Hammock Camping

In 2018, after eight years of intermittent tent camping, I stopped being a ‘ground dweller’ and moved up to hammock camping. The advantages are increased comfort and the flexibility of camping site choices. The disadvantages are the time it takes setting up and breaking down camp. But it is worth it.

About to break camp – There are three things to note in this picture…

Good Morning. Hercules Glades – Day Two.

Camped by ‘Deep Hollow’ – After years of camping down in hollows to be near water, I am now learning the advantages of going higher and putting up with a longer trek to fetch water. +1

Packing up after the rain – Everything including the hammock has been packed away leaving just the tarp which I kept up so that the occasional rain shower and drips from the trees didn’t get me and the gear wet.

My 2020-2021 Winter Backpacking Gear. Five-minute read

Camped near Little Brazil Creek – Hot water for breakfast is heating up on the Fancee Feest stove, and my Garmin InReach (satellite texting/locator beacon) is hanging up in a tree trying to get a clear bit of sky to obtain a GPS lock and send my morning ‘All Okay’ message to Ginger.

Dawn by Little Brazil Creek – Day three. It was a spectacular sky and darned cold. There had been a frost overnight, and I had set my tarp up low to the ground to keep the cold hollow winds at bay.

Watching the sunrise on the trees. Berryman Trail – Day Two, December 2020.

Photograph of Gary Allman with his morning tea in a hammock on the Berryman Trail, Missouri.

Morning Tea. Berryman Trail – Day Two, December 2020.

Camped for the night – Berryman Trail – Day One, December 2020. One-minute read

Camped above Little Paddy Creek – Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Three. +1

Frosty Morning at Paddy Creek Wilderness – Eight o’clock and the sun hasn’t reach my hammock yet. Paddy Creek Wilderness Day Two. +2

Setting up camp at dusk – The sky is so light because the nearly full moon has already risen.

Camped in ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ – I’ve not camped in this spot for a while. Recently I’ve been bushwhacking further down the hollow where the sides are not quite so steep. But the views here are much nicer, and I like the little rock-shelf tables I can use as mini kitchen tables. 4 pictures

Camped near ‘Twin Falls Creek’ October 2020 – The season has moved on a lot since I was here a month ago. Remember the teabag I left behind? It was sitting undisturbed on the small rock, where I left it. I packed it away with my trash before I forgot it again! Two-minute read, 2 pictures

Gary, beanie, puffy, and hammock & the unexpected problems of losing weight – On this trip I was trying out new backpacking clothing options, and while I was checking how well my choices were working, I was slow to make changes when things weren’t. And that was a problem. Three-minute read

Watching the wildlife (and drinking tea) – I watched a deer run past, followed shortly afterwards by a much more stealthy coyote. 2 pictures

Morning tea, breakfast in bed, and things that rustle through the underbrush at night. One-minute read, 2 pictures

Camp Life – Journaling – Today was one of the few times I’ve actually got round to writing in my journal while I’m out backpacking. 5 pictures

All set up at my spot near ‘Twin Falls’ creek – I must be getting quicker because it only took me a couple of hours to hike the Pilot Trail to ‘Twin Falls’ creek. 4 pictures

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