Hello All:

I am curious as to how you all hang your ridgelines for your tarp. I have a hard time getting them high enough off of the ground. Do you throw them?

Looking for some guidance here.

Thanks All.

High enough is subjective. I can reach above my head enough to get clearance to walk under the tarp. How high do you want your tarp to get?

When we base camp we set up a very large tarp so we do our best to get it up as high as we can. I'll tie one end around a stick or rock and huck it up and over a high branch. Usually takes multiple tries, a few f-bombs and at least one scramble to get out of the way before it cracks me on the head...but it works well! With a smaller tarp I'll pitch it a bit lower...

Get an old tennis ball. Cut a small x on one side. On the other side cut a larger x. In camp put your line into the small x. There should be enough friction to hold it in there. Find a couple small stones to put into the ball through the larger x. Throw. If you miss and it gets hung up, you should be able to pull the line back out as there is only a small amount of friction holding it in. If it hits you on the head coming down the tennis ball should cushion the impact of the couple of small stones inside.

Nothing is fool proof, but this system as worked well for me.

Ok... without photos, I'll try to explain the way that I've always done it. I have a CCS tarp with many loops so this may play a factor in my success.

First of all, we don't use a "ridgeline" (i.e. a rope that extends from tree-to-tree that the tarp lays over).

I will take a length of rope and, at the mid-point, tie a small loop in the rope that won't slip. There are several types of knots that will work, but a simple overhand knot is fine. Toss one end over a tree branch on one side of your "tarp area", then toss the other end over a tree branch on the other side, making sure to leave the small loop close enough to the ground to reach. (If you're following me so far, the rope should look like a giant letter "M" right now with your small loop at the bottom of the middle part.)

Now, feed a second rope through the small loop in the first rope that you just hung and tie it securely to the loop in the dead center of the tarp.

Now, carefully lift the main rope (the first one) until it's straight across from tree to tree keeping the small loop in the middle of your "tarp area". (You may have to pull the rope a bit one way or the other to get it centered.) Tie off each end so the rope is securely fastened to the tree on each side and your first rope is fully taught.

After doing that, carefully pull on the second rope to raise the tarp to the height it needs to be, then tie off your second rope to a tree. (This rope will likely need to be re-tied after adjustments are made).

Now, tie off your corners and any additional spots on the sides to take out any sagging.

Clear as mud? I know photos would help. Works great every time, though, as long as there are adequate trees available for anchoring.

I suggest tying the cord to a small (size of a coke bottle) stuff sack that you put a rock in. Simple and very effective.

I use these for my ridge lines...

How high is a matter of personal preference. Too high and rain will blow in, too low and you have a hard time walking w/o being stooped over a lot. My preference is only as high as I can comfortably reach. This way I can easily walk/stand in the center, and adjust the sides to mostly keep the rain from blowing in (assuming you have the tarp oriented right for the prevailing wind). This is for a 12x12 Kelty tarp. Used the same on a square tarp.

SteveElms73: "When we base camp we set up a very large tarp so we do our best to get it up as high as we can. I'll tie one end around a stick or rock and huck it up and over a high branch. Usually takes multiple tries, a few f-bombs and at least one scramble to get out of the way before it cracks me on the head...but it works well! With a smaller tarp I'll pitch it a bit lower..."

Lol!

I get that question all the time.



I'm short so arms length will not do. I keep a small bag, the packaging stuff bag from a GG Stuff Sack. It hold my hardware biners clips ans such. This makes a good throw bag to toss lines over limbs. Now I have gone back to more often using a framed tent , a pole set supplies a 10 foot arm extension.



My tripping buddy uses a lacrosse ball with a 1/8 inch cord knotted thru it for tossing.

Whatever ya use it will take a few tries but it's not too difficult. I use all truckers hitches at the corners, it is not difficult to lower the tarp of angle it for weather when needed.



Jackfish, you could save the second line in your set. Instead of a loop in the first line, attach the tarp center to the middle of the first line with a biner. Pull up the M configured first line with the biner and tarp to the desired height. Center the tarp tie out the corners.

butthead

Usually I use either a large rock or log to stand on to give me some extra height. We use a ridge line on our tarp. One end we use two half hitches and the other end we use a trucker ‘s hitch.

Thanks all.

This helps a ton. What we had been doing is standing on top of our blue barrel. But it is just not high enough. We still had to stoop over getting under it. On a great note we did a full week out of EP 32 and had rain only half of one morning. Weather in the 70s and the walleyes were biting. Hard to worry about a tarp with times like that.

I appreciate all the input. Thanks all. Happy tripping.

I would think with standing on top of a blue barrel which are 24 inches tall and then with your arms up you would be able to have the tarp more then high enough to not have to stoop down to get under the tarp.

OldFingers57: " I would think with standing on top of a blue barrel which are 24 inches tall and then with your arms up you would be able to have the tarp more then high enough to not have to stoop down to get under the tarp. "

They be giants...

Here is a good tip with the Jackfish/Butthead method that I use. When you tie the loop in the main support line, put a 1/4" or 1/2" diameter short stick in the knot before lifting the rope with the tarp attached with Butthead's recommended carabiner attached. The stick makes it really quick and easy to untie the knot. If you don't do this, the knot is a real pain to undo.

I use the same strategy with the main support carabiner used and the pulleys for my food pack, should I decide to hang it. These days, I usually just stash the pack under the overturned canoe. Only had a bear in camp twice in 30 years, and I keep the booze well hidden outside of camp (not in the food pack or in the tent), so I should be able to survive OK for a few days. But, that is another topic of discussion.

Tomster

firemedic5586: " I use these for my ridge lines... "

that's exactly what I do.
As well, many people tie their tie outs WWAAAAAAAAAYY too tight - pulling the ridgeline down toward the ground losing height.
There are some really nice shock cord ideas for tie outs, too.