Since we don’t let the potential lack of trees determine where we hike, we have had to sleep on the ground on occasion. In general, North America has trees on certain trails that folks may not expect. On my first hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, it was recommended to me that I should leave the hammock at home for the first 1200 miles (First 700 miles because of desert, next 500 miles for being above tree line a lot). In fact, there were plenty of trees, so on our 2016 PCT hike, we took our hammocks. For our Arizona Trail hike, we were advised to sleep on the ground for the first 500 miles. In reality, there was a lot of hammocking available in the first 500 miles – we picked our hammocks up at mile 300 and were good to hang for the rest of the trail.
The places that we want to go are not chosen because they are hammock friendly, but because they are scenic, fun, challenging, wild..etc.. We love it when the they are hammock friendly though…and I (Beardoh) am often sleeping in a hammock even off trail these days.
Something that I am becoming more and more convinced of with time in the wilderness is that there are often trees (and others objects) to hang from even in places where you wouldn’t expect. We’ve had to walk a little further on occasion, but those occasions are few and far between. My perceptions of desert vegetation have changed from hiking through AZ and SoCal.
The above being said, there are some times when a hammock hiker may need to go to ground. This post is about the gear that we take to have an All Terrain System, without adding a significant amount of weight.
By carrying 7 sections of a Thermarest Z Lite (7oz) and a 1.6oz Polycro ground cloth, we can have a decent go-to-ground setup, using those items in conjunction with a hammock tarp (or poncho tarp *see below) at a weight penalty of only 8.6oz. If the mosquitoes are bad, we use our hammock’s bug net draped over us (unzip and just pull the bug net portion over our faces). I think of this as the All Terrain Setup. Having the spartan ground setup is great and really gives one freedom when the items are multi use.
I am not crazy about adding the extra half pound to my setup, but the Z Lite has multiple uses as part of my gear. I use the 7oz Z Lite under my legs when it is cold in the hammock as well and as a sit/lounge pad when taking a break or having a meal break. If I didn’t take the Z rest, I’d probably be using a Gossamer Gear 1/8″ thick grey foam pad for the occasional need for more leg warmth anyways (at 2.5 oz). So….in actuality, I am really only adding about 6oz to my setup by using the more versatile and warmer Z lite. Admittedly, if I am expecting consistently warm weather (lower elevations) and am quite confident that I will be able to hang each night, (especially East Coast US and non-desert areas at lower elevations) I will skip the GG 1/8″ pad and groundsheet altogether.
*Last summer on the PCT, I became pretty frustrated and cold with my rain coat, and pretty much ditched the idea of a rain coat for the foreseeable future. It wetted out way too quickly for a new coat. I’ve had two $250+ ultralight raincoats and they both performed poorly. This past May, SweetPea and I built a cuben fiber poncho tarp for me and I love it. I used this tarp while walking in the rain on our thru hike of the Colorado Trail. My shirt, shorts, pack, phone, and maps stayed dry and I stayed warm (though you can have good air flow if desired). I can set this up for ground dwelling as well. SweetPea was envious enough that we built her one after the Colorado Trail
One additional thought – After using a flat ridge tarp for many years, I switched to a hammock (and poncho tarp, for that matter) that have a catenary cut on the ridge and edges. If you have to pitch the tarp using poles only (no trees, fenceposts, or other items to assist), you’ll find that it is difficult to get a good pitch without a catenary ridge. I am currently using a tarp from Hammock Gear since they do a cat cut on their tarp’s ridge and edges.
Referenced Links:
Gossamer Gear Polycro Ground Cloth
Gossamer Gear 1/8″ Foam Pad
Thermarest Z Lite
Thanks for sharing what you have learned by trial and error. I have some questions, if you don’t mind. I know it’s always hard to answer things that tend to be relative to terrain, season, and how a person sleeps.
I’m just making the change to hammocks this year. I have been toying with the idea of getting either the ZPacks poncho or rain jacket. Any thoughts on those? Have you had any trouble with your cf poncho tearing while hiking through brush?
Also, if I need to go to ground I’ve been hoping the GG 1/8 inch ccf would be enough insulation—not so much worried about cushion, just warmth. Good idea, or suck it up and add the extra ounces? (would be sleeping in a quilt).
Thanks again. Great info.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for checking out the post!
Unfortunately, neither SweetPea nor I have an direct experience with the Z packs poncho or rain jacket. A friend or ours used the poncho/ground-tarp on a CDT thru-hike and liked it a lot.
I have only used the poncho in brush that was not thorny – and didn’t have a problem. CF is fairly resilient to puncture by objects which are not too sharp. I wouldn’t push the material in thorny or pokey vegetation and would generally take similar care as I would with a wind shirt.
The extra ounces are probably worth the weight if you are going to have to go ground on anything but a warm night. On the AT, we only carried the GG 1/8″ pad, but we were Sobo (so, starting in late June) and the AT is very hammock friendly throughout. Once it got cold-cold, we switched to sleeping on the ground under 1 hammock tarp and used NeoAirs.
thx for posting this! I’m Hoping to rehike the CT this September after having to bail last year due to my pup hurting his foot. I’m new to hammocks but an not to backpacking, Trying to keep my load as light as possible as I carry a 38l frameless pack. My plan is 23-24 days sobo. You think the GG pad would be sufficient as assume would only go to ground a few times and could also serve as a pack frame. Aslo concidered a cut down sheet of reflectix.
Thoughts? How long were y’all on CT and how many nights on the ground?
Thx
Richard
Hi Richard – thanks for reading the post!
If you are planning on a 23-24 day trip, then you are moving relatively quick and I am guessing would only have one section where the possibility for a night on the ground is high. The spot would be in the 30 mile stretch above tree-line that starts a few miles south of Lake City.
You could even alleviate this by:
1) walking the 30 miles in a day
or
2) making it a couple miles past the Colorado Trail High Point. There is a section where one is walking on a gravel road (descending) and you can see trees off trail…I don’t think it would be too far off trail (if memory serves).
I think having the GG pad would probably sufficient if you don’t mind it for just a night. I’d advise more insulation for hanging however (an underquilt or more insulated pad).
We were on the trail for 27 days, and then in addition, 3 more days for me to do the other side of the Collegiate Loop. We were only on the ground 1 night on the main hike..though for the 2 nights on the Collegiate Loop, I just took a poncho tarp to try it out (but that would have been hammock-able easily enough as well)
Drop me a line through the contact link if you have any more questions.
~Beardoh
Richard and/or Beardoh . . .I am doing the complete Collegiate Trail loop in August 2021. I prefer to hammock (and have been for 6 years), but have never had to go to ground (have always used tents for higher elevations). I am planning to take my time (maybe a couple of weeks at 12ish to 15 miles per day). If I am pretty flexible on campsites . . .how many nights would I absolutely have to go to ground?
Hello Fireball – the collegiate loop will be a nice outing for you. I did this loop in 2017 and again hiked through the west collegiate last year as part of a the CDT hike – and have hammocked through all the miles. You shouldn’t need to go to ground on the collegiate loop. The elevation where one stops finding suitable trees for hammock camping is around 11,800….and most of this section is below that elevation.
I’d highly advise getting the Guthook (Atlas) Guides app and downloading all the layers. Being able to see elevation on the app will plan out your campsites-whether you pre plan the whole trip or just noting specific sections a couple days out .
Out side of keeping in mind the elevation in which to camp, there is one section that comes to mind where I’d plan ahead a little bit. This is Monarch Pass to Cottonwood Pass (41 miles).
Ideally, with the daily mileage expectation you mention, you’d want to try to camp at Tin Cup pass on the south end, near Hancock Trailhead in the middle and just north of Cottonwood Pass.
Drop me a line through he contact form directly if this doesn’t make sense.
Great feedback. I use have mainly used my tent out west, but much prefer a hammock. Also, I wanted to have my rain tarp to throw up if storms come up. I have downloaded Guthooks and am using it for planning, along with the Nat Geo Collegiate booklet. I use Guthooks all the time (i.e., the AT version where I section hike often). You pointed out exactly the overnights we are considering for the Monarch Pass to Cottonwood Pass section. We are going to resupply at Monarch and hope to have food to cover the rest of the time to Twin Lakes. . . so weight for those first 40 miles was a bit much. I am also considering picking up a Nemo Switchback pad and carry that — just in case I have to go to ground. Very helpful comments by you. Appreciated.
The Nemo switchback pad is good, our friends carried that as a go to ground backup on the CDT this year. SweetPea and I carry the half lengths of Z rests (because that is what we already had) which just cost us 7oz each. And we use them as leg insulation and sit pads as well.