I would go with valley floor but not knowing the weather it would be safer on the hillside incase of a flash flood. just hang out and let the water go under you.
I would go with valley floor but not knowing the weather it would be safer on the hillside incase of a flash flood. just hang out and let the water go under you.
the viewIMG_0710.JPG
Cold weather: On the lee of the hill Half way (or so) up the hill. Water nearby is nice, not critical,,,, usually.
Buggy weather, minimal chance of rain, in the wind!!!
Don't care if it's flat or hilly or rocky or etc.
When you have a backpack on, no matter where you are, you’re home.
PAIN is INEVITABLE. MISERY is OPTIONAL.
Just watched this, and thought of this thread.
--Scott <><
"I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver
Up a canyon in the trees with a stream nearby.
I'd rather just be flexible. Hang for the view, but have a back up site or two picked out ahead of time, should conditions change or the situation arise.
1/3 of the way down the lee side of the break, with a little help from some tight brush or structure, ought to sock you away something cozy, in most situations.
It really is best to make the effort to do more than just look around and guess. Hike over or down to your back up choices and spend some time there. Just like when picking a ground site. Unroll a sit pad and take a few minutes to see if you'd really want to ride a storm out there. Check for widow makers now. You probably won't have the time to do it properly later, and if you have to move after dark, you'll basically be guessing, if you don't.
One of the things I've always disliked about tenting, besides the crawling, is when you've made your choice, if the weather would change, your first option was to hunker down and ride it out. Another is you can't see what's going on. With proper site selection and tarp coverage, a hammock allows you to sit out right in it, instead of hiding from it.
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I really enjoy the gurgling sounds of a creek as I fall asleep, but it's hard to beat a campsite with a view. I like to mix things up and try different spots.
Of course with foul weather or bugs I choose sites accordingly.
less is more
That reminds me of a spot we hung in last Fall. It was mid way up a hill, south facing and out of the wind. We could hear the wind all around but not feel it where we were. Warm too and others who were at the bottom of the hill in a field were colder.
I choose a spot where weather will be easier to handle. Stay away from gully washers and possible muddy spots. I like being in the grass/ leaves or Galax for less rain splatter. I do choose sites nearer to a water source but not next to it and stay away from animal trails. Ridge tops can be dangerous here because of lightning so I drop down a bit if possible and that's where the water is anyway. Level isn't necessary in a hammock but nice. And a view is always a plus!
Don't forget to look for dead trees and shake a few live ones to make sure. I found a dead one last week that was so close to branches from a live one it looked like the leaves belonged to it. But when I shook it a little I could see otherwise and moved on.
Sorry I didn't vote, none applied.
Hootenanny Hang June 11-13, 2021
Love many, trust few & always paddle your own canoe. American Proverb
Adventure is Calling... nolilearn.org
I can only speak about places I've hung in Ontario, north and south.
The cold air really sinks into the depressions, river valleys, marshes, lakes at night. The difference between that beauty spot next to the lake or riverside and the hillside spot that's more sheltered and higher is considerable.
In the morning walking down the hillside to the river to get water can be like walking into a cold lake with each step colder and colder.
I vote hillside.
Being from Nevada - I choose a spot that has 2 trees close enough together for hammock camping. Harder than you might think.
Steve
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"I Never knock on Death's Door. I Just ring the bell and run. He hates that"... Methusula
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