[pct-l] Stakes (not meat)

[Bill Batchelor]

Excellent feedback Ed.   As this is my first Thru-hike, those types of
stories are worth a million.  Anything to instill confidence and take the
edge off is worth while.

Best to you

BillB (aka Ezhno)

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of ed faubert
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 3:52 PM
To: Mike Saenz
Cc: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Stakes (not meat)

I have a Shires tent and on Dec 27 i pitched it up on the north side of the
Tonto Plateau in the Grand Canyon. I was hunkered down next to and partly
under a rock wall and was unable to get the titanian stakes in the ground. I
used big rocks both inside my floorless tarp tent as well as tying the cord
to other rocks. The wind was blowing so fiercly in the canyon west to east
durning a heavy rain that day. Well the side of the tent was lifted up and
bowed outward but the rocks held the edges down. I must admit however i was
holding on to the side facing south with both hands. It was interesting as
both the rain hitting the front of the tent and the rain dripping off the
rock wall was kept at bay... The sleeve however was tattered as the tent was
blow up against the overhang but i kept dry inside. The wind actualy kept
the rain from puddling up as its was flapping so hard it kept the rain from
running down the sides of the tarp. I was sorry to see some tattered areas
on the  sleeve but thats repairable. The main thing i kept myself and all my
gear dry. I have also been in some nightlong thunderstorms up in Yellowstone
that seemed to happen 7 out of 10 days in the same tarptent. If you saw the
date up above you realize that i also use thie tarptent as a 4 season
one....
  If i had any doughts before, which i did not, about the tarp tents the
fact i weathered a wet cold windy day in Dec. has made me a happy camper.
  Meadow Ed

Mike Saenz <msaenz at mve-architects.com> wrote:
  I've buried short sticks, and if necessary- anchored down with rocks, then
covered in sand when the ground is soft and sandy (the BEST places to sleep
on IMHO!).

Look around on the ground- there are lots of things to use to pitch a tent!

Michael Saenz
Associate Partner

MVE & Partners, Inc. | Architecture + Planning + Interiors Irvine + Oakland
+ Honolulu

1900 Main Street, Suite 800 | Irvine, California 92614-7318 | T
949.809.3388 | www.mve-architects.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Bill Batchelor
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 2:35 PM
To: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Stakes (not meat)

The recent note on using your tarp in high winds in the desert sand made me
think of this question. Is there a resounding support for one type of
tent/tarp stake over another. I have a few varieties and see pro/con on all.

1. I have those super thin Titanium numbers that are basically the shape of
a candy cane and about the diameter of ... A bit thicker than a wire clothes
hanger. Remarkably resistant to bending considering their diameter.
Very
light weight. However, I am concerned that their "surface area" in any sort
of loose dirt or sand would not hold - at all. I know I could always use
rocks and logs as back-up.

2. I have some stakes I got with my Henry Shires - they are aluminum,
hollow, thicker with a nice head on them for banging! Have not weighed them
next to option one, but I am sure collectively they are an ounce. You can
see these here
http://www.tarptent.com/cgi-bin/surfshop/shop.cgi?ud=BAcHBg8ADAMCBRQVEhY
TFwI
EBwMHAAcDBgIREAAA&t=main.htm&storeid=1&sortby=categories,itemid&cols=3&&
c=de
tail.htm&itemid=99

3. Those sort of Y-shaped (when looking straight down at them) stakes that
look like they may be a good choice too. I think I got these with a Mountain
Hardware tent.

Thanks, BillB

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