Lower your impact and get better rest by using a hammock instead of a tent. The PCT offers plenty of opportunities for hammock camping, and the Desert isn’t as barren as you might think.
When I thru-hiked the PCT, I didn’t bring a tent. I slept in a hammock. I went in with a little trepidation as there were few sources of information available on the feasibility of hammocking on the PCT. I was vaguely aware that the Desert of southern California lacked trees and that the trail rose above the tree line in many areas. But I had never owned a tent, and my hammock was my only piece of gear that offered any kind of bug protection. So a-hammocking I would go.
Slinging a hammock quickly garnered attention from campmates on the trail. People were curious as to how one sleeps in a hammock, how comfortable it is and why I’m not worried about crashing to the ground in middle of the night.
And then there were the people who told me that I may as well abandon any notion of using a hammock in the barren, treeless landscape of southern California.
“You mean to say there are no trees at all in the Desert?” I would ask the naysayers, mindful that the crest from which the trail took its name extended all the way to the Mexican border and beyond. Surely some trees eked out a living in the higher elevations, I reasoned.
Their answers were always mixed. A few that stuck with me:
“Yeah, you could definitely do it, but it’ll be tough.” Challenge accepted.
“Well, I guess if you go way off the trail you might find some trees.” The person making this statement had a puzzled look, as if having trouble recalling what exactly he had seen in the Desert.
“Nope. No trees at all.” This person spoke with such conviction that I couldn't help but think of a Seinfeld episode in which the Maestro assured Jerry there were no houses to rent in all of Tuscany. Not one single tree.
As I had suspected, they were wrong. Mostly.
I did hammock the entire PCT and slept on the ground only three nights in the Desert. And yes, there were plenty of wooded areas in the Desert, although there were also long, treeless stretches that forced me to hike several miles farther than I would've liked in order to find a place to hang. A little ingenuity goes a long way and a few nights I hung from telephone poles, rocks and even scrub.
So if you’re debating whether or not to sleep in a hammock on the PCT, I encourage you to go for it. You can better adhere to Leave-No-Trace principles if you do it correctly, and you’ll be able to camp in areas that are otherwise off-limits for the ground-dwellers.
Pros of Hammocking the PCT:
⦁ Better sleep and recovery. When hung right, a hammock conforms to your back and other over-worked muscles. You can elevate your legs to improve blood circulation to your feet.
⦁ Flexibility. You’re legally allowed to camp almost anywhere in national forests, which makes it easy and convenient to stop where you are, campsite or not, or move on with the confidence of being able to set up camp nearby.
⦁ Privacy. Because you can sleep in areas most others cannot, it’s easier to set up camp in areas out of line of sight from the trail, roads and other high-traffic areas.
⦁ Bug protection. Bring a hammock with a built-in bug net. On those hot summer nights, you can gaze up at the stars, outside the stuffy confines of a tent, without being bombarded by mosquitoes.
⦁ Reduced impact. Avoid high-traffic campsites. Sleep over rocks and brush. Set up and break down camp while fully adhering to Leave-No-Trace principles.
⦁ Weight. The hammock-tarp system is lighter than most tents, although it's heavier than sleeping on the ground with only a tarp since you’ll need both a sleeping bag (or over-quilt) and an under-quilt. See Added equipment in the cons list below.
⦁ Air flow. Sleeping above the ground gives you better air flow at night, which most people find refreshing. You’ll also avoid the morning dew that accumulates closer to the ground.
Cons of Hammocking the PCT:
⦁ Treeless areas. Be prepared to sleep on the ground for at least a night or two in the Desert. Areas above the tree line in the High Sierras and northern Washington are often too inhospitable to make camp regardless of whether you’re using a hammock or a tent.
⦁ Added equipment. You need both a sleeping bag (or an over-quilt) and an under-quilt, meaning a lot more space is needed in your backpack, even with ultralight varieties. This will still be lighter than many tents, but not all, and certainly not for people who sleep on the ground with only a tarp for protection. See Weight in the pros list above.
⦁ Damaged hammock. A severe rip in the hammock may be irreparable and render the hammock useless. Exercise extreme care when setting up a hammock, especially near thorny bushes, errant twigs and other sharp, pokey things.
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