BWCA Hanging in Laq la Criox Boundary Waters Group Forum: BWCA Hanging
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      Hanging in Laq la Criox     

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Deeznuts
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09/30/2020 09:27PM  
Wondering if anyone has any tips about hanging out there? My first time hanging besides the woods in my home state of PA. There will be 4 of us going. I'm not too worried about finding trees over that way, but I am looking for tips on campsites to avoid, extra gear to pack that I might not think of, and any Dont's you may have for hanging in that area.
 
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10/01/2020 07:39AM  
I notice you are relatively new to our group, welcome to a treasure of information. And thanks for asking.
I cannot think of anything making hanging in the BWCA different than anywhere else. Trees are trees and weather is weather. Some locations have rules about tree straps but good practice of LNT meets those concerns in the BWCA where no formal rules about hanging exist. There are rules about cutting live vegetation so clearing an opening between trees would not be okay.
I take strips I cut from bird feed bags, about 3"X30", that I wrap first to protect my tree straps from pine pitch, etc. Lots of good hanging trees on LaCroix, but most are pine.
Unsure of your hanging experience I presume you sleep in a full system with bug net, UQ, etc. As a planner I suspect you are already reading other threads on this group forum. What you will need to know is here, enjoy the reading.
Another resource is the maps section. You can pull up information on most campsites, some with photos. I use this in planning, also one of my hobbies. Not all sites will have good tree placement, especially for four hangers.
 
user0317
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10/01/2020 08:02AM  
I don't have any specific advice for hanging on LLC, but I am recalling that my most difficult night in a hammock, and camping in general, was in late May on LLC.

It was a mild evening, but having looked at the forecast, we were aware that it was supposed to cool off, and there was a chance of snow. We were sitting around the campfire, enjoying a growler of beer from Fitgers, when we noticed some thunderheads to the northwest. Suddenly, we heard a noise that sounded like a train rumbling in the distant. It was getting dark, but we could see that a front was moving rapidly across the lake, so we ran to our hammocks. What started as a torrential rain and windstorm produced a several inches of snow. The wind was ruthless. A full day later I recall peaking out from under my hammock tarp and seeing my partners tarp soaking wet, clinging to his hammock due to the wind. It was a small and insufficient tarp for those conditions. He is much skinnier than me and tends to get cool a little easier, so I was actually a bit worried.

I finally decided to emerge from my hammock and confront the wind and cold. I dug under the snow and found some tinder. I started a fire and got my twig stove running to heat up some coffee and soup. An hour later we were sitting by a warm fire, enjoying another growler of beer. The rest of the trip was quite warm.

Since that trip we have both improved our hammock rigs, and I am much more conscientious about how I hang my tarp, and how it is orientated with the common prevailing wind directions. I also use no real knots in my setup (just prussik knots and Dutch hookworms) so I can make quick adjustments in a storm if I need to.

There is a lot of nice timber and decent campsites on LLC, so I don't think you'll have a problem finding a place to hang.
 
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