Tips for hammock camping in snow?

[Cliffy]

I just had a great tent camping trip in the snowy Oregon Cascades, and now I'm ready to try it in my hammock!

Does anyone have any good tips or suggestions about how to stay warm?

For equipment, I have a Hammock Gear "DYNEEMA® FIBER STANDARD TARP WITH DOORS," Dream Hammock Darien, and a UGQ top quilt and underquilt rated to 20 degrees. I have a feeling the quilts might just barely keep me warm enough, so what can I do to increase the insulation? (Also, sometimes I have a hard time adjusting my underquilt...it doesn't hug my hammock completely, so I get some cold spots underneath).

Would be grateful for any feedback and suggestions!

Thank you.

[ObdewlaX]

There are others here that can provide lots of tips for hammock camping in snow, but it's not that much different than camping in a tent other than being off the ground in your hammock setup. Check out Shug's winter camping vids... he's got quite a few with tips for winter outings as well as tips for quilt adjustments.

Cold is cold & I have done a lot of camping/backpacking in the cold. When it comes to overnight slumber, I layer my sleepwear to help extend my comfort when temps get low. With layering, I've had my HG 20 deg quilt set into the mid-teens many times but if temps get much lower than that, I'd probably rely on lower temp rated quilts to get me there comfortably.

[oldbiker]

A UQP will take you down a few degrees. I think it helps with the fit of the UQ by snuggling it up better to close some of the saggy spots.

[SnrMoment]

Most UQ's come with clips along the top for adding some line to pull up the quilt tighter to the hammock. I use a bungee with a small biner looped over the hammock ridge line. Easily adjustable with a slip knot or taught line hitch.

[cougarmeat]

Cliffy, I use a UQP (underquilt protector) all the time because it makes the UQ adjusment less critical. You can’t ignore it completely, but it’s difficult to see how the setting is while you are still in the hammock - if you don’t have someone to be a "Hammock body” while you make adjustments. If you just have one hammock and one UQ, then you can set it up at home - put a knot in the bungee to set it at the desired length - so in the field you just clip on each end and done.

The doors on your tarp will help keep the warm in and the UQP will help there too.

Couple things about snow … Be careful as you approach trees because they might have a hidden tree well.

Be careful about trees because, in addition to the usual warning about widowmakers, you also might have large clumps of snow on healthy branches.

If you bring a shovel you can use the snow to create a wind berm around the perimeter. You’ll want to pack down the area under/around your hammock so you don’t sink in once you step away.

Usually a person compresses the snow using xc skis or snowshoes, then gets off it for 15 minutes or so while it ‘sets up” harder.

It’s good to stomp out a path to where you might have to pee at night so you don’t end up thigh deep in snow.

Though a tarp ridgeline is usually run over the tarp, in the winter, it is sometimes run it under the tarp to provide more support (remember that potential snow drop). The “under “ is not used in the summer because of the potential to create a highway for rain to run under the tarp. Also a constant wind might cause rubbing against seam seal on the ridgeline under that tarp. It seems if you put even a little weight on that ridge line under that tarp (hang something on it), the ridgeline will be pulled down and have little contact. And water breaks can but put on the line. But usually it’s over the tarp in the summer and maybe under the tarp in the winter.