Hanging from boulders, how to hang tarp?

**mattnin** · 12-19-2023, 10:19

Due to living in a high desert, and my new love for hanging, I'm desperately trying to find spots to hang in this area with very few trees and water and I don't want to wait until late spring to be able to go into the mountains to go hammocking and I refuse to sleep on the ground if at all possible. One thing I have a lot of, cliffsides, rock faces, and big boulders. I hiked yesterday specifically looking for boulders to hang from and I found a bunch similar to the attached picture near one of my favorite watering holes. That is a pretty good example of what I find in this area. I am pretty confident that I can hang from these boulders with enough rope, but how do I hang the tarp? My tarp has always attached to a lower point on the trees but I have no such spot on these boulders. Any ideas how I can hang a tarp? Do I use something else entirely like a hammock sock? Chances of rain are usually pretty small where I am, but it does happen from time to time. It gets really cold at night. What can I do?

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**LowTech** · 12-19-2023, 10:31

I've attached my tarp directly to the hammock suspension straps many times. It's really easy if you're using Daisy chains but there are "bling" options if you're using just regular straps. If you use rope the same sort of thing could happen w/ a variety of knots or even a friction hitch.

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**ChinoUSMC** · 12-19-2023, 10:40

You can try something like Stopper set for rock climbing or another one could be Camelot cam set.

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**mattnin** · 12-19-2023, 11:40

Originally Posted by LowTech

I've attached my tarp directly to the hammock suspension straps many times. It's really easy if you're using Daisy chains but there are "bling" options if you're using just regular straps. If you use rope the same sort of thing could happen w/ a variety of knots or even a friction hitch.

Hmm, that option might work. I didn't really consider that. I never tied my tarp to the hammock suspension before. I thought there would be too much sway and that it would mess up the corner tie outs?

Chino, I am considering rock climbing gear. I did see a few spots where a nut or hex would have worked as an anchor. I am keeping all options open at this point.

**LowTech** · 12-19-2023, 11:51

The closer the tarp ridgeline is attached to the anchor (tree, pole, rock, etc) the less sway it would have.
I do it w/ my pole stands because it reduces the amount of lines that I have to keep from sliding down the smooth poles I have.IMG_20231218_131939672.jpg

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**joe_guilbeau** · 12-19-2023, 12:31

Zing-It throw line. You can get it in 180-foot lengths for about $30

Get some heavy duty leaf bags at Home Depot and put a couple of bowling ball sized rocks inside for your 'stakes'. The line snakes up and over the boulder and do the same on the other side.

There is your ridgeline for the tarp. We used simple larks head loops at appropriate points and tensioned the tarp with a three foot length of Zing-It and taut line hitches from the tarp tie-outs to each larks-head.

Worked great on 12-day river trips on the canyons of Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park

**bitti** · 12-20-2023, 04:55

Originally Posted by mattnin

Hmm, that option might work. I didn't really consider that. I never tied my tarp to the hammock suspension before. I thought there would be too much sway and that it would mess up the corner tie outs?

Just mentioning that Hennessy hammocks have had clips on the hammock suspension line to attach the tarp for ages, so it's definitely "ok" to do. I do that if I don't expect heavy winds or rain, or if I don't expect to need the tarp (I just attach it and leave it in its snake skin, just in case I'm wrong). But I also think that pitching the tarp separately is better in heavier wind and rain, and allows more tweaking.

**mattnin** · 12-20-2023, 10:34

Lowtech, it seemed that most of the spots I found required quite a length from the ridgeline to the anchor point unfortunately. Maybe if I use enough shock cord on the tarp guylines that should give good enough protection against sway?

Thanks for the vote of confidence bitti. I did start reading up about attaching the tarp to the hammock suspension. I read that getting in the hammock, the ridgeline gets taut, and lengthens, so it can put stress on the tarp if it's attached to it. So I will pay attention to that.

Joe, good idea using boulders for stakes. This ground here in some areas is very rocky and hard to push a stake down. I have done that before. I often can't get a stake in the ground good enough so I get it the ground as best as I can without damaging it and then put several boulders on top of the stake to hold it down. That often does work well enough. I'm having a hard time visualizing "There is your ridgeline for the tarp. We used simple larks head loops at appropriate points and tensioned the tarp with a three foot length of Zing-It and taut line hitches from the tarp tie-outs to each larks-head." Do you have a picture of that? My tarp doesn't have a ridgeline, it's a split ridge. I just have a tie out at each end and it's a winter style tarp with doors. I do also have a hex tarp but I was really hoping to use my winter tarp to keep it a little warmer and shelter me from the bad cold weather. I will install a continuous ridgeline though if it's better for this scenario? My hammock is 10.5' and tarp is 12'.

I wouldn't mind sleeping under the stars and just completely forgo the tarp but even though it often doesn't rain, if there are clouds it'll just sprinkle and spit a bit middle of the night or early morning with some wind. I'm kind of known for going backpacking and camping and refusing to cancel even when the forecast calls for bad weather. I just get out there and pray for the best :-/

**LowTech** · 12-20-2023, 10:47

I think a CRL may be better for a situation where you can get that "extra tension" either from it being attached to the hammock suspension or even trees that can sway in the wind. It keeps the stress off the tarp.
Being in the desert a lot I often put my tarp up in the skin and leave it that way in case I need it. Most of the time I know if rain is coming but occasionally I get surprised by an uncommon dew/frost and then I wake up like this.

IMG_20230331_065036788_HDR.jpg IMG_20230331_065056456.jpg

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**mattnin** · 12-20-2023, 10:53

Originally Posted by LowTech

I think a CRL may be better for a situation where you can get that "extra tension" either from it being attached to the hammock suspension or even trees that can sway in the wind. It keeps the stress off the tarp.
Being in the desert a lot I often put my tarp up in the skin and leave it that way in case I need it. Most of the time I know if rain is coming but occasionally I get surprised by an uncommon dew/frost and then I wake up like this.

IMG_20230331_065036788_HDR.jpg IMG_20230331_065056456.jpg

Ahahaha yeah that dang frost is just enough to make things extra chilly in the morning, nothing a good cup of early coffee can't fix though. At least everything is all dry again by 10 am

Yeah, you're right I usually know if it's going to rain too. I'll definitely look into that CRL