My old rain fly trick almost got me hypothermic on the PCT last month

I used to pitch my tarp in a simple A-frame and just trust the wind direction, but after a 40 mph gust hit the Sierra crest near Tuolumne Meadows and soaked my sleeping bag through the footbox, I switched to a half-pyramid with the low end facing the storm. Now I always scout for natural windbreaks and dig a small trench on the uphill side before dark, even if it costs me 20 minutes of hiking time. Has anyone else had a classic setup fail hard in exposed alpine terrain, and what did you change about your go-to pitch after that?

2 comments

2 Comments

derek_burns10d ago

I get where you're coming from with the whole half-pyramid and trench thing, but I think you're overcomplicating a simple problem. That 40 mph gust near Tuolumne is nasty, sure, but an A-frame pitched low to the ground with the ridge line perpendicular to the wind has never let me down in the Sierra. Digging a trench on the uphill side sounds like a good way to channel rain right under your pad, especially if the ground is hard or rocky. I'd rather spend those 20 minutes finding a spot with some trees or rocks to block the wind naturally, and I've had way more luck with a tight, low pitch than with changing the whole shape of my tarp. Maybe your ground cloth or stake placement was the issue, not the A-frame itself. If anything, I've learned to carry a few extra stakes and guy lines to really lock down the sides, because no pitch shape saves you if the wind gets under your edge.

the_kevin10d ago

Buddy of mine tried the trench trick last season. Woke up to a puddle that had seeped right under his pad. He spent the rest of the trip drying gear in the sun.