Baldpate Summit Overnight - March 3 '25

[Lone Stranger]

This was another cold one so limited picture taking. 10° or so in the parking lot, sub zero overnight on the summit with a toothy wind at times heh.

Trail had been broken a week before but was windblown in many areas. Fast going on the broken parts, less so in the deeper stuff.







Given the conditions I was in the hammock before it got dark. Several weeks later the sun began to come up so I was brave enough to get out.



It was too cold to bother making coffee. I just crammed everything in my pack and skidaddled. So hard to hike down the mountain without caffeine, but it was a pretty morning at least.



Video is short because it was just too cold to bother with the camera.

 

[maineguy]

This was another cold one so limited picture taking. 10° or so in the parking lot, sub zero overnight on the summit with a toothy wind at times heh.

Trail had been broken a week before but was windblown in many areas. Fast going on the broken parts, less so in the deeper stuff.

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Given the conditions I was in the hammock before it got dark. Several weeks later the sun began to come up so I was brave enough to get out.

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It was too cold to bother making coffee. I just crammed everything in my pack and skidaddled. So hard to hike down the mountain without caffeine, but it was a pretty morning at least.

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Video is short because it was just too cold to bother with the camera.

Nice pics and video. However, I got cold just viewing them...

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Seeing all those spindly and snow-laden trees, I was looking forward to seeing your hammock strung up, which must have challenging, caffeine or no caffeine.

 

[Lone Stranger]

Seeing all those spindly and snow-laden trees, I was looking forward to seeing your hammock strung up, which must have challenging, caffeine or no caffeine.

Very limited tree selection up there even in the Summer if you want to follow the 4" rule. Had to take the two trees that would hold me despite them not being quite far enough apart. Wasn't a great hang, but it worked. Dutchware is the key in those sort of conditions. Very easy connecting tarp and hammock even with frozen fingers.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Very limited tree selection up there even in the Summer if you want to follow the 4" rule. Had to take the two trees that would hold me despite them not being quite far enough apart. Wasn't a great hang, but it worked. Dutchware is the key in those sort of conditions. Very easy connecting tarp and hammock even with frozen fingers.

What is the 4" rule?

 

[Lone Stranger]

What is the 4" rule?

Minimum tree diameter for hanging. Not sure where I picked it up, was many years ago. Seems to work as I haven't broken any trees yet in hundreds of nights in the hammock.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Minimum tree diameter for hanging. Not sure where I picked it up, was many years ago. Seems to work as I haven't broken any trees yet in hundreds of nights in the hammock.

You're braver/luckier than I am. I know I've brought down trees larger than that.

 

[Lone Stranger]

You're braver/luckier than I am. I know I've brought down trees larger than that.

I am very paranoid about tree selection and will spend a lot of time picking where I want to set up. Even though I have been to this exact spot several times before, things change up there, especially in Winter. I walked back and forth a few times over some distance, looking at two other spots before settling on this one.

I am also very careful with summit trees because they don't have much in the way of roots. In the snow my butt is supported by snow and the rest of the year I hang with my butt grazing a bit of plastic so I hit the ground rather than pulling down the trees.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

What is the 4" rule?

You need to hang your hammock at least 4" from all trails.