HAMMOCK ISSUES
I have brought a camping hammock to use as my shelter on nearly half of my Isle Royale trips. I use an older version of the Hennessy Ultralite Backpacker Asym. It weighs under 2 lbs...and that includes the tarp/fly and an attached bug net. Hanging a hammock can add some great comfort and fun to your Isle Royale trip. It can also add some challenges, discomfort, and even a medical evacuation to a hospital. So, you need to know what you are doing regarding hammock camping BEFORE coming to Isle Royale. You will also need to know a bit about how to use a hammock on Isle Royale.
Isle Royale should not be the first place that you experiment with hammock camping. I will say that again, only "louder". Isle Royale should not be the first place that you experiment with hammock camping. Become well-experienced with using a camping hammock BEFORE you come to Isle Royale. A remote wilderness area is not the place to first learn how to use a hammock.
Hammock camping IS NOT just as simple as tying a hammock between two trees. You need to know a little bit about the size and types of trees to use. (The trees need to be big enough and secure enough to hold the weight of the hammock AND the person sleeping in the hammock. Do not attach the hammock to a dead or weak tree. Avoid a site with dead tree limbs overhead Do not attach your hammock to buildings or posts. (NOTE: It is against park regulations to hang a hammock inside a shelter at any Isle Royale campground).
It took me a LONG time for me to learn just how much "sheer force" hanging a hammock can places on trees and the ropes or hanging straps. Click on this link to examine and explore such things with this "Hammock Hang Calculator". Notice how the pound numbers for "cord tension" and "sheer force" change in the diagram as you adjust the different figures in the options boxes. If you have a 200 lb person in the hammock, it is easily possible to have over 1,100 lbs of sheer force tugging on the ropes and trees--depending how you hang the hammock. That force can bring down the tree and/or the hammock--and injure the person in the hammock. Is is also another reason why you don't setup hammocks inside of shelters
COLDNESS FROM BELOW AND FROM THE SIDES
When sleeping in a hammock, you usually need to have a sleeping pad (with a high insulation R-value) under the person who is sleeping in the hammock OR have an "underquilt" UNDER THE OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL HAMMOCK...otherwise you will get EXTREMELY COLD while sleeping in the hammock. This is especially true in the typical Isle Royale overnight temperatures. (I personally opt for using a sleep pad--because I can also use the sleep pad if I sleep on the floor of a wooden Isle Royale shelter). The cool Isle Royale air blowing under and around the hammock will carry away too much body heat if you don't have a good sleeping pad or an underquilt beneath you. Even in "warm" overnight temperatures--sleeping in a hammock can be too cool to be comfortable. Please Note: Having a sleeping bag under you provides very little insulation value--especially in a hammock--because your body weight crushes all of the loft and eliminates most of insulation value of the sleeping bag.
It is probably advisable to attach the hammock to the trees with "hanging straps--instead of tying the ropes directly to the trees. This causes far less damage to the trees (and in my opinion) makes for a better and easier "hang".
ISLE ROYALE HAMMOCK RULES AND POLICIES
Here is a quote from the Isle Royale National Park newspaper--"The Greenstone" --regarding using hammocks:
"Hammocks: In campgrounds, hammocks may only be used within the existing impacted area of designated sites and not in the surrounding trees. Hammocks may not be hung inside shelters. Permissible hammock locations may not be available; bring a tent. Choose trees with care; many cannot support a hammock. Hammock use must not damage trees."
BOTTOM LINE: YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO FIND SUITABLE TREES. Have a back-up plan!
I have slept many nights in hammocks on Isle Royale. I can assure you that there are NOT always suitable (and "legal") places to hang your hammock. If someone tells you otherwise, that person probably has only limited hammock experience on Isle Royale--and was simply very lucky or fortunate (or didn't follow the Park rules). You may have a particularly difficult time finding a place to "hang" --especially when campgrounds are crowded--or if you have more than one hammock in your group. WHAT WILL BE YOUR BACKUP PLAN IF YOU CAN'T FIND A SAFE AND LEGAL PLACE TO HANG YOUR HAMMOCK? If you don't have such a backup plan (or two). You should probably not bring the hammock to Isle Royale.
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS:
Take a close look at this photo. This was the last campsite available at that campground. Where do you suggest that I safely and "legally" hang my hammock in those tiny trees? I ultimately set it up on the ground like a "bivy" or like a small tent...and slept in it that way on the ground. (Note: Before going to bed, I folded the ground cloth into a smaller shape--so it did not extend beyond the edges of the tarp/fly. Otherwise, rainwater could have rolled off of the rain fly, onto the ground cloth, and then flowed directly on top of the ground cloth and under the sleeping me--making me very wet). Also, I did not cut any trees o branches and set up the wooden "clothesline" in this photo. I found it that way. So, I just hung stuff from it.
Isle Royale should not be the first place that you experiment with hammock camping. I will say that again, only "louder". Isle Royale should not be the first place that you experiment with hammock camping. Become well-experienced with using a camping hammock BEFORE you come to Isle Royale. A remote wilderness area is not the place to first learn how to use a hammock.
Hammock camping IS NOT just as simple as tying a hammock between two trees. You need to know a little bit about the size and types of trees to use. (The trees need to be big enough and secure enough to hold the weight of the hammock AND the person sleeping in the hammock. Do not attach the hammock to a dead or weak tree. Avoid a site with dead tree limbs overhead Do not attach your hammock to buildings or posts. (NOTE: It is against park regulations to hang a hammock inside a shelter at any Isle Royale campground).
It took me a LONG time for me to learn just how much "sheer force" hanging a hammock can places on trees and the ropes or hanging straps. Click on this link to examine and explore such things with this "Hammock Hang Calculator". Notice how the pound numbers for "cord tension" and "sheer force" change in the diagram as you adjust the different figures in the options boxes. If you have a 200 lb person in the hammock, it is easily possible to have over 1,100 lbs of sheer force tugging on the ropes and trees--depending how you hang the hammock. That force can bring down the tree and/or the hammock--and injure the person in the hammock. Is is also another reason why you don't setup hammocks inside of shelters
COLDNESS FROM BELOW AND FROM THE SIDES
When sleeping in a hammock, you usually need to have a sleeping pad (with a high insulation R-value) under the person who is sleeping in the hammock OR have an "underquilt" UNDER THE OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL HAMMOCK...otherwise you will get EXTREMELY COLD while sleeping in the hammock. This is especially true in the typical Isle Royale overnight temperatures. (I personally opt for using a sleep pad--because I can also use the sleep pad if I sleep on the floor of a wooden Isle Royale shelter). The cool Isle Royale air blowing under and around the hammock will carry away too much body heat if you don't have a good sleeping pad or an underquilt beneath you. Even in "warm" overnight temperatures--sleeping in a hammock can be too cool to be comfortable. Please Note: Having a sleeping bag under you provides very little insulation value--especially in a hammock--because your body weight crushes all of the loft and eliminates most of insulation value of the sleeping bag.
It is probably advisable to attach the hammock to the trees with "hanging straps--instead of tying the ropes directly to the trees. This causes far less damage to the trees (and in my opinion) makes for a better and easier "hang".
ISLE ROYALE HAMMOCK RULES AND POLICIES
Here is a quote from the Isle Royale National Park newspaper--"The Greenstone" --regarding using hammocks:
"Hammocks: In campgrounds, hammocks may only be used within the existing impacted area of designated sites and not in the surrounding trees. Hammocks may not be hung inside shelters. Permissible hammock locations may not be available; bring a tent. Choose trees with care; many cannot support a hammock. Hammock use must not damage trees."
BOTTOM LINE: YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO FIND SUITABLE TREES. Have a back-up plan!
I have slept many nights in hammocks on Isle Royale. I can assure you that there are NOT always suitable (and "legal") places to hang your hammock. If someone tells you otherwise, that person probably has only limited hammock experience on Isle Royale--and was simply very lucky or fortunate (or didn't follow the Park rules). You may have a particularly difficult time finding a place to "hang" --especially when campgrounds are crowded--or if you have more than one hammock in your group. WHAT WILL BE YOUR BACKUP PLAN IF YOU CAN'T FIND A SAFE AND LEGAL PLACE TO HANG YOUR HAMMOCK? If you don't have such a backup plan (or two). You should probably not bring the hammock to Isle Royale.
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS:
Take a close look at this photo. This was the last campsite available at that campground. Where do you suggest that I safely and "legally" hang my hammock in those tiny trees? I ultimately set it up on the ground like a "bivy" or like a small tent...and slept in it that way on the ground. (Note: Before going to bed, I folded the ground cloth into a smaller shape--so it did not extend beyond the edges of the tarp/fly. Otherwise, rainwater could have rolled off of the rain fly, onto the ground cloth, and then flowed directly on top of the ground cloth and under the sleeping me--making me very wet). Also, I did not cut any trees o branches and set up the wooden "clothesline" in this photo. I found it that way. So, I just hung stuff from it.
What About Bugs and Rain and Severe Storms?
Many people, who are new to sleeping in hammocks, only know about taking a nap in a simple hammock in a backyard on a lazy summer afternoon. They haven't had to really deal with Mother Nature's less pleasant side and using a hammock. I have already noted the need for having a well insulated sleep pad or underquilt beneath you in order to keep you warm from underneath.
Here are some other issues: What do you do if it rains? Do you have an adequate tarp or rain fly? What if it is also very windy and blowing the rain at a nearly straight angle? Have you practiced setting up your tarp or rain fly in a way to address that? (It is probably a little late to develop that skill when you are experiencing hypothermic cold winds and driving rain in the middle of the night on Isle Royale). What about high winds and lightning storms? Do you REALLY want to be in a hammock when 50-60 mile per hour winds are tossing around the trees and your hammock? Do you REALLY want your hammock to be connected to the tallest trees in the area when lightening is striking everywhere? Do you want to be stuck in your hammock if it rains hard for several hours or for a whole day? What is your plan?
Have you checked to see if you have accidentally set up your hammock across a moose's path or game trail? I did that once. I definitely had an, "Oh crap!" experience as I heard a moose galloping down the game trail in the middle of the night toward my hammock--and suddenly stopping just a very short distance before crashing into me and my hammock. I now look and see if I am about to set up my hammock in a game pathway--especially their pathway to the water.
What are you going to do about mosquitos and other bugs? Do you have bug netting for your hammock? Do you know how to use it? Have you practiced using it?
It is very important to have proper plans to address such things --and to have some practice or experience--before you bring your hammock to Isle Royale as your primary place to sleep.
WHERE WILL YOU STORE YOUR GEAR WHEN YOU ARE IN A HAMMOCK?
When you are sleeping in your hammock---where will your backpack and other gear be? How will you keep it dry (and mud free) and keep the critters out of it? Where are your shoes or boots going to be? How do you plan to keep a fox from running off with them? How will you get access to your footwear for a late night run to the outhouse? Where will you keep your flashlight or head lamp? If you wear eyeglasses--where will your glasses be when you are sleeping? Where (and how) will you change clothes? It is probably important to think about such things BEFORE you get to Isle Royale with your hammock.
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT INJURED ISLE ROYALE HAMMOCK USERS
Girls injured in frightening camping accident. (Click this link)
LEARN MORE ABOUT HAMMOCK CAMPING (Click the links)
Here are some other issues: What do you do if it rains? Do you have an adequate tarp or rain fly? What if it is also very windy and blowing the rain at a nearly straight angle? Have you practiced setting up your tarp or rain fly in a way to address that? (It is probably a little late to develop that skill when you are experiencing hypothermic cold winds and driving rain in the middle of the night on Isle Royale). What about high winds and lightning storms? Do you REALLY want to be in a hammock when 50-60 mile per hour winds are tossing around the trees and your hammock? Do you REALLY want your hammock to be connected to the tallest trees in the area when lightening is striking everywhere? Do you want to be stuck in your hammock if it rains hard for several hours or for a whole day? What is your plan?
Have you checked to see if you have accidentally set up your hammock across a moose's path or game trail? I did that once. I definitely had an, "Oh crap!" experience as I heard a moose galloping down the game trail in the middle of the night toward my hammock--and suddenly stopping just a very short distance before crashing into me and my hammock. I now look and see if I am about to set up my hammock in a game pathway--especially their pathway to the water.
What are you going to do about mosquitos and other bugs? Do you have bug netting for your hammock? Do you know how to use it? Have you practiced using it?
It is very important to have proper plans to address such things --and to have some practice or experience--before you bring your hammock to Isle Royale as your primary place to sleep.
WHERE WILL YOU STORE YOUR GEAR WHEN YOU ARE IN A HAMMOCK?
When you are sleeping in your hammock---where will your backpack and other gear be? How will you keep it dry (and mud free) and keep the critters out of it? Where are your shoes or boots going to be? How do you plan to keep a fox from running off with them? How will you get access to your footwear for a late night run to the outhouse? Where will you keep your flashlight or head lamp? If you wear eyeglasses--where will your glasses be when you are sleeping? Where (and how) will you change clothes? It is probably important to think about such things BEFORE you get to Isle Royale with your hammock.
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT INJURED ISLE ROYALE HAMMOCK USERS
Girls injured in frightening camping accident. (Click this link)
LEARN MORE ABOUT HAMMOCK CAMPING (Click the links)
