. South now to Leskinen Creek. Trail was broken for a while then we had to break. It is so tiring and we

Read more

Hammock How-To….PART 10….Final, Finale, Fini…….. Tarps & Final Thoughts

January 23, 2011 by admin  
Filed under Videos

Finally …… Whooooo Buddy! Now I know that I left out a bunch of info but that is now your quest …… to be inspired to research, practice, succeed and fail in your hammock journey. There is a lot to it and as I discovered doing these 10 videos …. hammocks are for those that like to dink around and tweak and play. *A look at my 11′x6′ DIY tarp. My small 3 season one. My favorite tarp. 15 ounces with lines, snakeskins and all. *Weathershield …. see my DIY one. 7 ounces. Easy project. JacksrBetter sell a Dri-Ducks poncho mod for a weathershield if you don’t want to make one. www.jacksrbetter.com *Added “lifters” to my Warbonnet Winter Yeti UnderQuilt ….. *An inspirational speech *My camp on day one. *Morning talk and “Breakfast From The Hammock” POV *A peek at my friend Pizza’s Warbonnet SuperFly Tarp with Doors. warbonnetoutdoors.com *An song to the JRB Old Rag Mountain Top Quilt *Morning report Day 2 *Packa as a wind block thepacka.com Thanks for watching some or all of these. All secure in sector seven, Shug

Read more

Superior Hiking Trail Hammock Forums Northern Hang #2 Part 1

February 3, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Videos

This here footage is the Northern Hang #2 on the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota. Twenty of us hammock hangers who are all members of hammockforums.net …. the treasure trove of hammock info, got together for 3 nights of backpacking in the cold. Most of us had never met yet it is like hiking with old friends …….. fun for me as I usually solo camp. We started in Crosby Manitou State Park as the SHT (Superior Hiking Trail) runs through it and it is a backpack only park. One of my very favorite spots up there. Had temps of 21º the first night, second night about 23º with snow and high winds and about 23º the last night. Fun for all to test their cold weather systems. Thursday several of us got up there early and camped all over ……. Friday we had a big “meet n’ greet” potluck dinner and Saturday walked around 8.30 miles in high winds to camp. Some had really never backpacked and now the hook is set!! Glad for you to be watching our frolic in the piney woods ……… Whoooooo Buddy!

Read more