winter tent staking tips

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vtlukekultv

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what is the best thing to use as a deadman? would one of those cheap, plastic tent stakes work well if set on its side? what's the best way to attach a deadman to the tent? what other options are good (anything other than the deadman trick)?

luke
 
If there is pretty good snow cover, we always just packdown the snow with snowshoes and use our ice axes, ski poles and skis as stakes. Of course we usually try to find a sheltered spot where the snow isn't blown off down to bare rock. That way , with a free standing tent, you really only need to stake out the vestibules.
 
With good snow cover, I typically stake out my tent by burying the stakes (or dead branches) on edge, pack them in and let it set before erecting the tent. Patience is a virtue if you use this method ;) It also really helps if your tent is in a relatively sheltered area :rolleyes:
 
vtlukekultv said:
what is the best thing to use as a deadman? would one of those cheap, plastic tent stakes work well if set on its side? what's the best way to attach a deadman to the tent? what other options are good (anything other than the deadman trick)?

Anything that you can attach a guy to and bury can be used as a deadman. Pegs, sticks, rocks, modified stuff sacks, commercial mesh bag deadmen.

Skis, ice axes, snowshoes, etc make good anchors if not needed until camp is broken. Tree trunks are good (have to pick a spot with the trunks in mind). Ice screws work well if camping on ice.

I frequently use sturdy anchors (such as the above) for the main guys and pegs for the perimeter and pullouts.

Once, when camping on a flat spot in a low snow year, I laid a snow peg down on its side, packed some snow on top of it, and waited for the snow to set. Held for several days.

Doug
 
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A couple of winters ago, I tried various techniques and now prefer a very simple one. First, pack down a large area to set up your tent using snowshoes and let the snow refreeze for about 15 to 30 minutes. Next, use SMC snow stakes along the outside of your tent floor, just push them in with the concave side facing the tent. For guylines, take a length of cord and tie it between the tent loop and through the second big hole from the top of a SMC snow stake with the convex side facing the tent. This works like a vertical deadman, if there's enough snow. It's easier if you tie a loop at the end of the guy line and put the loop through the hole and over the top of the stake. Push the stake into the snow and you're done. If you want to get fancy, use a short section of 3/16 in. bungee cord between the stake and tent loop to maintain tension between the tent and stake. To remove the stake after it freezes into the snow, simply step on the stake to break the bond and pull out by the cord.
 
Dead mans

I was once told that used something "natural" and low impact, like a stick. Tie it to your tent with a biodegradable cord, one that you will sacrifice as dead mans are usually very difficult to dig up and you will just cut the cord off, leaving one end of the rope behind as well as the dead man itself. This is especially nessecary to do if you had to freeze you dead mans in place. Do not use something like a snow filled plastic bag, unless you know you will- and can recover the bag.

But, like jfb, I simply use alum. snow stakes and I find they work very well- and my winter tent is not free-standing.

If you camp on the surface of a frozen lake- you can fashion bollards (sp?) out of snow and use water to freeze them in place. (Think frozen lumps for boulders). They will then be easy to tie you tent off to.
 
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